Roma’s impressive victory over Serie A champions, Juventus last weekend suggests that the Giallorossi may finally mount a serious challenge to the Turin club’s recent dominance. Rudi García’s scudetto hopefuls are blessed with attacking riches but still have a couple of young Argentine talents who were both linked with moves away from the Stadio Olimpico. Leandro Paredes sealed a loan switch to Empoli and the frustrating Juan Manuel Iturbe was similarly linked to Genoa but will have another chance to impress in Rome.
The arrivals of Mohamed Salah, Iago Falque and Edin Dzeko has only intensified the competition for attacking roles at Roma and it appeared in the days before the European transfer window closed that both Leandro Paredes and Juan Manuel Iturbe could leave to gain more playing time elsewhere. For Paredes, Empoli will provide this after a year-long loan was agreed but Iturbe, he will fight for a place under Rudi García after a rumoured switch to Genoa fell through.
Roma confirmed the loan transfer of 21-year-old Leandro Paredes before the transfer window slammed shut and a year with Empoli will hopefully provide the former Boca youngster with a platform for his further development. Despite breaking into García’s first team squad last season after his spell with Chievo Verona, playing time was limited to a meagre 13 appearances. This yielded a goal and an assist but at 21, Paredes needs playing time and if he isn’t going to get this in Rome then a year elsewhere should do him the world of good.
A supremely talented playmaker, Roma have only yet seen flashes of his skill and will be hoping that the loan with Empoli will see him progress and begin to produce consistently rather than simply adding a few nice touches which do wonders for a youtube compiliation video but do not win a side matches necessarily.
This concept of consistency is a word which can be aptly applied to fellow Argentine, Juan Manuel Iturbe. After Roma shelled out a whopping €22 million for the 22-year-old last summer, the Giallorossi supporters might be excused for expecting a little more from the diminuitive wide player. His dazzling displays with Chievo Verona prompted Roma to part with such a vast sum but during his first season in the Olimpico those performances were few and far between.
Three goals and three assists is far less than would be expected from a player that demanded such a transfer fee but it is easy to forget due to his lengthy and well travelled career already that Iturbe is still only 22. Roma are aware that they have a rough diamond at present, a player with the attributes to cause opposition defences all kinds of problems but they have not yet found the way to coax that out.
With this in mind, a switch to Genoa was strongly linked in the days prior to the transfer window closing. The deal discussed would have seen Iturbe swap Roma for Genoa on a season-long loan with the Rossoblu having the option to make it permanent in exchange for €20 million. If Iturbe is indeed going to struggle to play this season for Roma then the move would have made sense and had he been a roaring success then they might even have recouped the large proportion of the fee they paid. However, it never came to fruition and so Iturbe must step up if he is to force his way into Rudi García’s plans on a regular basis.
This could be a significant season for both players, not least for their futures with Roma but for Olympic selection. Both have represented Argentina at youth levels and will have their eyes on a spot in Gerardo Martino’s under-23 squad in Rio de Janeiro. Strong performances in Serie A would certainly increase their chances of selection and would be another stage in their development.
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
golazo argentino 