Balerdi has already won over Roma: the possible fees explained

Manu Koné has emerged as Serie A's most valuable midfielder, his rapid rise through the 2026-27 season vindicating head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's decision to keep him at Roma despite summer transfer interest. The French midfielder has recorded six appearances and two goals in the campaign's opening weeks, partnering his assured play in the middle of the field with a leadership that strengthens with each fixture. According to Transfermarkt, Koné now carries a market value of €60 million—a €10 million increase since the start of the season—ahead of Barella (€50m), Sucic (€45m) and McTominay (€40m). His statistical output substantiates the narrative of improvement. Koné leads Roma's midfield in passing precision at 90.2%, second only to defender Gianluca Mancini's 91.1%. His offensive contribution has surged markedly: he attempted 1.40 shots per 90 minutes this season against 0.44 in the previous campaign, while shots on target rose from 0.18 to 0.84 per 90. Gasperini has tailored the midfielder's development into a more complete player, a shift evident in his increased physical intensity—Koné now commits 1.96 fouls per match compared to 1.72 last season, a hallmark of the coach's tactical demands. The Frenchman, who secured a first-team place with France under Deschamps and now plays for Zidane's national side, remained at Roma through the summer market upheaval and is aiming for a definitive step forward.

Mario Hermoso has established himself as an indispensable fixture in Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma defence, ranking second only to Bryan Cristante in minutes played under the manager. The Spanish defender has appeared in 509 of Roma's 540 available minutes—94.2 per cent—and Gasperini has described him as a statue in the position. Hermoso's defensive output backs up his importance. He leads Serie A with 16 interceptions, a remarkable tally achieved through aggressive pressing and constant anticipation that fits seamlessly into Gasperini's tactical system. His discipline is equally striking: he has committed only 3 fouls in Serie A this season, fewer than half the tally of fellow Roma defenders Evan N'Dicka (8 fouls) and Gianluca Mancini (7 fouls). The former Atlético Madrid player has developed into an absolute leader at the club, accompanying offensive actions with progressive passes towards the opposition goal. Squawka's data collection shows Hermoso shares his interception record with Frendurp of Genoa.

Santiago Castro is preparing for a key phase of his Roma career after the international break, armed with encouragement from Francesco Totti and a fresh Argentina call-up. The 21-year-old Argentine forward has made an immediate impression since joining the club, hitting two posts and building strong rapport with the dressing room, though he has yet to open his account in giallorosso. Castro is now with Argentina, where he has returned following his sole previous call-up in March 2025, during which he did not take the field. His manager Gasperini will hope to deploy him as an additional attacking option alongside Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala, who are considered undroppable. Castro deliberately chose Roma despite knowing the calibre of the competition for places, and the intensity of October's fixture list may provide his breakthrough moment. Last autumn at Bologna, he scored three goals and supplied one assist across a 30-day span at the start of the season, establishing a template for what is possible. He will miss Argentina's friendlies against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin in the coming days but will return only three days before Roma's trip to Como alongside fellow squad members Leonardo Balerdi and Matías Soulé. Castro, who was recommended by Totti, faces competition from Lautaro at international level but shows no sign of being daunted by it. The premature nature of his return will limit his recovery time, though the calendar's demands may force Gasperini's hand in rotating his forward line.

Roma's transfer activity over the summer has reinforced the club's historic connection with Argentina, adding Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé to three further Argentine arrivals: Nahuel Molina, Santiago Castro, and Leonardo Balerdi. No nation has been represented more heavily in Roma's history than Argentina: 41 Argentine players have worn the giallorossi shirt since the club's foundation in 1927. A secondary pattern, particularly pronounced from the 1990s onwards, links Roma to Boca Juniors specifically. Many of the Argentine players Roma has signed since Caniggia's era wore the Boca shirt before joining Roma, and in several cases returned there to finish their careers. Caniggia himself spent four seasons at Boca after his Roma spell, recording 58 appearances and 22 goals. In the 1990s and early 2000s, other significant names followed: Abel Balbo, Gabriel Batistuta, and Walter Samuel. Batistuta scored 13 goals in 30 appearances for Boca before moving to Florence and then Roma. Samuel won the Copa Libertadores with Boca in 77 appearances and 4 goals, then joined Roma in the year of the club's last Serie A title in 2001 for 25 billion lire. Other notable connections include Nicolas Burdisso and two midfielders central to Argentina's recent history: Fernando Gago, who made two separate moves between Roma and Boca with 70 appearances initially and 85 in his final stint before retirement, and Leandro Paredes, discovered by Sabatini at Boca and now returned to play at home. Diego Perotti played two loan matches at Boca from Sevilla before later joining Genoa and working with Gasperini. Molina was born and raised at Boca before transferring to Rosario Central. Since Caniggia in the early 1990s, Roma has signed 24 Argentine players overall, of whom 10—almost half—came from or had spells at Boca Juniors. Daniele De Rossi, a Roma icon, also chose to spend his final year at Boca before retirement.

Santiago Castro is preparing for a key phase of his Roma career after the international break, armed with encouragement from Francesco Totti and a fresh Argentina call-up. The 21-year-old Argentine forward has made an immediate impression since joining the club, hitting two posts and building strong rapport with the dressing room, though he has yet to open his account in giallorosso. Castro is now with Argentina, where he has returned following his sole previous call-up in March 2025, during which he did not take the field. His manager Gasperini will hope to deploy him as an additional attacking option alongside Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala, who are considered undroppable. Castro deliberately chose Roma despite knowing the calibre of the competition for places, and the intensity of October's fixture list may provide his breakthrough moment. Last autumn at Bologna, he scored three goals and supplied one assist across a 30-day span at the start of the season, establishing a template for what is possible. He will miss Argentina's friendlies against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin in the coming days but will return only three days before Roma's trip to Como alongside fellow squad members Leonardo Balerdi and Matías Soulé. Castro, who was recommended by Totti, faces competition from Lautaro at international level but shows no sign of being daunted by it. The premature nature of his return will limit his recovery time, though the calendar's demands may force Gasperini's hand in rotating his forward line.

Leonardo Balerdi has joined Roma on a loan deal worth €1 million with a mandatory purchase clause that will make him a permanent squad member by June. The Argentine defender's arrival follows Roma's failed pursuit of him last season, when Marseille's €30 million asking price proved prohibitive. A change in the French club's circumstances allowed Roma to move quickly and secure him with a purchase structure tied to playing time: €14 million if he appears in at least 55% of matches for a minimum of 45 minutes each, €11 million for 40–55% of appearances, or €9 million for 20–40%. Bareldi has already impressed Roma's hierarchy at Trigoria, and the expectation is he will feature heavily for the remainder of the campaign. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini endorsed the signing, saying: "Leonardo is a captain, we knew the player's value well." Gasperini highlighted Balerdi's strengths in marking and ball-playing, along with the leadership he has already demonstrated on the pitch. The signing reflects Roma's confidence in the defender's ability to strengthen their backline during a competitive season.