Roma bid for Barcelona pair Junior Firpo, Jean-Clair Todibo

Roma have made approaches for Barcelona defensive duo Junior Firpo (pictured) and Jean-Clair Todibo.

The details are outlined by El Mundo Deportivo, but the coronavirus impact on football’s finances and Barcelona’s valuation of €25m for each player is said to have made the deals complicated.

Roma are said to have directly approached sporting director Eric Abidal about deals for both, in the knowledge that Barcelona are open to sales this summer.

Firpo has appeared in 16 matches for the Catalan giants this campaign but remains very much the understudy to long-term left back Jordi Alba at the club.

The Dominican-born player failed to convince Ernesto Valverde nor his successor Quique Setien – who managed him at Betis – that he was worthy of a regular first-team slot.

Left wing-back Firpo only joined the Blaugrana from Real Betis last summer but a recent report in Diario Sport suggests he could be allowed to leave this year.

A report in El Mundo Deportivo last week claimed Roma would rival interest from Everton in central defender Todibo, with Diario Sport saying the English club closing in on a deal for an initial €20m with €5m in add-ons.

Roma are said to be hopeful of the signing due to the good relations between the respective club boards, following on from the signing of Carles Perez in January.

Bayer Leverkusen, Milan, Watford, Southampton and Monaco are five other clubs said to be monitoring the situation.

The player joined Schalke on loan in January on a short-term loan deal and €1.5m fee, with the German side able to make that permanent this summer – in a deal which would include a €50m buyback for Barca – but now everything has changed.

Todibo only joined the Catalan giants in January last year, ending a long running contractual dispute with previous club Toulouse in Ligue 1.

The 20-year-old has only been involved in four La Liga matches across the calendar year – with two of his three starts coming after the league title was secured last season.

After being forced to play with the youth team at Toulouse, following his standoff with the club’s management, he was short of match fitness when he arrived at the Camp Nou but was never granted a run in the first-team.

Tags Jean-Clair Todibo Junior Firpo Roma
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