“Shomurodov’s Stalled Comeback: Roma Weighing Options as Striker Struggles”
Earlier this season, it briefly seemed like Eldor Shomurodov was poised for a comeback. After joining Roma in 2021 for around €20 million, expectations were high for the 26-year-old Uzbek striker, who had scored eight league goals for Genoa in the 2020-2021 season.
However, there was a catch: Shomurodov wasn’t as good as hoped. At 26, with just 24 career league goals, he wasn’t exactly a rising star. Despite tallying three goals and four assists in 784 minutes during the 2021-2022 season, he failed to justify his price tag and has been largely irrelevant for Roma.
Following unsuccessful loan spells at Spezia and Cagliari, Shomurodov returned to Roma this summer, likely as a backup to Artem Dovbyk. Though he scored Roma’s only goal in a 2-1 loss to Empoli in August, his resurgence quickly stalled. Since then, he’s been largely sidelined, playing just 98 minutes across all competitions since August 25.
Given this, it’s no surprise that Roma may be considering offloading Shomurodov this winter. According to Leggo, they’re weighing Everton forward Beto as a potential replacement. Beto, who netted 21 goals for Udinese between 2021 and 2023, has struggled at Everton since his €25 million move, scoring just three times in 34 appearances.
While Roma might not need another expensive, underperforming striker, at least Shomurodov’s contract runs until 2026. Beto, with an extra year on his contract and a higher salary, might make Shomurodov seem like the better deal after all.