AS Roma staff declare industrial action over store relocations

AS Roma staff declared a state of agitation on Monday at the Trigoria training centre during an employee assembly, marking the opening move in a union protest that typically precedes strike action. The declaration follows the sudden redeployment of 38 employees—roughly 13 per cent of a workforce of around 300—to AS Roma Store roles. Staff from diverse departments including marketing, ticketing, administration, and media were unexpectedly reassigned to retail positions, affecting experienced professionals across multiple skill levels. The employees' statement highlighted concerns over the loss of specialised expertise developed over years of service. Workers expressed that the reallocation criteria lacked sufficient transparency and verifiability, and criticised what they characterised as a significant disruption to their professional trajectories and the trust relationship with the club. Beyond the reassignments themselves, staff also flagged ongoing deficiencies in health and safety protocols, citing gaps in training, risk assessment procedures, and conditions at certain retail outlets. The assembly revealed widespread discontent among the workforce, who viewed the decisions as damaging to their careers and to the broader relationship between employees and the organisation.

AS Roma's pre-season training camp at Trigoria opened with bad news as striker Robinio Vaz suffered a first-degree medial collateral ligament injury to his right knee during a session. The French forward will undergo further examination to determine the severity and recovery timeline. Vaz arrived at Roma in January and was preparing for his first full season as a giallorosso. In his opening six months, he scored once, a decisive goal against Lecce. The injury comes as Gasperini begins his tenure as head coach and assesses the squad ahead of the new campaign.

Ryan Friedkin arrived at Roma's training ground on a day when the club's summer transfer business gathered momentum. The vice-president's presence at Trigoria signals an uptick in activity as the club works across multiple fronts. Roma fans have praised Paulo Dybala's decision to renew his contract on reduced terms, a show of commitment that underscores the attacking midfielder's importance to the project under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The club also announced Mattia Scala as the new Primavera head coach, extending structural changes throughout the organization. Transfer contact continues with targets including Summerville, though a move for Robinio Vaz has been halted. The window remains active with several positions still under review, and Friedkin's appearance at the training ground suggests decision-making at board level is accelerating.