Roma are weighing up an offer for Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor while they are reportedly in negotiations to sign Mohamed Salah from Chelsea.
Roma Coach Rudi Garcia is looking for alternatives as striker Mattia Destro is in talks with various clubs but particularly AC Milan. Adebayor is a player Garcia knows well and Roma have a good relationship with Tottenham. His wages are a concern but Roma are the calibre of club Adebayor would like to join. Tottenham have potential targets in the shape of Burnley’s Danny Ings and Carlos Bacca at Sevilla should Adebayor go. Adebayor has not played for Spurs since early November and boasts just two goals for the season, having netted 14 times in 2013/14. But the forward’s goal drought has not stopped Roma taking an interest in the 30-year-old, who, according to Gazzetta dell Sport, is free to leave White Hart Lane. One stumbling block in Pochettino’s efforts to offload Adebyaor, however, is that Roma are also chasing Fiorentina striker Mario Gomez. However, Gomez’s strike yield is worse than Adebayor’s. The German has netted just once this term and that was the third in a 4-0 thumping of Cagliari. Pochettino has previously stood by Adebayor during a tough spell in the player’s career. Last month the boss said: “He’s a great player, a great talent, but now it’s a moment and I need to stay with him and give him the space. It’s not a nice moment for him and my job is to help him too.”
According to Sky Sport Italia, the Giallorossi have pin-pointed Salah as an exciting addition to their trident attack. Previously linked with Inter over the last few months, the 22-year-old Egyptian is frustrated with the amount of playing time he gets at Stamford Bridge. Italian media claim Roma are prepared to take Salah on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season for a 15m. However, Chelsea are asking for a mandatory buy-out clause worth a 17m. This season Salah has played only 268 minutes of football divided into seven games between the Premier League, Champions League and League Cup. The Egyptian has struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge since joining from Basel a year ago, with the likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Willian making it difficult for him to secure minutes on the pitch. Reports earlier this week had suggested that Besiktas were eager to sign the 22-year-old on loan, but he could now be on course to make the permanent switch to Serie A. Salah has made just three appearances in the Premier League this season.