Former Shakhtar physical training coach Carlo Nicolini shared his thoughts on Artem Dovbyk's transfer from Girona to Roma.
- The problem with us Italians is that we always wait for too many confirmations. Artem proved himself even earlier, when the price was more reasonable. It's good that Girona was able to sign him. At the same time, it is obvious that Dovbyk is a very good player. If Roma's Dybala and Sule manage to play with him and make the passes they are capable of, Roma will get a great finisher in the center of the attack.
We're talking about a player who has done very well in Spain, which, as we know, is not the easiest league. However, there is more emphasis on scoring goals rather than not scoring them, so strikers have an advantage. In short, Artem may have to face some difficulties. In particular, because of what I said about his price: expectations from him will be very high. Dovbyk is not a child, he certainly has the experience to cope with this pressure. I am also interested to see him at Roma.
I see Dovbyk integrating very well with the characteristics of Dybala and Sule. These players make the opponent's defense tense and can give good assists. In one-on-one games with defenders, Artem can really show his physical qualities and play in the final stages. I think Roma have chosen the right center forward.
I wish him every success, although I think it might be difficult for him to reach the "Spanish" numbers right away. Not so much because of his characteristics, but because defense is very important in Italy. It also depends on how Roma start the season: if the results and enthusiasm come right away, he could score 20 goals in Italy in his first year. Artem is a penalty kicker who scores four or five goals from the penalty spot every year. We will also see De Rossi's requirements for him: whether Dovbyk will help his teammates more or focus on finishing attacks. In addition to Dovbyk's 20 possible goals, I would look at how many goals Roma's rapidly developing forward line can score," Nicolini told TMW.