'Complicated': Agent explains why £32m striker did not end up at Chelsea or Tottenham
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Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa were among the clubs looking at Artem Dovbyk over the summer with the Roma striker’s agent explaining why a Premier League switch never happened.
- Exclusive from Graeme Bailey
With three goals and an assist in his last four Serie A outings, Roma’s big-money summer signing is already starting to repay that £32 million transfer fee.
The Serie A giants completed the signing of 2023/24’s La Liga Golden Boot winner, securing the Ukraine international’s services despite interest from a host of other clubs across the continent.
TBR can confirm that Chelsea are one of the Premier League-based clubs who looked at Artem Dovbyk.
Enzo Maresca’s side were desperate to bring in a striker during the off-season. Chelsea targeted Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres and Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen, while also seeing a deal for the now-Porto targetman Samu Omorodion fall through.
TBR have been told that Tottenham Hotspur considered Dovbyk too before spending a club-record £65 million on Dominic Solanke.
Aston Villa and Newcastle United admire the one-time Dnipro talisman too, albeit without ever really making a serious attempt at bringing Dovbyk to Villa Park or St James’.
Artem Dovbyk was on Chelsea and Tottenham’s radar
Now, speaking to Tuttomercatoweb, a representative of the GG11 agency which represents Roma’s number 11 has opened up on why his client chose Italy over England, as well as Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.
"Now, this was a complicated transfer,” Valerio Giuffrida explains. “My brother Gabriele [who led the talks] knows something about it.
“Several Premier League clubs wanted Dovbyk and, as is known, Atletico Madrid, with whom a real sporting battle was triggered. [But] his will was always to go to Roma because he felt a bond with this club that came to him instinctively.
“The Giallorossi also had to make a great economic effort, having identified Dovbyk as the ideal striker for their league.”
HITC reported at the start of the summer that Manchester City were running the rule over Dovbyk, considering the 27-year-old as a potential replacement for Erling Haaland should the Norwegian look for a fresh start away from the Etihad in the near future.
Dovbyk hit the net 24 times for Man City’s Spanish-based sister club Girona last term.
"Roma has a great striker on their hands. It was the right choice,” Serie A expert Fabrizio Ponciroli tells Tuttomercatoweb. “Dovbyk has the physique, head and nose for goal.
“This is a good starting point because there aren't many teams that can enjoy such a consistent striker, both in [general] play and in goals.
“Roma is under construction. [New coach Ivan] Juric has just arrived. It seems like a work in progress but I see something good.”
Spurs signed Dominic Solanke again with Robbie Keane impressed
Dovbyk is not the only big-money centre-forward who is starting to find his feet at his new club.
The aforementioned Dominic Solanke is silencing his critics after swapping Bournemouth for Tottenham, scoring or assisting six goals in his last six matches after opening his Spurs account during the recent 3-1 win over Brentford.
"Physically, he's got everything. He is quick, he is good in the air," Tottenham legend Robbie Keane says on the Its Called Soccer! podcast, insisting that Solanke’s pressing is just as important as his nose for goal in Ange Postecoglou’s system.
"They know he can score goals because he did that last year. He scored 19 in the league for a team not as good as Tottenham and who won't create as many chances as Tottenham.
"He can probably score more goals, and I think he should because of how he plays. But I think the reason why Ange bought him is because of what he brings in terms of pressing. I think that was a big attraction to Ange.
"And then you are going to bring goals."
