Opinion: My Top 5 Roma players of 2015

As we eagerly await the first Roma game of 2016, asroma.com columnist Julian De Martinis selects the five players he believes had the best 2015 for the Giallorossi.

The fans voted Miralem Pjanic Roma’s Player of 2015 but De Martinis has gone for a different No.1…

5. Lucas Digne

Had Digne been with Roma last season, a Scudetto push may still have been a bridge too far but the second place finish may not have gone down-to-the-wire . His impact since coming on loan from PSG has been quite instant, putting in a memorable performance against Juve in what seemed like mere seconds after his transfer.

He’s gone through some settling-in pains but he’s already proven himself to be a left-back of a calibre Roma have lacked for some time. If he were a body part, think of him like an appendix; it’s been far too long since Roma’s had one with so much function.

4. Radja Nainggolan

The Ninja, as he’s so affectionately called, would have been a strong contender for Player of the 2014-2015 season. There’s a reason he’s become such a mainstay in the side since transferring from Cagliari, and not merely because Kevin Strootman remains injured.

Nainggolan is a quick, modern, dynamic midfielder, blessed with strong defensive abilities and the excellent know-how to make just the right run into the box. He’s like the immune system of the side, snuffing out danger as it pops up and going on the offensive as the need arrives.

3. Alessandro Florenzi

Play him as a full-back, play him as a winger, play him as a midfielder; just be sure to play him. Florenzi’s drive, grit and desire to run himself into oblivion engenders him to the needs of the team. He embodies everything great about the club, a youth player who broke into the first team, a capitano futuro-futuro who can score goals of the highest order in the Champions League and run to celebrate Serie A strikes with his Nonna in the stands. Florenzi is the heartbeat of the team.

2. Miralem Pjanic

The Bosnian hasn't just established himself as one of the team's longest tenured and most important players, he's emerged as one of Europe's premier free-kick takers this season. He can seemingly score every time he steps up to a dead ball. The frightening part is that his potential and talent is so raw, so good, that he can only improve his ability to dictate play during matches as well. Pjanic is so often the brains of Roma's play.

1. Kostas Manolas

Since Walter Sabatini took over as Sporting Director, Roma have been blessed with some wonderfully talented centre-backs. Manolas is no exception and it’s no surprise that the team seem the most assured in defence when he’s there to anchor it.

Both physically quick and dominant in the air, Manolas so often provides the stability that the rest of the team needs and seems like the perfect foil for the returning Leandro Castan. He’s the spine of the team.