Betis and Villarreal inquire about Roma striker Artem Dovbyk
Quick summary
La Liga clubs Real Betis and Villarreal have made inquiries for Roma's Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk, who struggled in his first season in Italy after a breakout campaign at Girona.
What happened
Real Betis and Villarreal have both approached Roma to explore the conditions of a potential transfer for Artem Dovbyk. The Ukrainian forward joined Roma from Girona last summer for a reported €30-35 million after a stellar debut La Liga season (24 goals), but he managed only 17 goals in 44 appearances in Serie A. With Roma open to offloading him to recoup funds, both Spanish clubs see an opportunity to bring back a proven La Liga scorer. The inquiries are at an early stage and no formal offers have been disclosed yet.
Chance analysis
Dovbyk's stock remains high in La Liga despite a disappointing debut at Roma, which makes Betis and Villarreal credible destinations given their prior knowledge of his qualities. For both clubs, a move for a proven 20+ goal striker on the open market is rare and potentially transformative for their European ambitions. Roma's willingness to sell at a loss signals financial pressure, which could accelerate negotiations. A return to Spain would likely benefit Dovbyk's output given his tactical fit in La Liga's style of play.
Roma are likely open to selling Dovbyk at a reduced price, while Betis and Villarreal could gain a high-volume striker if a deal is completed, boosting their attacking options.
Dovbyk likely exit from Roma could open attacking reinforcement options for Betis and Villarreal; monitor transfer progression for squad-impact assessments.