AS Roma making moves to bring Chelsea’s Davide Zappacosta back to Italy — report

It was just last week that Zappacosta’s agent was rumored to have held talks with two different clubs, and today’s edition of Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) claims that one of the clubs, AS Roma, are working diligently to bring the Italian international back to Italy. Roma already have a definitive starter at the right-back position in Alessandro Florenzi, but with the recent departure of Rick Karsdorp to Feyenoord, there is a lack of players who can act as a deputy to Florenzi (speaking of Florenzi, how about a throwback?).

Back in the day, Zappacosta was one of the better right-backs/right-wingbacks in Serie A. His 38 key passes and 5 assists were the second highest for any player at his position, and his 21 crosses the highest. But he never managed to establish himself in England, let alone replicate that form. This apparent decline in form has also coincided with the emergence of Reece James. Frank Lampard recently highlighted Reece’s impending importance to the team, and with the youngster getting close to being match-fit and ready to rule Chelsea’s right flank, it looks like Davide Zappacosta’s tenure is slowly, but surely coming to an end.

The report from Corriere dello Sport also muses upon Roma’s interest in Napoli’s Elseid Hysaj, but unfortunately for Roma, and fortunately for us, the Giallorossi do not have the funds available to meet the €20m asking price. Accordingly, Roma are mostly interested in taking Zappacosta on a season-long loan with an option to buy, which has almost become the standard way to conduct business in the Serie A.

Needless to say, this move could do Zappacosta a world of good; returning to more familiar surroundings to improve on the 1000 or so minutes he managed to scrape together last season. He may not rediscover his Torino form, nor his connection with Andrea Belotti that made Chelsea buy him in the first place, but he’s likely to find better success than during his time in West London.