Tiago Pinto reflects on January transfer business

On Tuesday afternoon the club's General Manager, Tiago Pinto, held his customary post-window press conference to discuss all of Roma's transfer business in January.

After the loan arrivals of both Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sergio Oliveira, plus the exits of players including Borja Mayoral, Gonzalo Villar and Bryan Reynolds, the Portuguese director sat down with reporters at Trigoria to answer their questions on all the club's activity.

Here is everything Pinto had to say...

There are so many questions we want to ask you. First of all, can give your activity in this transfer window a title? Beyond that, is there any storyline from the past month that we should know about that didn’t come out in the press? And, finally, what was the biggest offer the club received for a player this month?

“I am happy to be holding this press conference. I am not someone who talks a lot publicly, but I am always happy to offer some clarity on those issues I can offer clarity about. As far as the title for this transfer window goes, you know that we all learn a bit more each day, right? In the last press conference like this I was asked to give my rating of the transfer window and from what happened then I learned I shouldn’t do that again! On that occasion things got taken the wrong way and I think it would be the same if I tried to give this month some sort of title. I will just concentrate on doing my job – tomorrow I will read in the papers what others give in terms of a rating or a name.

“As for transfer offers, I think there are some things that I would rather not talk about. Things are always in changing in football but some things are always the same too. The players that are the finished products are the ones that get the biggest offers. In the last three transfer windows we have been able to keep hold of our best players. That is the most important thing. I am satisfied with that, that those players have stayed at Roma.

“As for your other question, the transfer window is full of things that go on in the background – but I would rather not reveal any of those now. It really struck me to see the passion with which the agents, the directors and others experience the last few days of the transfer window. I always try to work in a methodical manner. There are tales that may end up getting told in the future, but not right now.”

As you’ve just said, in the last three transfer windows there have not been any major sales. Will Nicolo Zaniolo be part of the club’s future? Will he be one of the first players you talk to about a contract renewal, considering his contract expires in 2024?

“I remember the same sort of questions coming at the end of the summer transfer window. There were six or seven players then that we needed to sort out renewals for. I will say that right now I think it is the time for the collective to come to the fore. In the next four months we need to focus on getting results and getting better with help from the coach. We want to get results that can leave us all satisfied.

"Clearly, this is still football and there are also individual interests at play, but right now is not the moment to be talking about renewals or the summer transfer window. This squad, this family, needs to fight across three fronts over the next four months. We have a chance to have a really good season.”

Have you closed the gap with the Champions League places during this transfer window?

“I believe that we are trying to improve the team and make it stronger in each and every transfer window. The coach himself has acknowledged that we have been able to bring in two lads who have improved the team and weren’t playing so much beforehand. The January transfer window is pretty unique.

“What we want to work out is what the team is missing and if we are able to bring in players who can immediately improve things in that regard. At the end of November and beginning of December we took time with the coach and the scouting area to understand where we could improve the squad and what sort of profile of player we wanted to add. Then we were able to get our business done quickly. The boys [Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sergio Oliveira] arrived and immediately improved the team – as the coach himself has said.”

Do you want to make both those deals permanent in the summer?

“There will be a chance to talk about all that, but as I’ve said right now the priority is to concentrate on the team's performance.”

You have managed to complete two signings without needing to produce big money to do so. Two loans, one with an option to make it permanent and one without. How do you think that liquidity issue will be resolved by the next window? Is the idea to sell a few key players in order to buy better ones?

“One of the best things about this project is the way we are all aligned about how we want to operate. The ownership and our coach – the conductor of the orchestra, one of the best in the world, and someone we have placed a lot of hope, responsibility and trust in. Our job in every transfer window is to unite all the pieces of the puzzle.

"There is the financial part, the ownership’s strategic approach and the footballing element – we want to improve in all aspects. I am not scared of the future, we are doing the right work in order to make Roma a stronger club, from a footballing perspective and an economic one too. Over the next few months we will develop a plan with Dan [Friedkin], Ryan [Friedkin] and Mourinho. With the certainty that by September 2022 [the end of the next transfer window] the squad will be even stronger."

