The 2023/24 season is still in its infancy, but that hasn’t stopped Roma from targeting some new signings, including from Premier League outfit, Aston Villa.
Villa manager, Unai Emery, and his Roma counterpart, Jose Mourinho, are old friends and adversaries, having managed against each other many times in their careers, including in Spain and England.
Whether Emery would be happy about an approach from the Special One’s new employers regarding one of his players is unlikely, though much could depend on how both teams progress during the course of the campaign.
At present, Villa are riding high in the English top-flight, and their 15 points means they’re just a win behind front runners, Man City.
By contrast, the Giallorossi are having a nightmare and have just eight points from their seven Serie A games. That’s already put them 10 behind current leaders, Inter.
According to Il Romanista, Roma’s sporting director, Tiago Pinto, is eyeing up Villa’s marauding left-back, Lucas Digne.
It’s believed the Italians would want the Frenchman as a replacement for Leonardo Spinazzola, and the club have apparently set their sights on the 30-year-old.
He does have a history at the club of course, albeit a short one, as he was loaned to Roma back in 2015 by Paris Saint-Germain before moving on to Barcelona.
Given that he’s integral to all that Unai Emery does, it’s difficult to believe Roma would get it all their own way in negotiations, however, if the price is right you never say never in football.