Wolves reportedly wanted to bring Eldor Shomurodov to the Premier League but the £18 million Roma striker was convinced to stay at the Serie A giants after talks with Jose Mourinho, agent Kahor Muminov tells Sport Express.
Mourinho, the representative says, has pledged to give Shomurodov a chance to make his mark at the Stadio Olympico.
Having managed just 47 minutes of football in all competitions this season however – spread across three substitute appearances – don’t be surprised if speculation over the Uzbekistan international’s future rears it’s head again in January.
According to Gianluca di Marzio, Wolverhampton Wanderers are keen on in a man who earned himself a big-money move to the Italian capital after an impressive 2020/21 campaign at Genoa. There is also ‘serious interest’, Muminov says, from Torino and Bologna, plus clubs from Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Wolves linked with Roma striker Eldor Shomurodov
“Roma decided to keep him. We had a conversation with José Mourinho, with the CEO (Pietro Berardi),” Shomurodov’s representative explains.
“(Mourinho) made it clear to Shomurodov that no one was definitely pushing him out of the club. Or that anyone wanted to give him away. Only if some crazy offer arrived, would they think again.
“Mourinho said: ‘five matches at Roma are better for you than 15 games at Bologna.’ As a result of talks with Mourinho, with Roma, with our partners in Italy, we concluded that we are staying in Rome.
“Mourinho keeps repeating that Eldor will have a chance.”
In Jose’s defence, it’s not as if Shomurodov has seized the opportunities that have come his way, no matter how fleeting. The former Rostov man missed two glorious chances during the recent 1-0 defeat to pacesetters Atalanta.
“Of course, we do not intend to be content with just the status of being a Roma player,” Muminov adds. “We’ll check the clock in the winter. If there is no progress, we will make a decision. He is 27 years old. He still wants to play in Europe.”
Whether Wolves renew their interest in the New Year depends largely on how Raul Jimenez recovers from his latest injury absence. Or whether Diego Costa can build on a promising cameo appearance against West Ham United.
£15 million summer arrival Sasa Kalajdzic could miss the remainder of 2022/23 with an ACL injury.
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