3 players Roma should try to sign in January transfer window

Roma is once again on the coattails of Juventus, four points behind the defending Serie A champion.

Defeated 1-0 by the Old Lady before the winter break, the Giallorossi still look like they're missing something to mount a proper Scudetto challenge.

The team itself is capable. When everyone is healthy, Roma boasts a strong midfield three and a dangerous line of attackers.

A little depth may come in handy, especially in the absence of Mohamed Salah, who left earlier this month for the African Cup of Nations.

With that in mind, here are three players Roma should target before the end of the January transfer window:

Jese (Paris Saint-Germain)

One club's rubbish is another's treasure.

Paris Saint-Germain has found little use for Jese since the Spanish winger arrived from Real Madrid last summer. Owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi went as far as to call the move a "mistake."

Las Palmas emerged as an early candidate to take PSG's sloppy seconds, but Jese's wages could prove prohibitive. Roma, on the other hand, is capable of handling the financial burden, and it could use a versatile attacking player to replace Salah.

Jese would have a role to play even after Salah's return to the Italian capital. Edin Dzeko needs a reliable substitute - he's logged the second-highest minutes on the team - and Stephan El Shaarawy should have more competition on the left flank.

The 23-year-old can adapt to any attacking role across the front line, and fill any of those holes.

Memphis Depay (Manchester United)

If Jese isn't interested in a loan deal, perhaps Memphis Depay would be.

Another winger whose future is up for debate, Manchester United castaway Depay lacks Jese's versatility but has similar attributes. Naturally right-footed, the 22-year-old Dutchman can run at defenders and dribble past them, and also cut in and release a shot.

Roma manager Luciano Spalletti likes to play a wide system, but beyond El Shaarawy and Salah, he doesn't currently have many full-fledged attacking wide men. Depay would have a great opportunity to carve out a consistent role in the starting lineup, considering El Shaarawy's poor form and Salah's extended absence.

Depay's attitude and professional commitment remain big question marks, but a loan deal would mitigate the risk of signing such a mercurial player. The fact he only made four league starts in 2016 would also give Roma the leverage to negotiate a good deal for itself.

Gregoire Defrel (Sassuolo)

And if Roma cannot land either winger, it could use a straight backup for Dzeko. The midfield is fine as it is - no one is breaking the Strootman-Nainggolan-De Rossi axis - and the defence would only require an upgrade if Kostas Manolas were to leave. After all, the Giallorossi have conceded the second-fewest goals (18) in the division.

So depth is the main issue. Francesco Totti is no longer a viable option - he's played just 223 Serie A minutes this season - and there's no other player who could properly relieve Dzeko. Should he go down injured, Roma would have a big problem on its hands.

Enter Sassuolo's Gregoire Defrel. At 25 years old, he's not a stop-gap signing, but a player who has gradually gained a reputation as a primary goal-scorer in Italy.

The Frenchman stepped up in the absence of the injured Domenico Berardi and showed he can provide the goals. Though he's failed to score in his past six matches, Defrel has won the admiration of several clubs across Europe, including Liverpool, and his agent said he turned down a €30-million offer from China.

Roma should at least inquire about the player and give itself some security in a delicate position.