The love story between Roma and Juan Manuel Iturbe seems to be coming to an end. After a difficult first season where he failed to impress and after a failed loan move to the Premier League with Bournemouth, it looks like time is up for the 23-year-old Argentine.
 

Wide on the left, wide on the right and even playing as a second striker; all these positions have been tried by coach Luciano Spalletti and all have found the player wanting. Even last night against Latina, when Iturbe was surely drinking in the last-chance saloon, his performance over 90 minutes was disappointing and now Roma will look to off-load before August 31.  

On what formula Iturbe leaves the club is now the biggest issue for the giallorossi; if he leaves on a permanent deal, the club will certainly make a loss, If he goes out on-loan, it would be less painful from an economic point of view for a player who has become one of the costliest purchases of the Pallotta era. If he stays in Serie A, then it will most likely be on-loan, with Atalanta and Bologna both showing interest. Sassuolo have also made noises and could be in a position to buy the player outright. Outside of the peninsula there seems little interest with only Malaga showing any positive signs. Football is a strange game and next week the giallorossi travel to Porto for the first-leg of their Champions League play-off encounter; the very same club who first loaned Iturbe to Verona. Could it be that his old club may be interested in having him back? Who knows….

By Francesca Schito. Adapted and translated by Steve Mitchell