Roma fans will be concerned that Jose Mourinho’s probable departure at the end of the season could lead to a number of star players following him out the door. One player facing an uncertain future is Tammy Abraham.
Two years ago, Abraham picked Roma over Atalanta due to Mourinho’s presence on the bench.
His first season could not have gone much better, but his second campaign has been bitterly disappointing.
Six goals in 23 Serie A appearances means that he is not guaranteed to remain in Rome beyond this summer.
Historically, the second year for foreign forwards has always been more difficult than the first: defenders know their opponents better and have figured out how to nullify them.
But Abraham has struggled tactically this term and the transition to a 3-5-2 formation has forced the former Chelsea man to be more involved in build-up play with the midfielders, showing his technical limits compared to fellow forward Paulo Dybala.
Abraham, like Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, is a player who needs to be given the opportunity to run in behind the opposition defence.
He is not a centre-forward capable of speeding up Roma’s attacks and often appears wooden in managing the ball.
He plays with his head down rather than up and looking for team-mates, and his characteristics do not suit Roma’s playing style, with the Giallorossi focused on building patiently from the back instead of knocking long balls over the top for Abraham to run on to.
Mourinho exit could see key duo leave
Without Mourinho, it will be hard for Roma to keep Dybala, and as a direct consequence Abraham, who is going through a difficult period.
Dybala’s presence has overshadowed the role and work done by Abraham, and Mourinho has lost faith in the Englishman.
The absence of a real alternative to Abraham has also frustrated Mourinho who is not satisfied at all with Andrea Belotti’s season to date. The former Torino captain has had major issues adapting to Roma’s patterns of play.
Meanwhile, Abraham has suffered from Roma building their attacks around Dybala this season.
Mourinho’s exit would likely see Abraham go as well, given that the Portuguese coach is one of the key reasons behind Roma signing so many high-profile players.
It would be difficult to imagine Roma remaining competitive at the top of the table without Mourinho, and this could cause Abraham to seriously consider his future.
The 25-year-old received a very warm welcome from the fans when he first arrived in the Italian capital, but he has failed to kick on this year.
He could have a big decision to make in the coming months, and a return to England after two years in Italy could be seen as the right move for his career.
Abraham is used to a less technical type of football, scoring many goals thanks to crosses from the wingers and full-backs.
The radical change of philosophy of the team with the arrival of Dybala has generated a clear deterioration in Abraham’s performances and has created some more doubts about his future at Roma.
Chris Smalling, Nemanja Matic, Dybala and Abraham patiently await Mourinho’s final decision, and they could all leave if Mourinho decides to end his stay at Roma.