Roma step up Greenwood pursuit amid Atleti threat

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Roma are preparing to intensify their pursuit of Mason Greenwood in the coming days, determined to resolve their right-wing issue before Atletico Madrid can enter the race, with reports in Italy suggesting the Spanish club could pivot towards the Marseille forward should Julian Alvarez be allowed to leave.

Giallorossi accelerate pursuit of priority target

Roma have identified Greenwood as their primary offensive target for the summer window as they look to comprehensively rebuild their right flank. The Italian club had originally evaluated several high-profile names in May, including dynamic West Ham and Netherlands winger Crysencio Summerville, before pivoting away due to soaring price tags and intense domestic competition.

According to Alfredo Pedulla, the Stadio Olimpico hierarchy is now prepared to push all the way for the Marseille attacker, viewing the opening days of next week as a non-negotiable window of opportunity. Executives inside the capital club believe that decisive administrative momentum over the next few days will dictate whether the high-stakes operation succeeds or collapses.

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Falling asking price sharpens Roma's focus

Greenwood's asking price has recently dropped below €50 million, with Marseille understood to accept they will be unable to keep hold of him this summer. That shift in valuation has only strengthened Roma's resolve to press ahead with a concrete offer.

Fenerbahce have tabled the strongest wage offer so far, worth around €7m per season compared to Roma's €5m proposal, though the Turkish club have yet to move further on the transfer fee itself, leaving the door open for Roma to make their case on other terms.

Atletico loom as potential late threat

The biggest danger to Roma's pursuit could come from Atletico, who remain on the sidelines for now but could quickly shift their attention to Greenwood if they find a swift resolution elsewhere in attack. Their next move largely depends on the outcomes of two separate situations.

Should Atletico find a resolution for either Julian Alvarez – considered the more complicated scenario – or Alexander Sorloth, they could move rapidly for Greenwood as a replacement, with his falling price and proven Ligue 1 output making him an appealing option at short notice.

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Laporta confirms Alvarez pursuit

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has publicly broken his silence on the club's pursuit of Alvarez, confirming the Argentine forward is eager to seal a move to the Spotify Camp Nou. Laporta revealed that Barca have already launched an official club-to-club bid, while stressing that the Catalan giants will not be held to ransom by Atletico.

"Let me state upfront that we continue to have great respect for Atletico," Laporta said. "The tweets were before Julian stated that he wants to play for a big team; he didn't mention Barca. Some interpreted it as Barca, and others didn't. We didn't force this; it was the player himself. This player was on Barca's radar before signing for City, and even before that. At that time, we couldn't afford the transfer. We made an offer, club to club.

"Barca can handle any operation, but with sporting and economic logic. We'll dictate the market. I've spoken with Atletico and made it clear what we want. Deco made an offer. We know the player wants to come to Barca and has for a long time. We made this proposal with all due respect to the Madrid club. They told me they weren't planning to sell because we didn't have any alternatives. We'll maintain this offer for as long as we deem necessary. We won't be at their mercy. If they want to make the move, we'd be delighted. The offer isn't open-ended."