As the January transfer window draws to a close on Monday night, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano will be in high demand for constant updates. Clubs from top leagues across Europe are scrambling to secure coveted players before the deadline, and media outlets are racing to keep abreast of all the last-minute deals.

Often at the heart of this flurry of activity is Romano, who is widely recognised as one of the most informed journalists in world football. The 31-year-old has broken some of the biggest stories in recent years, including move to PSG, Cristiano Ronaldo's switch to Juventus, Kai Havertz's transfer to Chelsea, and Zinedine Zidane's departure from Real Madrid as manager.

The Italian reporter has become a staple of the summer and winter , with thousands of fans eagerly following his social media updates for the latest news on their favourite clubs and players. But what does life look like for Romano after amassing such a significant following in the football world, and how much does he earn for his expertise in transfers? Here, we have delved into Romano's most notable moments, net worth, and his surprising support for an unassuming English club.

According to Wtfoot, Romano's net worth was estimated at around £1.6million (€2m) as of August 2023. However, it is believed that his wealth has significantly increased since then, making him a multi-millionaire.

Romano reportedly raked in an impressive £336,000 ($416,000) over the past month alone, with his annual income now averaging around £3.9million ($4.9m), according to Hafi. This hefty sum comes from various sources including his social media accounts and collaborations with Sky Sports, The Guardian, and CBS Sports.

The Italian journalist's success has even landed him a spot on Forbes' 30 Under-30 list. A breakdown of his earnings reveals that Instagram is his most lucrative platform, where he is estimated to earn between £187,000 ($232k) and £256,000 ($318k) monthly.

Romano also earns up to £24,000 ($30k) from YouTube and £54,000 ($67k) from TikTok each month, as millions of subscribers eagerly await his weekly updates on global transfer dealings.

Across all social media platforms, Romano boasts a staggering 74.6million followers. His largest following is on Instagram, where 33.7million fans eagerly anticipate his latest transfer news. He also has a significant following on X, with 23.4million followers, 15.1million on TikTok, and 2.4million subscribers on YouTube.

The journalist also revealed that Bruno Fernandes's transfer to Manchester United played a pivotal role in his rise to prominence. Recalling his career-defining coverage of Fernandes' move from Sporting CP to United in January 2020, Romano told SkrillTV: "The most exciting deal, because the negotiation between Manchester United and Sporting CP lasted a very long time. When I received the picture of Fernandes' agent on a plane leaving for Manchester, I wrote, 'here we go!'

"I remember the reaction of the Man United fans - it was something incredible."

Romano's iconic phrase "here we go" emerged as he embarked on announcing transfers, even reportedly transforming it into a trademark - making the phrase legally protected.

Speaking to Transfermarkt, Romano said: "I've always loved social networks, but never thought about creating such a brand. I'm not really a 'slogan type', if that's what you want to call it, but prefer other forms of communication.

"That was born by chance. I just wrote it at the end of a tweet and from that moment on I always got the question if a negotiation has the 'here we go' status now. This made my readers happy and I decided to keep it and always give the saying the importance it deserves and only use it when it's really possible - always taking into account all the variables of the market."

The Italian has also described the incessant nature of his work involving continuous phone calls and managing the inevitable lack of sleep.

Pulse Sports revealed that Romano's role during the transfer window is akin to that of many journalists - he rarely rests and is frequently working around the clock. His in-depth knowledge of deals and club movements makes him a reliable source for agents and teams seeking to leak initial transfer rumours.

It's believed that Romano makes at least 50 phone calls daily for his work, while constantly sending and receiving messages across all social media platforms in pursuit of the latest transfer news.

The Italian journalist is also known to travel to hotels and stadiums to meet with player agents or sporting directors for additional information. He reportedly sleeps for just five hours each day throughout the summer and winter transfer windows to stay abreast of every global deal.

Contrary to what many might think, Romano's preferred team isn't a top-tier Premier League, Serie A or La Liga club. Instead, he is fond of a specific Championship side.

The transfer guru disclosed that he supports Watford FC, due to their Italian ownership under the Pozzo family - and also because he always selects the team when playing video games like FIFA (EAFC) and Football Manager.

Back in 2019, renowned transfer guru Romano took to Twitter to declare his unexpected allegiance. He said: "Honestly... I support Watford because it has been my club in FIFA and Football manager since 15 years! And because of their Italian ownership! I'd like to come back at Vicarage soon. I was watching live the famous match, Watford vs Leicester, Vicarage Road."

In 2024, SPORTbible revealed that Romano had returned to Watford's stadium for a nostalgic tour, celebrating a full decade since the dramatic fixture that cemented his fondness for the team. The event marked Troy Deeney's last-minute playoff heroics against Leicester City, which propelled the Hornets to Wembley glory.

On YouTube, Romano fondly recounted those final game moments, as he said: "It was incredible, the feeling when Troy Deeney scored the goal the last-minute goal after Manuel Almunia saving the penalty in the key match of the play-offs was unbelievable.

"The feeling I had when we had the famous Troy Deeney goal was something unforgettable to me. So that's how it started for me to support Watford."