According to a report from TUTTOmercatoWEB, AS Roma have transfer listed their goalkeeper Robin Olsen, with Watford ready with an offer to take him to the Premier League.
Robin Olsen, 29, enjoyed a fantastic spell at Copenhagen followed by an excellent World Cup campaign that saw Sweden reach the quarter-finals in Russia last summer. A move to AS Roma followed and after keeping a clean sheet on his debut, the big Swede has endured a torrid time between the sticks in the Serie A and has failed to replace the influential Alisson Becker at Stadio Olimpico.
A dismal first season in Serie A could turn out to be his last as well as Roma have decided to put the 29-year-old on the transfer list. Olsen might have failed adapting to Italian football but there’s no denying his quality and experience which should prompt Watford to sign him this summer.
Watford’s undisputed no.1, Ben Foster, has been in exceptional form this campaign but the former Manchester United shot-stopper could be in need of new competition considering that veteran Heurelho Gomes is expected to hang his gloves at the end of the season.
Also, Foster is 36 and slowly coming to the end of his career, even though he has been phenomenal for the Hornets this term. Hence, there is a clear need of a new goalkeeper at Watford but will Olsen be the right man given how poor he has been at Roma?
To put things straight, it’ll be a gamble for Javi Gracia to go for the Sweden international but the Watford manager should take a risk on him to compete with Foster.
Given how he has performed this season, Foster will likely remain the Hornets’ no.1 next season as well. By signing Olsen, Gracia could initially use the 29-year-old as a deputy to Foster and ease him into the Premier League. Once he adapts well to the Premier League, Olsen could replace Foster as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.
Known for his cat-like reflexes and good shot-stopping abilities, the towering Swede is a commanding presence in goal and is a vocal leader at the back. The former Malmo and Copenhagen man would add some much-needed experience and quality to the Watford goalkeeping set up, whilst being a long-term replacement for the ageing Foster.
Olsen’s leadership skills and the ability to keep his defence organised would make him so valuable for Gracia’s Hornets.
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Keeping in mind his stunning spell with Copenhagen in their 2015-16 and 2016-17 title-winning campaigns in the Danish Superliga, the 29-year-old Swede could be a shrewd acquisition for the Watford if he manages to recapture his form.