Tammy Abraham’s journey with AS Roma has been a rollercoaster of emotions over the past three years. From breaking records to winning the UEFA Conference League, contending with a serious injury, and now facing criticism for recent mistakes, his time at the club appears to be nearing its conclusion as transfer talks heat up between Roma and West Ham United.
Today, discussions intensified, with both clubs looking to finalize a deal imminently. Roma’s asking price has dropped slightly from the initial €25-28 million they sought from AC Milan earlier this month. Now, they are looking for around €22-23 million. Meanwhile, West Ham is preparing to make their opening bid of €20 million, potentially structured as a loan with an obligation to buy. The key factor will be the conditions triggering that obligation; Roma would prefer it to be secured upon Abraham’s first appearance.
Abraham had initially hoped to remain in Italy, showing particular interest in moving to Milan and turning down several lucrative offers from clubs in the Arab leagues. Realizing the Milan move was off the table, he has accepted the prospect of returning to the Premier League. West Ham is feeling the urgency as their veteran striker, Michail Antonio, is not getting any younger, and with limited options up front, they need reinforcements fast.
Roma may give the green light as early as tomorrow, potentially opting not to play Abraham tonight against Empoli to prevent the risk of injury, reminiscent of the severe knee injury he suffered against Spezia last June, shortly after a lost final against Sevilla in Budapest.
At Trigoria, there is a pressing need to offload players to facilitate incoming transfers, particularly following Paulo Dybala’s unexpected situation. Abraham, who commands a wage of nearly €6 million per season, could significantly ease the club’s salary burden. His departure would also free up funds to secure new signings like Kevin Danso from Lens or Manu Koné from Borussia Monchengladbach, with the possibility of bringing in both contingent upon the sale of other players, including Zalewski, who is attracting interest from PSV.
Abraham’s time in Rome began remarkably, as he netted 27 goals across all competitions in his inaugural season, playing a crucial role in their Conference League victory—the most successful debut season for a Roma player, surpassing legends like Batistuta and Dzeko. However, injuries have derailed his career, including the severe ACL tear last year which kept him sidelined for ten months. Upon his return, he scored against Napoli, but missed several critical chances in crucial matches against Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus, drawing the ire of fans. The arrival of striker Dovbyk and a tactical shift that saw Dybala deployed as a false nine have further pushed Abraham towards the exit.