Tiago Pinto admitted earlier this month that he would be open to taking up a director role at Newcastle following the rather acrimonious departure of the seemingly Manchester United-bound Dan Ashworth. 

But what would the departing Roma chief bring to St James’ Park, HITC Football reporting that he is indeed under consideration by the Premier League giants?

Well, an eye for a bargain, an appetite for value, and a nose for rough diamonds. Pinto may be remembered best for bringing the likes of Paulo Dybala and Romelu Lukaku to the Italian capital but the man himself prides himself upon the more under-the-radar acquisitions of Evan Ndicka, Houssem Aouar and goalkeeper Mike Svilar.

All three arrived at the Stadio Olimpico on free transfers. 

West Ham and Wolves linked with Mile Svilar

Ndicka and Aouar have proven to be effective additions to the Roma squad. Svilar, meanwhile, has been little shy of a revelation since ousting the ageing and increasingly error-prone Rui Patricio as the Gialorossi’s first-choice between the sticks. 

“I am very happy for the moment that Svilar is experiencing,” Pinto tells Sky Italia. “I knew him from his time at Benfica in 2017. Then, he came with me to Rome. He suffered a lot and he is grown so much.  

“He will be among the best in the world.”

Having featured only six times in Serie A this season, the jury remains out.

But with Il Messaggero reporting that both Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United are watching Svilar closely, momentum is building behind a man who may yet be sacrificed by a Roma outfit under pressure to raise over £30 million this summer to ease their financial fears. 

Wolves may be in the market for a goalkeeper more comfortable with the ball at his feet. Jose Sa, while a fine shot-stopper, is certainly not that. West Ham United, meanwhile, will have to replace Lukasz Fabianski eventually. The veteran Pole turns 39 in April. 

Jose Mourinho is a huge fan

Pinto, meanwhile, is not the only Roma employee who remembered Silvar fondly from his time at Benfica. Jose Mourinho, Giallorossi coach until a few weeks ago, described the Belgian-born Serbia international as a ‘phenomenon’ and an ‘amazing’ prospect when he was still a teenager plying his trade in Portugal, despite a mistake which gifted Mourinho’s man United side a 1-0 win in the Champions League group-stages (The Times). 

Seven years on, Mourinho’s reputation as a superb judge of character remains unmatched as Svilar sets about fulfilling the potential on of the modern game’s finest footballing minds always knew he had.