Top 10: Loan players who became permanent features

“Nothing in life worth having comes easy. My head and my heart have always been in Rome. I am delighted to now be yours. Daje Roma!”

These were the words of Chris Smalling, as he described his return to the Giallorossi this week - following his initial loan spell last season.

A permanent deal was just what he, the club, and the fans all wanted, with the Roma faithful welcoming him back home like a prodigal son after such a strong bond was developed last season. It had been love at first sight, every since his debut against Atalanta in September last year.

Smalling has been a core part of the team ever since and quickly became a fans’ favourite, which is by no stretch unheard of in the case of a new loanee.

By definition and given the structure of the operation, it may seem sensible not to get overly attached in order to reduce the possible feeling of disappointment if no permanent deal arises. Pietro Vierchowod is one such example, as the defender joined the club in a loan deal from Sampdoria for the 1982-83 Scudetto-winning season before briskly having to say goodbye to his team-mates.

The England defender and many other players who joined Roma on loan initially ahead of securing permanent deals are not in that boat, however. We have picked out ten of our best loanees over the last 25 years...

Marco Delvecchio (1995-2005)

The forward joined Roma in November 1995 at the age of 22 on loan (obviously). With Carlo Mazzone at the helm and a team that was well suited to his style of play, it was another case of love at first sight.

A return of 10 goals in 24 appearances turned Delvecchio into a new idol for the fans, who regularly urged Franco Sensi to make the deal permanent through the persuasive “Comprace Delvecchio, president comprace Delvecchio” chant.

The president had to appease the people, Marco became Supermarco and stayed in the capital for ten years, during which time he said, “I’m a Roman who was born in Milan.”

Nicolas Burdisso (2009-2014)

The Argentine signed for the club from Inter in the final few days of the summer 2009 transfer window to feature alongside Juan and Philippe Mexes at the heart of the defence.

The deal was made official on the same day as the opening league game of the campaign against Genoa, which he started. It is said that his shirt was not even on the list and a couple of club directors had to rush to Rome to get one with the number 29 on it.

The Giallorossi went agonisingly close to clinching league success that year, thanks in part to Il Bandito, who ended up staying in the capital until January 2014. 131 appearances.

David Pizarro (2006-2012)

The negotiations to convince Pizarro to sign for Roma were drawn-out and exhausting. The back and forth was eventually settled by a phone call from Francesco Totti one summer evening, when the situation was seemingly bleak.

The Chilean did the right thing, however, and chose the Giallorossi.

The midfielder was in Rieti the next day for a friendly for Luciano Spalletti’s side and quickly became a shining light in the middle of the park, as Daniele De Rossi explained: “He’s a rock that we can rely on when we don’t know what to do with the ball.”

Soon after signing from Inter in a co-ownership agreement, Pizarro fell in love with the club and the city. 207 appearances.

Mirko Vucinic (2006-2011)

The Montenegrin was the club’s other big signing in summer 2006, alongside Pizarro.

The former Lecce player was a serious talent with pace, an eye for goal and a trick or two up his sleeve. The transfer was complex, as he arrived on loan and Roma went on to purchase him in a co-ownership deal from Lecce the following year, before becoming sole owners in 2008.

Vucinic’s fine performances attracted other suitors who tried to prise him away on several occasions, including previous owners Lecce, but to no avail. 203 appearances.

Radja Nainggolan (2014-2018)

Radja signed from Cagliari in January 2014 in a complex deal made up of a loan, an option to buy as part of a co-ownership deal, and eventually the chance to buy the player outright.

The Belgian immediately established himself as one of the top midfielders in Europe thanks to his battling qualities and eye for goal.

His impressive performances cast doubt over his future, as the co-ownership agreement between the Giallorossi and Cagliari was always in the balance, with other clubs ready to swoop in, but that did not happen - as Radja eventually became a Roma player in spirit and in reality. 203 appearances.

Emerson Palmieri (2015-2017)

Emerson did not make a positive impact immediately after joining the club from Palermo in 2015, with his first start coming in a Coppa Italia tie against Spezia that the Giallorossi inexplicably lost on penalties (albeit not because of the full-back’s involvement).

After starting to gain confidence down the left wing under Spalletti, the coach asked to make the deal permanent against a backdrop of general scepticism - and the board complied.

A red card in a 3-0 home loss at the hands of Porto was a low point, but Emerson performed at his best in a 2-0 derby win over Lazio in 2016 in which Kevin Strootman and Nainggolan got on the scoresheet. 47 appearances.

Diego Perotti (2016-2020)

The deal materialised on the last day of the January 2016 transfer window as a loan with an option to buy from Genoa, where he had burst on to the scene as a No. 10 over the previous two campaigns.

After landing at Fiumicino on 1 February, Perotti started against Sassuolo the following day in a false nine role, turning in a sumptuous performance that included an assist for Stephan El Shaarawy in a 2-0 victory.

The club made the move permanent as soon as possible. 138 appearances.

Federico Fazio (2016-Present)

In August 2016, Roma strengthened the defence by bringing Fazio in from Tottenham and Thomas Vermaelen from Barcelona in loan deals.

While expectations surrounding the latter were greater, it was the Argentine who earned the plaudits and became a mainstay in the Roma rearguard, with a permanent transfer an inevitability.

The centre-back was a regular start in 2016-17 when Roma racked up 87 points and was one of the key performers in the famous 3-0 win over Barcelona. Fazio further cemented his popularity with a goal in the Rome derby in 2018. 158 appearances.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (2019-Present)

Like Smalling, the Armenian arrived on loan in 2019 from a Premier League outfit.

The internationally renowned midfielder had shone at Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and Arsenal. Born in 1989 like Smalling, Mkhitaryan has also made a huge impact at the club, kicking off with a debut goal against Sassuolo.

On the radio, a fan dedicated a song to him to the tune of Felicita by Al Bano which he shared on social media himself: “The Armenian that goes like a train is Mkhitaryan.” 30 appearances.

Chris Smalling (2019-Present)

The centre-back, who has penned a deal until 2023, is a charismatic leader who made 37 appearances during his first season at the club.

Born in 1989, Smalling is fast in one-on-one situations, powerful and determined. He will wear the No. 6 once again - a shirt which formerly belonged to Aldair, another great defender, for a long time.