The transfer saga surrounding Matías Soulé has taken a dramatic and unexpected turn. As Roma scramble to complete the 23-year-old Argentine’s sale within 48 hours to satisfy urgent balance sheet requirements, a remarkable subplot has emerged: according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus have identified a potential return for the player they sold to Roma last summer as a genuine solution for their number ten vacancy.
Roma’s Urgent Problem
Roma’s need to sell Soulé is not merely commercial — it is critical. The club must complete the transaction within the next two days to register the income in the current financial year, and the pressure on sporting director Florent Ghisolfi and manager Gian Piero Gasperini to find a buyer immediately is considerable.
The most concrete offer on the table comes from Saudi club Al-Diriyah, who have proposed €35 million for the Argentine. It is a reasonable figure — but there is a significant problem. Soulé has made clear that a move to Saudi Arabia is not something he is willing to consider. At 23 and with his best years firmly ahead of him, the prospect of leaving European football at this stage of his development holds no appeal whatsoever.
The Trequartista Problem — and Why Soulé Fits
The Soulé possibility emerges directly from Juventus’s frustration in the number ten market. Brahim Díaz remains Spalletti’s first choice, but Real Madrid have yet to sanction any departure — with Mourinho’s verdict awaited until late July at the earliest. South Korean forward Kang-in Lee is effectively tied to Atletico Madrid, where a move from PSG is pending only formal confirmation between the two clubs. And the Nicolò Zaniolo option from Udinese, whilst a credible fallback, has yet to generate any serious momentum.
Against that backdrop, Soulé’s availability represents a ready-made, Serie A-proven solution. The Argentine impressed in flashes during his Roma season — moments of genuine brilliance that recalled the form he showed on loan at Frosinone the season before. Under Spalletti, who demands intelligence and unpredictability from the player operating behind the striker, his profile is a natural fit.
A Familiar Face Returning Home?
There is a sentimental dimension to this story too. Soulé developed through Juventus’s academy and was sold to Roma in the summer of 2024 as part of the squad-reshaping exercise that preceded Comolli’s arrival. His affection for the club has never been hidden, and the prospect of a return — particularly under a manager of Spalletti’s standing — is understood to carry genuine personal appeal.
Whether Roma will accept a deal that suits Juventus’s financial constraints, and whether the 48-hour deadline forces a resolution before any conversation between Turin and Rome can properly develop, are the immediate questions. But in a summer defined by unexpected twists, the idea of Matías Soulé completing a full circle back to the club that shaped him is one of the more captivating storylines of the entire window.
