Roma are chasing relegated Middlesbrough defender Emanuel Pogatetz, according to the player’s agent.
The Austria captain has previously stated that he would be prepared to stick with Boro and play in The Championship next season.
But his loyalty to the club is likely to be tested after his agent, Jurgen Werner, admitted he had held meetings with the Serie A side with a view to a summer switch.
“We had talks with a Roma delegation last week in Carinthia,” his agent told Krone.
A potential stumbling block for any deal however could be the knee injury that forced Pogatetz to miss the final three games of the season.
The defender is currently recovering after undergoing surgery and his agent admitted Roma will not be able to wrap up a quick deal.
“Roma want to wait for him to recover," he added. "It is understandable that they don’t want to buy an injured player.”