Roma have officially announced the latest signing of Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk from La Liga side Girona. The 27-year-old was linked with a move to Atletico Madrid earlier in the summer, but reportedly wanted to move to Roma more than any other club, so much so, that he opted to forgo part of his bonus in order to make the move happen.
A statement on Roma’s official website confirmed the news:
“AS Roma are delighted to welcome Artem Dovbyk into the Giallorossi family!
The club reached a deal with La Liga side Girona for the permanent transfer of the Ukrainian centre-forward, who turned 27 in June, to the Giallorossi ranks.
Left-footed and an intelligent player, Artem was La Liga’s top goal scorer in the 2023/24 season with 24 goals in 36 games, and he also served up eight successful assists. These impressive numbers contributed to the historic first Champions League qualification for the Catalan club, who finished third in Spain’s top-flight last season.
Dovbyk also competed in Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 with his national team of Ukraine. With the decisive goal he scored on 29 June 2021 in the round of 16 against Sweden, Artem took his country to the quarter-finals of the biggest international competition in Europe. That same goal, which came in additional time after 120 minutes and 37 seconds, is the second latest goal ever scored at the Euros after that of Semih Senturk in 2008 (121 minutes and one second).
Artem will wear the number 11 shirt and will be the first Ukrainian in AS Roma history to play for the club. The Friedkin family’s investment has delivered one of the leading goal scorers on the international scene, and it will be the first time that the club has purchased a previous season’s top scorer in any European league. This has never happened before at the club, not even with the transfers of big names such as Abel Balbo, Gabriel Batistuta, Edin Dzeko, Vincenzo Montella, Roberto Pruzzo, Rudi Voeller, or Mirko Vucinic.”
