Whispers around the Stadio Franchi have been abruptly silenced. Our colleagues at GoalZaza have been tracking the chatter linking Emerson Royal's succ...
Whispers around the Stadio Franchi have been abruptly silenced. Our colleagues at GoalZaza have been tracking the chatter linking Emerson Royal's successor at Roma with a move to Fiorentina's Dodo, but respected Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla has thrown a heavy blanket over that particular fire. There are no talks. None at all. For a moment, the rumour mill had the Brazilian full back packing his bags for the capital, yet the reality is rather more mundane: Fiorentina simply aren't engaging.Let's be clear about what this means for the Giallorossi. Roma's recruitment team, under the watchful eye of Daniele De Rossi, have been scouring the market for a right back who offers more than just defensive solidity. They need someone capable of overlapping, of delivering a dangerous cross from the byline. Dodo, with his lung bursting runs and willingness to get into the mixer, fits that profile nicely. But Fiorentina's position, as relayed by Pedulla, is firm. They see the former Shakhtar man as a key component of Vincenzo Italiano's tactical flexibility, a player who can operate both as a traditional full back and as a more advanced wing back in a fluid 4. 2. 3. 1 or 3. 4. 2. 1 system.So why the sudden silence from the Viola Perhaps they are holding out for a bigger bid from abroad. Or maybe they simply have no intention of selling one of their most dynamic outlets in the middle of a season where they are pushing for European football. For Roma, this represents a frustrating dead end. They will now have to look elsewhere, perhaps at a more experienced head or a younger prospect who can be groomed. Either way, the Dodo to Roma saga is, for now, a closed chapter. It is a stark reminder that in the transfer market, not every rumour carries the weight of truth. Some are just smoke without a fire.What will Roma do now That is the question that hangs over Trigoria. They cannot afford to stand still, not with the demands of a packed Serie A and Europa League schedule looming. Expect their scouting network to be burning the midnight oil, searching for that elusive right sided answer. But for Dodo, the message is clear: stay put, keep running, and wait for a different kind of phone call.
