"Annoying influencer"! European clubs stop taking calls from Fabrizio

Staff at several leading European clubs are refusing to answer calls from Fabrizio Romano.

Details: According to the Daily Mail, clubs now see the Italian not as a journalist but as an "annoying influencer": they are frustrated by the way he covers sensitive transfer negotiations, often announcing deals as completed long before all the details are actually agreed. This development follows a major investigation into Romano's transfer empire, which recently exposed spam tactics, paid posts, and his dealings with the Saudi market.

• Also read: Borussia Dortmund vs Roma prediction and betting tips — August 15, 2026 - 15.08.2026

Clubs are fed up with "here we go" announcements coming before the contracts are actually signed: the Mail cites deals that Romano had declared done while negotiations were still far from over. There's a separate story involving Newcastle: Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards claimed the club refuses to pay the insider for coverage, so Romano writes about them only in a negative light.

Yet there's no denying Romano's enormous influence: the Italian boasts over 135 million followers, and his trademark phrase has become the global gold standard for transfer confirmations. But this summer, the pressure has reached its peak: a public spat with Plettenberg over Diomande, criticism from colleagues, and now a club boycott are all forcing Romano himself to reconsider his approach to the job.

Reminder: Here we go! Arsenal complete surprise goalkeeper transfer