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Reports linking Stephan El Shaarawy to Roma may be premature.
Football-Italia is reporting via La Gazzetta Dello Sport that there is an agreement between the two clubs and El Shaarawy for a six-month loan that would include an obligatory option to buy valued at 12 million euros if he makes a certain number of appearances. This came after widespread reports his time on loan at Monaco is done after 24 appearances, one shy of triggering an automatic purchase clause of 14 million euros.
However, nothing is done, and it now looks like El Shaarawy will not play in Serie A this season, according to MilanNews.it by way of Sky.
According to that report, Monaco may need to hold onto El Shaarawy until the end of the season without playing him. That would be a devastating situation for a 23-year-old player with unlimited potential trying to return to form after a string of injuries.
El Shaarawy was always a backup plan for Roma, regardless. According to reports picked up by Chisea Di Totti, Roma has agreed to send 12 million euros to Genoa in exchange for Diego Perotti. The 27-year-old Argentine is also a left winger by trade. A potential move to El Shaarawy would only make sense if Perotti failed to arrive.
Despite decent playing time at Monaco, El Shaarawy has failed to reclaim the form that made him a star a few years ago. The youngster, known as "the Pharaoh," scored 19 goals in 46 matches in 2012-13. Injuries hampered him the following season, as he only played nine matches in all competitions.
El Shaarawy has scored three goals with Monaco, all in the Europa League. His numbers overall have been rather meager with the French club. He was tied for sixth on the team with an 85 percent success rate on passes, and he was ninth with only 1.14 key passes per 90 minutes. El Shaarawy led the team with 3.71 shots per 90, but he was ninth on the team with a shot accuracy of 59 percent.