Could a former LaLiga Golden Boot winner be on the move in the January transfer window?

Since beating the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Antoine Griezmann and Álvaro Morata to the 2023/24 LaLiga Golden Boot award, things haven’t gone to plan for Artem Dovbyk.

Artem Dovbyk looking at the back of the net in anger

None of Lewandowski, Griezmann, Morata and Jude Bellingham could lay a glove on the Ukrainian striker’s scoring prowess back then, but it’s been a difficult 2025/26.

Winning domestic Golden Boot awards isn’t new to the striker, who lifted the award consecutively in the Ukrainian Premier Liga with Dnipro-1 in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.

Unfortunately, things haven’t gone to plan for the Ukrainian striker since his move to Roma in August 2024 for just over £26.4 million.

12 goals in 32 appearances across his first-ever season in Italian football helped Roma qualify for the Europa League, but he only netted twice in 11 appearances in the same competition. So far this season, Dovbyk has predominantly celebrated only twice with his teammates domestically and has failed to score in four Europa League phase games this campaign.

The striker has 40 caps for Ukraine and has 11 goals, including heading home a 121st-minute match-winner against Sweden in the Round of 16 at EURO 2020.

No longer manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s first-choice striker

A hamstring injury has put the targetman’s directive of potentially becoming the leading goal scorer in Serie A this season on a temporary hold. However, what hasn’t helped is that manager Gian Piero Gasperini has only started Dovbyk three times in 13 possible games.

Evan Ferguson, on loan from Brighton, has been the player Gasperini has turned to when he needs the goals scored to be scored this season. Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé have also been employed as Roma’s sole striker in a 3-5-2 formation.

A potential exit might still see Dovbyk remain in Serie A

Dovbyk is now being linked with fellow Serie A outfit Juventus and Süper Lig side Fenerbahçe as recently as a few days ago. So, that leaves him with the option of either remaining in Italy or deciding to depart for pastures new in Turkey. 

Despite being linked with West Ham ahead of January’s transfer window reopening, those reports seemed premature, even with the Hammers allowing Niclas Füllkrug to join AC Milan on loan. A move to the Premier League appears to be off the cards for the time being at the very least.

With Juventus hunting for their first Scudetto Shield since 2017/18 and potential free agent Dušan Vlahović potentially moving on, it could open the door for Dovbyk to make the move.

However, Roma are currently on the same points (33) in Serie A, only trailing by goal difference, so keeping Dovbyk until at least the summer could be a wise move.