Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini has denied to Barcelona any interest in signing Thomas Vermaelen.
It has been claimed in Italy that the Serie A club asked about Vermaelen at the Joan Gamper Trophy dinner earlier in August, but Barca wanted to keep the Belgium international.
Mundo Deportivo reports, however, that Sabatini contacted his Barca counterparts to refute claims in the Press that Roma were keen on the ex-Arsenal centre-back.
MD add that they were informed there was no truth in the story of the dinner conversation, when only Gerson and Adriano were discussed.
Inter’s Andrea Ranocchia is instead Roma’s target as they look to replace Milan-bound Alessio Romagnoli.