Roma have re-entered negotiations to sign West Ham winger Ernest Summerville, potentially disrupting a deal already in place with Al-Hilal, according to reports in Italy. The situation, described as a ‘telenovela’ by local media, has seen a flurry of activity in the last 24 hours involving clubs in London, Rome, and Riyadh.
Earlier on Friday, a transfer to Roma appeared to be finalized with a fee of €47 million plus €4 million in bonuses offered to West Ham, and a salary of approximately €4.2 million per year for Summerville. The Friedkin ownership group had even arranged a private jet to collect the 24-year-old from Rotterdam, anticipating his arrival in Rome around 9:30 PM local time. However, Al-Hilal then intervened with a significantly more lucrative offer.
The Saudi Arabian club proposed €70 million plus €5 million in bonuses to West Ham, alongside a contract for Summerville worth €15 million annually – more than double Roma’s offer. This prompted Roma to cancel the scheduled flight. This setback marks the third time this transfer window the club has seen a potential deal fall through, following complications with deals for Mason Greenwood and Mehmet Celik.
In a late development, Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini and the Friedkin family reportedly contacted both Summerville and West Ham in an attempt to persuade the player to reconsider. Summerville, who has been consulting with his family, has requested more time to make a decision. The winger is weighing the financial benefits of a move to Al-Hilal against the opportunity to play Champions League football with Roma. The Friedkin’s are unlikely to wait indefinitely for a response.
Roma supporters have pointed to a similar situation two years ago when Paulo Dybala reportedly considered a substantial offer from Saudi Arabia before ultimately choosing to join the Italian club. Should the Summerville deal collapse, Roma are expected to pursue alternative targets, including Nusa of RB Leipzig, El Mala of Cologne, and Mbaye of Paris Saint-Germain.