Will this policy of not selling your best players continue?

“I think yours is an interesting question because it reflects what football is these days. In the sense that we always need to make choices that will ultimately improve the squad. And that’s over and above who we buy and we sell. Sometimes you can do both of those things and in the end you become a better side.

"The most important thing, in my opinion, is to have objectives on the pitch. We want to make Roma a winning side, a Champions League side, that is fighting to win trophies. And that is what we will be working towards in the next transfer window, over and above if we are selling players or we are buying them.”

If you were in the business of giving ratings, would you give a better rating for the incoming business or the outgoing business?

“I won’t give a rating. In terms of our purchases we were quick to understand what we needed to do, we were pragmatic about it given the conditions we had in place and we were able to get everything sorted early on. We addressed the key points.

"As for the outgoings, whenever a player is not playing regularly I think there are three options you want to pursue. One is to slim down the size of the squad. Perhaps that means you have fewer players available, but the group will be a bit closer and more united. Two, you have to try and find the right environment for players to go and build up their value again. And the third, clearly, is to strike a balance with the purchases you are making and make some savings in order to further reinforce the group.

"In my opinion we were also able to achieve with our outgoings what we wanted to do. Perhaps we could have done some things differently, but generally speaking I am pleased.”

Is it true that Amadou Diawara’s status prevented a third signing being made? And which of the various midfielders linked with the club were closest to joining? To name a few - Kamara, Grillitsch, Zakaria, Xhaka, Nandez, Danilo, Joao Moutinho?

“Diawara did not stop anything happening. A marriage happens when all parties are in agreement. It’s not true that a third signing was not possible because Diawara did not leave. Beyond that, there are certain things that I have to admit I do not understand.

“I am sorry, but I don’t understand. I will tell you my thoughts on the matter. On January 12 we signed Sergio Oliveira, and the day after we all said that our transfer business was more or less done for the month. Clearly, of course, you can never say it is 100% closed. Sometimes something can happen and then you need to respond – like in the summer, when I never would have said that we were going to go and get Tammy Abraham.

“After saying what we did, however, then some of you started to write about Kamara, Grillitsch, Xhaka, Nandez, Danilo, Joao Moutinho. Joao Moutinho, from what I understand, started as a joke on social media that made it into the news. Some of you complain that Tiago Pinto doesn’t speak enough, or that the press office doesn’t give out enough information. All the names linked with us, none of them were actual negotiations. It’s all lies. Even Kamara. One day I will explain what went on with Kamara. Right now I can’t. When you see the future then you will understand.

“I don’t want to be arrogant, I am just trying to share my thoughts with you. None of those names were ever in negotiations with us – but we dismiss the links and then they are described as ‘missed targets’. I can’t do much about that.”

What about Denis Zakaria?

“I didn’t include Zakaria among those other names I just listed, which shows I am always trying to tell the truth. There the story is a little different. Whenever you try and sign a player there are a lot of factors that can influence the decision. It’s not just about the relationship with the club. There’s the player himself, the contract, so many other factors.

"I do not want to talk specifically about Zakaria, who has joined Juventus now, but he was undoubtedly a player that we knew about and that our scouting department had been tracking. You can say that the scouting department did well to identify him. Perhaps the sporting director is a fool, but at least the scouting department is working well!”

As far as Tammy Abraham goes, are you worried about Chelsea’s buy-back clause – if it exists?

“The buy-back clause exists, it becomes active in 2023, but I am not worried about that. I am happy, he is playing well and establishing himself. But I think even he can get better; he can become stronger both as an individual player and as a member of the team. Just as the coach has already said. But for his first year in Italy he is doing well – the first year is usually hard. I am not worried about the option Chelsea have.”

Juventus have strengthened a lot in this window. Does that worry you? And another question; is an algorithm now the primary method by which you evaluate players to sign?

“As far as the first question goes, I need to focus on our side and on my job – I can’t worry about what others are doing. Thinking about our transfer business, our strategy and the things we need to get done. Clearly we are not playing this game alone, but I am not one to waste my time fixating on what the other teams are up to.

