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Manolas nears contract extension to 2022

John Solano
I

Corriere dello Sport (D’Ubaldo): There we are. After having continually demonstrated since the beginning of summer the mutual will to continue their relationship, Roma and Kostas Manolas are ready to extend the contract. The Greek defender’s performance has returned to high levels, he has a better attitude than last season, and Di Francesco considers him a staple of his defence. He has a much less complicated relationship with the new Mister compared to Spalletti, with whom he had some misunderstandings, even some related to off the pitch, for example, regarding a bill paid at a restaurant where they had casually crossed paths. Manolas also didn’t receive an approach from Spalletti after Roma-Inter, when the Tuscan came to greet his former players.



Recently, contact has been made between Monchi and the player’s agent, Yannis Evangelopoulos, and it has continued. The parties are very close to an agreement for a contract extension until 2022, with wages near €3 million (net) per season. There will be a €30 million release clause to allow the player to be free to move clubs should he decide he wants to. After the last contacts between the sides, the signing is imminent and Monchi will see meet with the player’s agent at Trigoria soon during the upcoming international break, when Manolas will be on national team duty with Greece. Roma are confident that the relationship with Manolas can continue with mutual satisfaction.

Manolas looks very much inside the project of Di Francesco. In June, he was close to transferring to Zenit. He had personally spoken to Mancini, who had convinced him to join, and was going to be handed a contract worth €4 million (net) per season. The Russian club had already set up medical examinations in Rome at Villa Stuart for the player but the night before, a few hours before he was due to sign the contract, Manolas thought about it more and was not convinced by playing in a “second tier” league since he also had contact with Juve and some English clubs. Since the beginning of the new season, Manolas has made effort to work harder, and he has given his preparedness to Di Francesco, who has made him a cog of the defence. With the high line defence being played, Manolas is crucial.

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