He was one of the most talked about players in the 2020 summer transfer window, but in the end, Polish attacker Milik remained with Napoli despite his contract expiring in June.
The former Ajax man is, once again, back in the headlines since the transfer window has reopened and appears to be closing in on his next destination after drawing interest throughout Europe.
Bargain Buy?
Multiple reports within the last 24 hours claimed that West Ham place a bid in the region of £6.3 million for the striker — an offer that Napoli rejected as the Italian side requested that the Hammers move closer to their asking price.
But as his contract continues to wind down, it’s widely expected that the Partenopei will fetch a base fee of €8 million for the 26 year-old, which represents a relative bargain.
In his one full season with Ajax, the Polish international returned a notable tally of 21 goals in 31 league games. It was a record that saw many big clubs around Europe take notice but, as Napoli have found, a prolific strike rate in the Dutch Eredivisie is tough to carry over into other leagues.
In Napoli, Milik’s return has been a respectable one against the tighter defences of Serie A. Last season he notched 14 goals in 35 total appearances after having scored 20 goals in the previous campaign — impressive consistency for someone who was returning from two major injuries.
Despite having nearly joined Roma in the summer and even having undergone a medical for the club, the Giallorossi are increasingly likely to miss out on Milik as he is edging closer to a move to Ligue 1 giants Marseille.
Can Roma end a twenty year wait?
After nearly a decade of Juventus dominance, this season’s edition of Serie A appears to be the most open and tightly contested races in all of Europe. There’s currently a nine point gap between first-placed Milan and Roma, who are fourth, while Juve are currently fifth and outside of a Champions League position.
Despite the gap, the Giallorossi are aiming to capture their first Scudetto since 2001 while league leaders Milan hope to win their first league title since 2011. Inter, who currently sit second in the table, are also eyeing silverware for the first time in a decade.
Even though the race in Italy is tightly contest, legalbetting.com links to a number of football betting markets, all of whom have listed Inter as the clear favourites to win the title at general odds of around 7/4. And despite their position in the table, Roma are merely sixth favourites in these markets behind Napoli and Atalanta.
As the season progresses, legalbetting.com will show how those markets change until such time as the winner is known. The website also lists sportsbooks that are available to US customers but this is a service that can be accessed from all over the world.
Is a Striking Reinforcement Required in Rome?
Even though the Scudetto appears to be a tall order for the capital club, Paulo Fonseca’s side remain adamant that a Champions League place finish remains their objective.
The Giallorossi have been linked with several attacking options, such as Porto’s Otavio, but you could still make the case that they need a more consistent goalscorer up front.
The club acquired former Chelsea and Barcelona attacker, Pedro, on a free transfer this season but the Spaniard has been inconsistent so far Italy. Meanwhile, first choice striker Edin Dzeko isn’t getting any younger and will turn 35 in March. Even though he continues to earn an impressive goalscoring return, is it time for Roma to bring in another name?
It appeared that Arek Milik was destined for a future in the Italian capital last summer after four seasons in Napoli. But with the deal falling through and the player now on the cusp of a transfer to Marseille, will it be an opportunity lost for Roma?Will Roma regret missing out on Milik?
