Whenever there are major cup tournaments during the summer break, it inevitably throws off the transfer market in pretty major ways. Some of the world’s brightest stars are busy representing their countries via international play, meaning that transfers take longer to be agreed to, and announcements are few and far between until mid-July.
For Roma, that has created a situation where the Giallorossi clearly have several holes in their squad heading into training camp. The rumor mill has established that certain players are the main goals for Daniele De Rossi and Florent Ghisolfi during this summer mercato. Still, outside of Primavera signing Buba Sangaré, very little has been accomplished on the market as we approach mid-July.
The first serious domino has now officially fallen in Roma’s summer transfer plans, with the club announcing the signing of French midfielder Enzo Le Fée from Rennes. While the team did not disclose Le Fée’s transfer fee, rumor guru Fabrizio Romano maintains that the club paid a cool €23,000,000 for the Frenchman, with other outlets suggesting that fee will be paid via several installments to make the FFP hit more manageable for Roma.
Le Fée is an all-around type of midfielder in the mold of Thiago Alcântara or Marco Verratti, one who can pull the strings offensively while also providing a decent amount of defensive coverage despite a diminutive frame. The right-footed midfielder is also known for his coordination and body balance; when combined with agility and balance on the ball, he is a challenge to force off the ball if he’s in his stride.
Le Fée’s sole season at Rennes was a disappointment compared to his quick rise at Lorient, but still, nobody in the Rennes camp seems to believe that’s down to a failing on Le Fée’s part. Former Roma executive and current Rennes DS Frederic Massara said the following as it became clear that Le Fée would be leaving his club:
“At the beginning we hadn’t necessarily planned to do without him,” said Massara.
“Le Fee was a great investment for the club last summer. He was in great demand. His thoughts were a little different than ours about staying here.”
“This is obviously not a sufficient condition for leaving Rennes. Rennes decides when the players will leave and under what conditions.”
“When there were conditions that seemed important and positive for us, for a player who had not managed to fully grow, we felt that it was an important thing and that we had to sell him. He will obviously be replaced this summer.”
Those aren’t the words of someone who’s entirely thrilled to be losing a player, but more understanding that the Rennes environment isn’t the proper one for Le Fée to blossom further.
Le Fée wasted no time looking to endear himself to the Giallorossi fans, saying in his first press conference that:
“The most important thing is the trust that a club can show you, which is why Roma attracted me so much. I felt Roma had great expectations and a great desire to bring me here, obviously it was something mutual. I would like to thank the Friedkin family for their trust in me. I hope to repay them on the pitch. I will give my best to meet all the club’s expectations.”
“I’ve already spoken to the coach. I like his energy and his love for the club. This is the most important aspect for me. I know that as a footballer he was very loved here, I believe he is also loved as a coach. This is what drives me to try to win with this club: the coach, all the players, especially the fans, truly incredible from what I’ve seen.”
“I would like to thank the fans for their truly beautiful messages of support, which pushed me to choose this club. I would also like to thank them for their welcome at the airport. I took a tour around the city and I thank the fans who stopped to greet me.”
“I see that there is a lot of love for this club among the fans, everything is incredible here in Rome. To them I can only say: Daje Roma!”
“I cannot wait to start. I’ve been to Italy once, as a child, it’s my first time in Rome. I chose with my family to grow up here as a footballer and as a man. My wife and I think it’s the perfect place to do it. Who knows, maybe our first child will be born here. There are many wonderful places I want to visit in Rome.”
It’s still an open question whether Le Fée is intended to be a replacement for Leandro Paredes, who has offers from South America and Saudi Arabia, or a pure depth signing. REgardless, this is the kind of move the Giallorossi should be making if they want to return to the Champions League for the first time in several years. Let’s hope that there are more similar moves to follow.
Welcome to Rome, Enzo!
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