Sampdoria are willing to sell reported Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United target Mikkel Damsgaard to Serie A rivals Roma, with the club’s president telling Football Italia the Dane is “better than Granit Xhaka”.
In truth, comparisons between Damsgaard and Xhaka seem strange.
While the former Arsenal captain is at his most effective in a deep-lying central midfield role, Damsgaard tends to work his magic much further forward. The Dane is a quicksilver attacker who models himself on Christian Eriksen, wreaking havoc out wide or in an old-school number ten role.
After Roma failed to secure a deal for Xhaka despite weeks of negotiations, a side now coached by Jose Mourinho has been tipped to make a move for Douglas Luiz or AZ Alkmaar star Teun Koopmeiners.
So it feels unlikely that Damsgaard – a target for Leeds, Tottenham and a host of Premier League rivals – will emerge as a priority for a Giallorossi side boasting plenty of attacking options, including new £15 million acquisition Eldor Shomurodov (Il Bianconero and SampNews24).
Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped eccentric Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero from trying to drum up interest, insisting Damsgaard has the skill set to adapt to a deeper role.
Could Roma sign Mikkel Damsgaard now Xhaka deal is dead?
“If they call me, we will agree (to sell). Damsgaard is better than Xhaka,” says Ferrero who, after a couple of stand-out performances at Euro 2020, claimed the Denmark international would cost “at least £30 million”.
“(Damsgaard) is a quality midfielder, he can play in that (holding) role. Let’s sit down, they just need to call me and we will find a solution.
“Xhaka won’t go to Roma, then they need another midfielder. I want (Damsgaard) to go to Roma. I’m a Roma fan and Damsgaard would be a great reinforcement.”
How Sampdoria fans feel about their president offering the club’s prized asset to a direct Serie A rival we can only imagine.
Damsgaard, who has been labelled “phenomenal” by Denmark teammate Kasper Schmeichel, has also been linked with Crystal Palace, West Ham, Leicester City and Southampton.
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