Baldanzi convinces Gasperini, hopes to remain at Roma

Among the positives from the match against Cremonese was undoubtedly Tommaso Baldanzi.

The former Empoli player, who had been sidelined since Gasperini’s arrival, started in central attack against the Lombardy side.

This was a forced choice for the coach, deprived of Dybala and Dovbyk and with Ferguson having only a few minutes under his belt.

Instead, the player played well, moving well in attack and even coming close to scoring once. It was a performance that also impressed Gasperini, who commented after the match: “I really liked the way we moved in attack. The center-forward role is something he can play with his characteristics.”

According to his discoverer, Andrea Innocenti, a former Empoli scout, Baldanzi can play the role of false nine very well: “I’ve seen him very well. He’s a natural attacking midfielder, but with regards to the formation, it’s all debatable. I see him better as a central striker than a winger; he needs to stay inside,” he told Corriere dello Sport.

According to Innocenti, Gasperini’s work has been crucial in Baldanzi’s development. He was on the verge of being sold to Verona in the summer, but when Sancho failed to sign, the club decided to keep him.

He has seen little action in recent months, but the Cremona match could be a starting point for him to lay the foundations for a permanent stay at Roma.

As January approaches, Corriere dello Sport writes, there will be no shortage of requests, with Verona still hoping for his arrival and having re-established contact with Roma. But his priority is to stay with the Giallorossi, and he will have a month to prove he deserves to be a Roma player.