Roma are pursuing Strasbourg winger Diego Moreira, but the French club is reportedly demanding a fee of €40 million for the 2004-born player, according to mercato. The potential transfer is complicated by a buyback clause held by Chelsea, who previously owned Moreira.
Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini is keen to bolster his attacking options, and has identified Moreira as a key target. Gasperini and sporting director Angelo D’Amico reportedly admired Moreira during his time at Atalanta two years ago. The club initially made a preliminary inquiry before the recent World Cup and have since resumed discussions with Strasbourg.
Moreira has been involved in Belgium’s campaign at the World Cup, making an appearance as a substitute. Roma are awaiting the conclusion of Belgium’s tournament to intensify their pursuit, with the intention of adding Moreira to a Champions League-caliber squad alongside existing options. The player, formerly of Lyon, is said to be eager to play in the Champions League and would see his salary triple, moving from a current €800,000 per year.
However, Chelsea represents a significant obstacle to Roma’s efforts. The Blues possess a buyback clause for Moreira, the amount of which has not been disclosed. Strasbourg is also part of the BlueCo group, giving Chelsea indirect control over the player’s situation and the ability to exercise their buyback option before any potential sale to another club. Recent discussions between Roma and Chelsea regarding Garnacho reportedly included inquiries about Moreira, during which Chelsea indicated they were not currently interested, prioritizing Chavarria of Rayo Vallecano. The outcome of the World Cup and potential increased competition from other clubs will be crucial.
Moreira comes from a footballing family; his father, Almami Moreira, is a former player for Guinea Bissau and Standard Liegi, and he is the nephew of Austrian ex-player Helmut Graf. His cousins, Eric Da Silva Moreira and Carlos Mané, also play professional football. He began his career in Belgium before joining Benfica in 2020, making limited appearances for the first team before being signed by Chelsea. After a brief spell with Chelsea’s reserve team, he was loaned to Lyon, before ultimately finding success at Strasbourg, who paid €8.5 million for his services in 2024.
