Atlético Madrid pursue Koné as Roma face financial deadline pressure

Roma are preparing a January move for Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens on loan, with head coach Gasperini already in agreement with the player. Gittens has struggled for first-team opportunities at Chelsea, appearing only 55 minutes in cup competition and never in the Premier League this season. His representatives have sought clarification from the club about a possible departure. Last summer Roma made a strong push to sign him, attracted by the prospect of reuniting him with Donyell Malen, with whom he played at Dortmund. Chelsea refused a loan deal at that time unless it involved midfielder Manu Koné in exchange. The situation is expected to shift in January. Alonso does not favour Gittens, and Chelsea are now open to a loan with a purchase option to prevent his value depreciating further. Roma remain interested and would be frontrunners if a deal materializes, given that Gittens had already agreed to join Gasperini's project. The club are also monitoring Frosinone's Giorgi Kvernadze, a Georgian player who has not yet received official contact but interests Gasperini for both the current season and future planning. Roma are considering blocking a move now ahead of a summer transfer, with a fee around €25 million being discussed for the 2027 window.

Derry Scherhant, a 23-year-old right-footed winger at SC Freiburg, has emerged as a potential target for Roma in a scouting column examining realistic transfer options for Gian Piero Gasperini's attack. Born in Berlin on 10 November 2002, Scherhant stands 1.85 metres tall and weighs 78 kilograms, naturally playing as a left-sided attacker though he can operate on the opposite flank or centrally. Freiburg acquired him in the summer of 2025 for a modest €2 million from Hertha Berlin, where he had recorded 37 appearances, 9 goals and 7 assists in his final season. Freiburg's sporting director Klemens Hartenbach highlighted three core qualities at his arrival: physical strength, good speed and an ability to attack goal. Scherhant's appeal lies not in a single quality but in a combination of attributes suited to Gasperini's demands on wide attackers. Last season in the Bundesliga he completed the most successful dribbles per 90 minutes of any Freiburg player—2.1—despite a success rate of only 37.5 per cent, which speaks to his willingness to take risks. He is a vertical player who often receives the ball wide left and drives inward onto his right foot, but also frequently seeks space without possession. His physical structure and intensity in winning individual duels align with Gasperini's system, in which wide forwards are asked to attack space continuously and work at high intensity. In Freiburg's opening four matches of the 2026-27 Bundesliga season he registered 59 sprints and 222 high-intensity runs, with a top speed of 31.54 km/h—good, though not that of a pure sprinter. He is not blessed with the absolute pace of rivals in his position, but possesses an interesting mix of acceleration, physicality and ball-carrying ability. Scherhant's first full Bundesliga campaign ended with 5 goals in 31 appearances—solid numbers, not yet those of a top-tier offensive winger—but the 2026-27 start has suggested further progress. After four matches Bundesliga records credit him with 1 goal and 3 assists across 12 total shots. His form did not go unnoticed internationally. On 1 October Scherhant started for Germany against Serbia in his senior international debut, with the official DFB database now attributing two appearances to him. Transfermarkt values him at approximately €20 million, a figure that has risen sharply following his strong season start and Germany call-up. One contractual detail merits caution: Freiburg has never publicly disclosed the length of his 2025 contract, though the official German federation database and Capology both indicate a deal expiring on 30 June 2027, whereas Transfermarkt provides no date. If 2027 is indeed his expiration and no hidden options exist, January could present a particularly unusual market opportunity for Freiburg. Scherhant is not yet a player capable of guaranteeing fifteen goals per season and lacks the extreme pace of some role specialists. However, the profile ticks many boxes: 23 years old, naturally right-footed, left-sided winger, 1.85 metres tall, physical presence, dribbling skill, vertical play, Bundesliga experience and clear room for growth. His recent Germany debut suggests the window to pursue him may not remain open much longer.

AS Roma are already planning reinforcements ahead of the January transfer window, with head coach Gasperini keen to add a forward to strengthen the squad. The primary target remains Endrick of Real Madrid, the Brazilian who was in Roma's sights last summer and continues to struggle for minutes under Mourinho, having played only four minutes so far. Real Madrid are open to allowing him to leave, even on loan. Milan are also interested, but Aston Villa have emerged as serious contenders. According to Cadena SER, the Birmingham club have moved to the front of the queue and hold an advantage over both Italian sides. Endrick's lack of playing time at the Bernabéu has made him available for a potential move away from Spain.