Monchi: 'Roma won't weaken squad'

By Football Italia staff

Roma director of sport Monchi held a surprise Press conference to insist “our intention is not to weaken the squad,” but didn’t mention Edin Dzeko, Emerson Palmieri or Radja Nainggolan.

The Spaniard read out a statement to the reporters ahead of Coach Eusebio Di Francesco’s Press conference this afternoon, replying to reports of Dzeko and Emerson Palmieri moving to Chelsea in a double €60m deal, while Nainggolan has been linked with China.

“We found ourselves forced to create some clarity here. For too many days, Roma have been described in the papers as a club being dismantled. I even read we are selling players without their knowledge,” said Monchi.

“It is a description that is very far away from the reality of the situation. We cannot be blamed for having many strong players in the squad who are of interest to many top clubs.

“If concrete offers arrive, it will be my duty as director of sport to evaluate them, just as my proposals are evaluated when I contact other directors of sport. We are not sleeping. I have made three times as many calls as I received.

“That is what I did at Sevilla, and I got some very good results. I want to be clear once and for all. Roma are not going around the world looking for offers. Above all, our intention is not to weaken the squad.

“In fact, I tell the fans, our objective is always the same: to strengthen the squad.”

However, this statement does not in any way deny the offers have arrived from Chelsea, nor that they are being considered.

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