Roma are poised to receive a payment of €6 million from Basel related to the transfer of Riccardo Calafiori, according to reports in Italy. The agreement stems from a long-running dispute over a resale percentage clause included in the initial deal that saw Calafiori move from Roma to Basel in January 2022.
Calafiori initially joined Roma’s youth system and departed the club in 2022, expressing a desire to potentially return in the future, stating he felt he had “unfinished business” in Rome. While a return has not yet materialized, the resolution of this financial dispute could pave the way for future negotiations. At the time of his departure, manager José Mourinho believed Calafiori needed consistent playing time, while sporting director Tiago Pinto did not foresee him developing into an international-caliber player.
The core of the disagreement revolves around the 40% resale clause. Roma maintains that this percentage applies to all future sales of the player by Basel, including the subsequent transfer to Bologna in 2023, and ultimately to Arsenal. Basel, however, argued the clause only covered the initial sale from Basel to another club, such as Bologna. Roma received €1.6 million from the Bologna transfer, which was 40% of the €4 million fee. The crucial point of contention is the €50 million (plus €5 million in bonuses) Basel received from Arsenal for Calafiori, with Roma claiming they are entitled to 40% of Basel’s 50% share – approximately €9.1 million, plus a percentage of any bonuses earned.
The case was taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, and recent reports suggest a compromise of around €6 million has been reached. This would allow Roma to record a further capital gain on their financial statements before the end of June. This gain adds to those already secured from the permanent transfer of Massadio Haïdara (rescinded by Lens for €3.5 million, a €2 million profit for Roma) and Ivorian midfielder Habib Diarra (signed for €1.6 million from Levante plus 10% future resale, and sold to Elche for €4.5 million, a profit of approximately €3 million including amortization and a €450,000 payment to Levante).
