Unfortunately, we have a feeling Toby Alderweireld to AS Roma could be a story that goes beyond Thursday August 8th.
While a couple of Italian newspapers on Monday, such as Corriere dello Sport and Il Tempo, believe this is the final attempt to sign the Tottenham defender (we’ll get back to them in a bit), Gazzetta dello Sport hint it could drag on until the Serie A transfer window shuts.
That’s because, according to them, Spurs might not need a substitute, as Mauricio Pochettino ‘doesn’t list him as indispensable’.
As things stand, Daniel Levy is refusing to go below demands of €25m, and Roma can only reach €20m, bonuses included.
There’s hope that if Alderweireld keeps pushing for an exit, then a deal could get done.
They also push the line of Alderweireld not being a key figure in Pochettino’s plans going forward, outright stating Spurs could still sell the Belgian after Thursday’s deadline.
Roma ‘continue to believe’ it can get done, and will seemingly do so until all avenues have been exhausted.
Going back to both Corriere dello Sport, they believe Gianluca Petrachi, the Italians’ director of football, has made Monday the deadline for a deal to get sorted or they’ll move onto alternatives.
It’s stated at the end that Alderweireld has already had a chat with new Roma manager Paulo Fonseca, and there’s a desire from the player to move.
Il Tempo are the more miserable of the bunch, simply stating a deal would ‘be very difficult’, and they have until Thursday to get a transfer done.
