Al-Hilal pursue Pellegrini as Saudi club targets Roma midfielder

Roma are accelerating their pursuit of Porto midfielder Rodrigo Mora, a 2007-born playmaker and winger, with the intention to finalize the signing in the coming days. The club has reportedly edged out Galatasaray's interest and is pushing for Porto's approval between today and tomorrow. Mora, 19, is known as Porto's youngest debut-maker in the club's history. The push for an attacking reinforcement comes after difficulties that emerged during Roma's recent British tour, prompting head coach Gian Piero Gasperini to request additional offensive firepower. Porto have set their valuation at €50 million. Roma have submitted an initial proposal structured as a loan worth €5 million with a right of purchase set at €45 million, aiming to wrap up the deal as quickly as possible. The Roma hierarchy are determined to complete the operation in minimal time, with the window for negotiation expected to close imminently.

Roma are pushing to sign Porto attacking midfielder Rodrigo Mora, a 19-year-old born in 2007 and the youngest debutant in Porto's history. The club has offered a loan deal plus a €45 million right of purchase, against Porto's €50 million asking price, and hopes to secure approval from the Portuguese club between 9 and 10 August. Galatasaray had also been close to signing Mora but are delaying their move while awaiting a response to an offer made to Russian midfielder Batrakov, creating an opening for Roma to accelerate their pursuit. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has identified an attacking winger as a priority following Roma's pre-season tour of Wales and England. Multiple sources, including journalist Alfredo Pedullà, have confirmed Roma's interest in Mora, with some reports suggesting the club would not rule out alternative targets like Endrick. Roma have moved ahead of Galatasaray in the race for the Portuguese teenager and are keen to finalise the deal quickly, with the club reportedly in a race against time to complete negotiations.

Manu Koné's future at Roma remains uncertain despite Manchester United's pursuit failing to materialise. The French midfielder will return to Gasperini's squad from Tuesday following the post-World Cup break, but could still leave the capital in the coming weeks. Chelsea have emerged as a serious threat to sign him, according to Il Messaggero. The Blues risk losing Enzo Fernández to Manchester City, who are expected to part with Rodri in the coming hours and are also monitoring Buoaddi as a Spanish alternative. Should that move go through, Xabi Alonso's side would be positioned to make their move for Koné. Gasperini offered clarity on Roma's transfer stance in the aftermath of Brighton–Roma, telling reporters: "I don't know if we will avoid departures. We have a chief executive; you should ask him these questions." The conditional nature of any Chelsea move means Roma's position on selling the number 17 remains a critical variable in whether negotiations progress.

Roma returned to Italy on the afternoon of 8 August following a 3–0 friendly defeat to Brighton during their ten-day training camp in Wales and England. The squad travelled by coach to London before boarding a direct flight to Fiumicino. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini granted his players two full days of rest before resuming work. Training resumes on Tuesday at the Fulvio Bernardini centre in Trigoria, where Lorenzo Pellegrini will rejoin the group. Gasperini also expects to have Nahuel Molina on the pitch the same day. The Argentine right-back is set to arrive in Rome in the coming days to undergo medical tests ahead of signing his contract with Roma.

Gian Piero Gasperini is evaluating the possibility of organising a second training camp away from Trigoria during the first international break of the season, which will last three weeks this year. The Roma head coach identified multiple areas to refine following the summer tour of Wales and England, where he was able to integrate only new arrival Konstantinos Koulierakis into his system while awaiting the arrival of Nahuel Molina in the capital. The squad resumes work at Trigoria on Tuesday to prepare for a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August, the final warm-up before the Serie A season opener against Fiorentina on Monday 24 August. The proposed September retreat holds particular strategic importance for Lorenzo Pellegrini, Roma's recently renewed captain. Pellegrini missed the summer training camp for the second consecutive year due to ongoing physical issues and is expected to return between late September and early October. A second pre-season block would allow him to build the necessary fitness to reach full condition. Gasperini's wider focus extends beyond squad integration, with the strategic use of the extended international break providing an opportunity to fine-tune preparations ahead of the campaign's crucial opening weeks.

Roma's head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is considering arranging a preparation camp outside the club's Trigoria training ground during September's international break. The idea emerged after Roma's recent tour of Wales and England, during which Gasperini welcomed only Koulierakis while awaiting Molina's arrival in the capital. From Tuesday, Roma will intensify preparations ahead of a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August and their league opener against Fiorentina on 24 August. Gasperini's focus extends beyond the transfer window to squad conditioning. This season marks the first time the Serie A campaign will feature a three-week pause in late September and early October. During that window, Lorenzo Pellegrini is expected to return to full availability after completing his recovery. The captain renewed his contract recently but requires additional time to reach peak fitness, with Gasperini stating after Brighton's pre-season match against Roma that 'it will take another month'. Pellegrini skipped the summer retreat for the second consecutive year, and a mid-season training camp could accelerate his return to full form.

Roma's English pre-season tour ended in concern after a 3–0 defeat at Brighton laid bare significant defensive lapses and attacking impotence. The performance revealed delays both in physical conditioning and the absorption of tactical patterns, leaving Roma having conceded 11 goals across their last four friendly outings. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed open frustration on the touchline, demanding greater midfield screening and emphasising the urgent need to activate the team's intensity. The match highlighted glaring defensive oversights and minimal cutting edge up front. Devyne Rensch came under constant pressure on the counter-attack from Yankuba Minteh, while Mario Hermoso had an off day in marking Georginio Rutter. Donyell Malen showed signs of being short of match fitness. The attacking partnership of Santiago Castro and Paulo Dybala made little impression on goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. With two weeks remaining before Roma's competitive league debut, Gasperini will have crucial time to accelerate both recruitment and work at Trigoria to correct these problems.

Roma are in the decisive phase of their summer transfer window hunt for a left-winger to strengthen their attack. With Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract renewal formalized and Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé securing the right flank, sporting director Tony D'Amico is looking to provide head coach Gian Piero Gasperini a player capable of delivering goals and depth. Gasperini's brief is clear: a young but already sufficiently prominent profile to match the club's ambitions. Malick Fofana of Olympique Lyonnais is the primary target, valued at approximately 40 million euros. The Belgian winger's pursuit faces significant obstacles, chiefly competition from RB Leipzig—fresh from selling Diomande to Real Madrid—who shares the same agency (Roc Nation) with Fofana. Roma are therefore exploring alternatives of high calibre. Jamie Gittens, available after Chelsea's acquisition of him a year ago from Borussia Dortmund for 60 million, features prominently among them. The club is also quietly exploring the possibility of a loan move for Endrick from Real Madrid.

Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged Roma's transfer shortfall after a poor showing in a friendly against Brighton, conceding that the club lacks adequate depth. The head coach said: "If we do the count, numerically there is still a need for something, but you know how it is. D'Amico is negotiating very young and very important players. That is the indication." Gasperini stressed that squad decisions rest with the club's chief executive, saying: "We have a chief executive, you will have to ask him these questions and he will say what Roma can and cannot do. On numbers and market possibilities the ball passes to him." Gasperini cited returnees from international duty—Evan N'Dicka, Neil El Aynaoui, and Donyell Malen—as still recovering their sharpness. He praised Paulo Dybala's fitness and noted that recent arrivals from the start of preseason had performed well. The manager confirmed that an injured player "will be out for at least a month," with discussion to resume from September onward. Gasperini also highlighted recent squad changes: "We replaced Çelik with Molina, whom we will see on Tuesday. We replaced Dovbyk with Castro, who I believe will give us great satisfaction. And then Koulierakis arrived, who seems interesting to complete the defence."