Skip to content

Roma rule out Behrami

Valon Behrami celebrates putting West Ham in front in the bottom of the table clash with Hull
Image: Behrami: Not a target

Roma's sporting director Daniele Prade claims the club have not and will not bid for Valon Behrami.

Serie A giants have no plans to launch Hammers raid

Roma's sporting director Daniele Prade claims the club have not and will not bid for Valon Behrami. The Serie A outfit admit to being admirers of the versatile West Ham midfielder, but insist they have other areas to address in the transfer market. Switzerland international Behrami has been strongly linked with a move to Italy this summer, with Palermo among those to have expressed an interest. However, West Ham have made it clear that they have no intention of selling, and Roma have now revealed that they are not preparing to test the Hammers' resolve. "He is a strong player, we like him, but we have not made any offer to West Ham," Prade told Sky Italia. "Our priorities are a defender and a left winger, we are okay elsewhere."

Stalemate

Roma continue to track Inter Milan's Nicolas Burdisso, as a potential defensive option, but admit that discussions with their Serie A rivals have reached deadlock. "We offered 5million euros (£4.2m) to Inter for Burdisso, we cannot do any more," said Prade. "Nicolas knows that we are doing our best, but there are limits. Next Friday I will meet again with (Inter's sporting director) Marco Branca, but there is a stalemate. "Interest from Juventus? I don't care if there is another team in the frame. Roma helped to enhance Burdisso (during a loan spell last season) and still have one of the strongest defences, with Juan and (Philippe) Mexes." Meanwhile, Prade has also revealed that talks regarding the sale of Brazilian forward Julio Baptista to Greek outfit Olympiakos have gone quiet. He said: "There was strong interest 10 days ago, but since then we have not heard from anyone."

Around Sky