Tammy Abraham Nears Roma Exit as €20m Besiktas Move Looms

Besiktas' fans celebrate their 2016-2017 Turkish league champion title after the Turkish Spor Toto Super league football match between Besiktas and Osmanlispor near the Vodafone Park stadium on June 3, 2017 in Istanbul. / AFP PHOTO / YASIN AKGUL (Photo credit should read YASIN AKGUL/AFP/Getty Images)

What a difference two years can make. After a sensational debut season that saw him become a fan favorite and a symbol of José Mourinho’s ambitious Roma project, Tammy Abraham’s time in the Eternal City appears to be drawing to a close.

The English striker, once valued at €40 million, is reportedly on the verge of a €20 million transfer to Turkish giants Besiktas, a move that would provide crucial financial relief for the Giallorossi.

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Abraham’s initial season with Roma in 2021-2022 was nothing short of spectacular. He netted 27 goals across all competitions, playing a pivotal role in the club’s historic Europa Conference League triumph. His powerful presence and charismatic demeanor quickly endeared him to the Stadio Olimpico faithful, who saw him as the ideal focal point for Mourinho’s vision.

However, the fairy tale began to unravel in the 2022-2023 campaign. Abraham’s goal-scoring touch deserted him, with his tally plummeting to a mere nine goals across all competitions. This significant dip in form led many to question whether his stellar debut season was an anomaly.

The situation worsened dramatically when Abraham suffered a devastating ACL tear in June 2023, sidelining him for the majority of the 2023-2024 season. Despite a relatively swift return to action in March 2024, his long-term future in Rome seemed increasingly uncertain, especially with the summer 2024 arrival of mega-money striker Artem Dovbyk from Girona.

This past season saw Abraham on loan at AC Milan. While there were whispers of a potential permanent swap deal involving Alexis Saelemaekers, with Milan keen to retain the Belgian full-back, Roma’s priority shifted to securing a direct sale for Abraham.

Offloading the striker became essential not only to streamline the squad but also to address the club’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) obligations, a pressing concern following the collapse of the Angeliño to Al-Hilal deal earlier this month.

Now, according to highly respected transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, a breakthrough has been reached.

Abraham has reportedly agreed to a €20 million move to Besiktas. While “Here We Go” maestro Romano’s reports are generally reliable, Roma fans are exercising caution, having experienced last-minute snags in past transfer sagas.

Nevertheless, a €20 million windfall from Abraham’s sale would significantly bolster Roma’s transfer budget, empowering new manager Gian Piero Gasperini to reshape the squad for the upcoming season.