Roma could part ways with both strikers in January after worrying goal drought

Reports in Italy suggest that Roma could be prepared to part ways with both of their first-team centre-forwards, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson, during the January transfer window after a worrying lack of goals from the Giallorossi duo. 

Despite sitting one point off the top of the Serie A table, Roma have a worrying lack of goals arriving from their centre-forwards. Between them, Dovbyk and Ferguson have scored just once across their 10 competitive matches so far this season (Seven in Serie A and three in the Europa League). 

Particularly troubling for Brighton loanee Ferguson is the fact that he has now not scored in a full year; His last goal coming in a 2-2 draw with Wolves on October 26, 2024. 

Neither he nor Dovbyk were able to find the back of the net as Roma stumbled to a 2-1 defeat at home against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday evening. 

Speaking after full-time, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini admitted: “We were sluggish in the finishing, that is true. There are many players who haven’t scored for a long time, so they need to look in the mirror and ask why that is. 

“If we hadn’t converted a penalty, we would not have scored again today, despite spending most of it in the opposition final third. We need to reflect on that.”

Roma could part ways with both Dovbyk and Ferguson in January

Now, according to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, there is a chance that Roma look to part ways with both centre-forwards at the earliest possible opportunity. 

Friday’s report claims that Roma have already ‘signalled’ to Brighton that they may look to terminate Ferguson’s loan deal in January in order to focus on other targets. Reports earlier in the week suggested that Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee is a possible option on loan. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that there could still be teams interested in a loan deal for the Irishman in the Premier League. 

It is a slightly different situation for Dovbyk, given that Roma invested €35m on his signing just over a year ago. The Giallorossi had already explored the possibility of letting him go during the summer transfer window, but were unable to pull off a ‘swap’ deal with Milan involving Santiago Gimenez. 

However, La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that the exit door will be ‘wide open’ ‘for Dovbyk in January.