Opinion: How Pedro might fit in at Roma

Wanting to reinforce the squad with some additional experience and quality, Roma's acquisition of Pedro certainly ticks both of those boxes.

Having proven himself to be a truly elite player throughout his long and decorated career, which has spanned roughly 12 years at the professional level, the Spaniard will now be bringing all of that knowledge and ability to the Stadio Olimpico.

A player whose honours list includes winning the World Cup, a European Championship, three Champions Leagues, a Europa League, five La Liga titles and the Premier League... not many can match his remarkable list of achievements.

Versatile and able to adapt to a vast array of roles and tactical systems, something he's proven throughout his career during his time working under some masterful managers such as Pep Guardiola, Vicente del Bosque, Antonio Conte, Luis Enrique and Maurizio Sarri, this will place him in good stead to fit right into Paulo Fonseca's plans.

Whether playing in a 4-3-3 under Guardiola, Enrique and Sarri, Conte's 3-4-3 or other shapes like a 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-2-1, Pedro's predominantly been deployed as a winger (on either flank) or an inside forward.

So with Fonseca most commonly using a 4-2-3-1 or a 3-4-2-1 in his first season, Pedro should slot seamlessly into either system.

It'll be particularly interesting to see him operate in the latter, where he'll relish playing as one of the attacking midfielders with the licence to burst in behind and rotate across the frontline, which opponents will have headaches combating.

No matter the tactical setup, Pedro's multi-faceted set of attributes always guarantees he's a menace to handle, with his blend of intelligence, athleticism, technical qualities and nous seeing him constantly ask questions of backlines.

To start with his movement, which is where much of his danger lies. A master at timing and directing his runs in behind, he's so hard to monitor due to how smartly he gains separation from markers.

He does so by pinpointing gaps in between defenders and noticing when they're dragged out of position or preoccupied with a marking duty, as the following examples show:

The way he exploits the blindside of opponents is key too, for his out-to-in runs are so hard for defenders to track due to them being uncomfortably positioned compared to him, as he's in a forward facing shape with momentum.

Once inside the box, the diminutive attacker's neat moves for losing defenders - such as his double movements, opposite movements, zig zags, stop gos and how he peels off his man to find space to shoot as the defence collapses deep - heighten his effectiveness.

Despite being 33, it's impressive how he still maintains his pace and agility so he can change direction and hit a high top speed to further complicate things for foes.

Awake to when the ball holder is able to hit a pass with their preferred foot, has their head up and is not under pressure, he'll shrewdly begin his runs to provide a viable deep option.

Having received magical service from the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas, Sergio Busquets and Jorginho during his career, it'll be intriguing to see him build relationships with his new teammates.

One of those coveted players who can score goals playing in nominally wide zones, his finishing accompanies his movement beautifully. Capable of finding the back of the net in many ways, Pedro parlays power, finesse and placement.

Whether scoring via 1v1s, neat dinks, curling placed finishes, instinctive close range efforts or using a short backlift to unleash quick shots, the clinical, two-footed Spaniard will be a fine asset.

Switching the focus to his dribbling, and Pedro also excels in this department. Having come through the ranks at Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, his ball control and first touch are at a high level and places him ideally to keep the ball under pressure and breathe life into attacks.

Moreover, how he performs head scans so he knows where nearby opponents are then adjusts his receiving posture accordingly is vital. This means he recognises when to then turn instantly, spin against the grain away from danger or protect the ball while waiting for an option.

When in a position to run at defenders, his nifty repertoire of skills that contains slick feints, shimmies, stepovers, body swerves and fake passes and shots ensures he can unbalance and outfox adversaries.

So comfortable with the ball at his feet and excellent in 1v1s, it makes sense why he's often the target of switches of play so he can be isolated against his man in the final third.

An efficient and progressive passer, Pedro's distribution enables him to link play cohesively, create chances and aid his team's efforts to keep possession.

Clean, crisp and accurate, his work with his back to goal has seen him hit some lovely one touch passes, switch the angle of attacks quickly and strike smart lay offs and backheels.

When playing more expansive balls, his capacity to fire in sweet crosses and cutbacks, plus break the lines or slide in teammates with incisive through balls, definitely adds to his worth.

By the numbers from his last five seasons, his 0.29 goals per game, 0.16 assists pg, 3.52 touches inside the box pg, 2.4 shots pg, 2.64 successful dribbles pg, 1.71 progressive runs pg and 1.37 shot assists pg illustrates his multifaceted qualities.

Meanwhile, in terms of his defensive exertions, his tenacity, determination and intensity sets the tone for his teammates to follow. Well versed in the art of pressing through many years of working with some of the game's elite coaches, he'll be a dream to work with for Fonseca, who's also very astute at devising and implementing pressing schemes.

Listening to his comments when he was in peak form under Sarri at Chelsea, he gave a splendid insight into how he loves to play.

"Maurizio is very clear with his ideas and that’s good for me because I run, press high and recover the ball," Pedro said.

"I stay close to the target to score goals and help my team — that’s good. I speak with him a lot about my role on the pitch and I’m comfortable playing high, and I like it.”

In Fonseca, Roma have a manager whose philosophy should suit him in a similar fashion.