“As for the issue of the algorithm, I still need to understand how this idea was born. You guys know that I don’t lie to you. In today’s game there is always a big risk of signing the wrong player, who does not add quality and only costs you a lot of money. With the scouting department we put in a huge amount of work in order to try and reduce that risk.

“We gather information about their status, their statistics. But we have never bought a player because the algorithm said so. We have recently signed El Shaarawy, Rui Patricio … I don’t think you need an algorithm to sign them. Reynolds? You can say that perhaps that was a misplaced choice. What I need to do is make sure we have as much information as possible in order to make the right choice. There is no algorithm telling us to sign this player or that player.

“Of course there are statistics out there that are important, that are overseen by someone, that have value for us and for the coach as well. These days a coaching staff has a lot of members. When things go well or when they don’t, none of it is down to an algorithm. It’s, ultimately, down to me.”

The big signing this summer was Vlahovic, whom Juventus managed to sign in part by selling Kulusevski and Bentancur. They were all deals they could do because of the rapport they have with those other clubs involved. Do Roma have those same type of relationships? You were at Benfica before – is it harder with Roma?

“No, it’s different. Working for Roma and for Benfica is different. Working in Italy and in Portugual is different. The example you give is not unique, there are plenty of others too without mentioning Juventus or [Tottenham sporting director] Fabio Paratici.

“When I got here, Pau Lopez was on the bench. Antonio Mirante was playing. At that moment, maybe his transfer value was zero. Then he started to play again, he got his confidence back … and then he got injured again. Tiago Pinto knocked on the door at Marseille, the door of a smart, young guy like [Pablo] Longoria, and we decided that Marseille was the right project for Pau Lopez. Six months later a player who was on the bench a year earlier has brought in 12 million euros for the club.

“Cengiz Under played 200 minutes in England [for Leicester], then the right team was chosen [Marseille] and he has brought in 8.4 million for Roma. I can also mention other players that weren’t playing two years ago and now are at least getting playing time. There is Coric, Bianda and Justin Kluivert – who is doing well at Nice. The money will come later.

“I don’t know what you mean by relationships. I talk with all the clubs, even if I am known as one of those who protects certain relationships. But, above all that, Roma is a big club with a big footprint. Even if someone wouldn’t want to open their door for Tiago Pinto, undoubtedly they would open it for Roma.”

A yes or no question – can you guarantee that Nicolo Zaniolo will be playing for Roma next season?

“I can’t make that guarantee about him or any other player, no-one can.”

How is it possible the club hasn’t signed a playmaker in either of the last two transfer windows? Is that the target now for the summer?

“Instead of one question, you’ve now asked three. As far as your second question goes, if I’m not wrong then Mourinho already said to you guys: ‘The window isn’t closed but I am not expecting another signing’. Maybe I’m getting that wrong though.

"As I have said, the summer transfer window is still a long way away. When the transfer window closes the real business starts for us. Business that means we all need to focus ourselves on what matters – the action on the pitch. Where everyone needs to improve. To continue the metaphor I used before about the orchestra, we’ve brought in more musicians and now we want to improve those musicians with the instruments and the music we play and really produce a symphony that the fans deserve. Then, after that, we will work out how we can continue to improve the squad in future months.”

Did you expect so much money to be spent this month, even as so many sporting directors were saying football is in a crisis because of the Covid pandemic?

“It’s true that there have been a number of big-money signings made, but it’s also true that perhaps they have been the outliers overall. In football, beyond the economic side of things, there is always the sporting element. Whenever clubs have issues then they need to respond to them.

“After Covid we are all now learning to live with the consequences of Covid. In England there are no longer restrictions about fans attending games. We hope that continues for all of us. I expected that a few big deals could happen, here and then, and I think in the next few windows the level of transfer business will return to something closer to normal levels.

“But I don’t think it will ever go back to three or four years ago when the deals for Neymar, Coutinho, Dembele were happening. We are all a bit more balanced in how we are managing the financial side of football.”