A Day In The Life Of Football Transfer King Fabrizio Romano Is Genuinely Incredible

With contacts galore across European football, it seems like Fabrizio Romano has knowledge of every football transfer that is happening.

In fact, he's so in the know he probably knows the gender of your baby before you've even decided on a name.

Having been put on this pedestal after a "fantastic journey" in an extremely demanding industry, and with 6.6 million followers on Twitter, The Guardian and Sky Sport Italia journalist has pressure to deliver those sweet "here we gos".

That's why he sleeps just five hours a night from 5am until 10am during the transfer window - thinking about his work in the same way Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho obsess about football 24 hours a day.

From the moment he wakes up he's glued to his phone, having around 50 calls and sending messages to check with agents and directors.

"Every day you have a new contact and you can meet new people involved in transfers," Romano told SPORTbible.

"In Italy if you go outside to the restaurants or to hotels you can always get some news and get to know some people.

"Having the right relationship is the key. If you have a good relationship with people in football and the transfer market, you are on the right way. You respect them and they will give you respect back.

"I have some that I trust one hundred per cent, just because I've known them for many years and they know I would never create them a problem.

"I take the risk that another journalist can deliver the news and I lose the breaking news, but I have to be respectful with my friends.

"At the same time I say to them, 'You always have to tell me the truth' so it's a matter of respect. I have a great relationship with many agents and I am trying to go outside of Italy, in England and in Spain.

"If you get something fake, for example with some player denying a move, the day after you have 'died'. One day you are the king and tomorrow morning you have 'died'. You have to be honest with the people."

Image: PA

Honest and integrity is what Romano has been about ever since he got his first bit of transfer news at the age of 18.

His approach to journalism is a simple one: be accurate rather than be first to the news.

"It's impossible to always be first, covering the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga. My target is to be correct, so that people are like, 'When I see something from Fabrizio, I know it's really happening.'

"I don't want to sell fake news, it's not in my mentality. It's impossible to always be correct in the transfer market. If you cover just a team I think it's easier, you can know the president, the director, some agents, the players. You can do it on a top level.

"On my level you have to be always ready to check with agents, directors and intermediary agents. This is good because you can speak with many people but this is also crazy because you can need to send a lot of messages.

"I never want to sell dreams, just explain what is really happening in the transfer market. It's not about me. It's not important who I am, what is important is what I am doing.

"I feel a big responsibility but it's not about me or Gianluca Di Marzio, we are a team and we work together. That's why we are strong, like a team in football. Football and the transfer market are so similar."

The 28-year-old's stress levels must be through the roof as he's always on the go. And that can only be heightened on deadline day, where he is probably equally as active as the clubs buying and selling.

Image: PA

"It's more difficult when you cover worldwide transfer news I have to say. If you cover the transfer market in Italy, the last day isn't exactly like it is in England. In Italy, the top clubs work before the deadline and it's the mid-table clubs who go to do the last deals.

"The top clubs like Inter and Juventus are not buying any players on the last day, it's not our mentality.

"So the deadline became crazier for me when I started to cover Premier League transfers and European football transfers in general.

"I remember we had the [Odion] Ighalo one. He was in Milano with his agent, at lunchtime he told me he was waiting for Tottenham and then it was a done deal with Manchester United.

"Anything can happen so that's why I always try to focus on England and the Premier League transfer market on deadline day."

Topics: Transfers