Liverpool have made it an uncomfortable Christmas for Walter Sabatini and the board of AS Roma.
The Roma sports director knew the offers would arrive, but surely didn't anticipate the size of Liverpool's contract package tabled to Gianluca Scamacca and his family.
Just last week, Liverpool, which have been speaking with Scamacca's agents, the Paolillo family, for almost two months, tabled a deal worth £135,000-a-year to leave Italy when he turns 16 in January.
In contrast, Sabatini and Roma have communicated to the striker's camp that he will be due the club's standard €1,450-a-month deal for first-year pros - and even that's an exception as the majority of 16 year-old's on the Giallorossi's books play as amateurs.
Liverpool's move is creating tension inside Roma, where there is now a push to rip up the wage structure below the first team squad. The Giallorossi can afford to pay their young pros more, but those against the move point to the 'too much too soon' argument now dominating youth development debates in England.
Confronting Sabatini is the same agonising decision which faced his predecessors at Roma when Manchester United came calling for Davide Petrucci. For many, Petrucci was the finest young talent to come through the club's system since Francesco Totti. The manner of his defection to United still rankles with some coaching staff, as Roma's board chose to keep their pay scale in place so allowing Petrucci, now playing in Romania and Cluj, to move on.
While there's no guarantees in football, Italian youth experts rate Scamacca as a sure thing.
Standing at 1.94m, Scamacca has been likened to PSG star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, though his ability on the ball has coaching staff viewing him as a long-term 'second' striker rather than an out-and-out centre-forward.
His Roma U16 coach, Federico Coppitelli, just 29 himself, says: "There is more to Gianluca than his physique.
"He has great technical ability. He has a superior technique.
"He runs well, has tactical sense and eye for goal. There's an exciting road ahead for the boy."
Scamacca is taking the fresh transfer interest, which includes representatives from Southampton attending three Roma games on the bounce in November, in his stride. The striker is no stranger to transfer talk, even at his early age.
Scamacca, a genuine Roma supporter, actually kicked off his junior career with Lazio. It was with Roma's great rivals where he developed his game, under the tutelage of Emiliano Leva and former Lazio defender Cesar, who both remain in regular contact with the teen.
Scamacca was tempted across to Roma by Bruno Conti at 14 and only six months into the move AC Milan came calling - but the self-confessed Giallorossi wasn't tempted.
However, with his 16th birthday now looming, things have changed, and the Paolillos have been in contact with a raft of clubs abroad.
Agent Giovanni Bia is convinced Scamacca has an exciting future ahead.
"Without being presumptuous, I think for the physical, technical and tactical abilities, he could be compared to Ibrahimovic," said Bia.
"I must say I am very impressed with his individual technique, and he has great ability to adapt to areas of the field that the coach needs: central striker or inside forward.
"Despite his height, he has excellent skills on the ground."
Despite all the publicity, Scamacca remains grounded, as Bia, who has been close to the family, attests.
"While making the difference physically and technically the guy puts himself at the disposal of the team, without getting lost in selfish gestures.
"Even if he's asked to run back often, he will still score his 25 goals. He's improved a lot since the beginning of the year: this is thanks to his character, he's very humble."
Bia isn't surprised by Liverpool's offer, revealing past offers for the teen.
"Many have tried: both big Italian and foreign clubs. Thanks to the intervention of Bruno Conti and his strong desire to remain in the Giallorossi, those offers were rejected."
But with a Liverpool contract now on the Scamacca family's dining table, Sabatini and Roma's board know the ball is now in their court.
Do they rip up years of tradition? Or do Roma allow a potential world-beater to slip through their fingers? The answer could come on New Year's day - Gianluca's 16th birthday.
