The winter transfer window was abuzz with speculation about Davide Frattesi’s potential return to Roma, but ultimately, no move materialized. Now, his agent Beppe Riso has broken his silence on the matter, shedding light on the complexities of the situation that involved not just Roma, but also interest from the Premier League and La Liga.
Frattesi, who has seen limited playing time at Inter Milan under Simone Inzaghi’s preferred midfield trio of Barella, Calhanoglu, and Mkhitaryan, was at the center of transfer discussions that could have seen him rejuvenate his career at Roma. The potential move also involved speculation about Bryan Cristante moving in the opposite direction to Inter, with Juventus also showing interest in the player.
In an exclusive interview with Repubblica, Riso, who represents both Frattesi and Cristante, revealed the origins of these transfer talks and what ultimately led to their collapse. Surprisingly, it was Frattesi himself who put an end to the possibilities.
Regarding Cristante’s situation, Riso stated, “At one point, both Juventus and Inter were interested in Cristante, but both would have needed to make sales that ultimately didn’t happen. It’s good news for Roma, who can count on a senior player, a potential captain, a man with personality and experience. At least until June.”
On the subject of Frattesi’s potential move to Roma, Riso admitted, “It was my idea. Or, if you prefer, my pushing. I saw Davide sad because he expected to play more, and it bothered me too much. I set to work looking for alternatives for him, and not just in Italy. When talking about Frattesi, it’s normal that the Roma option is considered, but I had important solutions in La Liga and especially the Premier League. If the operation had gone through, I would have tried to bring Cristante to Inter. But everything stopped because of Davide’s desire to stay with Inter. The team is playing for everything; it’s one of the strongest in Europe. He knows he can win a lot more in Milan.”
Addressing criticism about his handling of Frattesi’s situation, Riso defended his actions: “I always have to do what’s best for my players. Davide is a boy with heart and sentiment. I saw him struggling, I put him in a position to decide, and he chose Inter. I didn’t force him. I think I helped him understand that where he is, he’s fine. And I understood that too.”
When asked about Frattesi’s future at Inter beyond June, Riso remained cautious: “It’s difficult to say. June is far away, and in football, things change quickly.”
