Bologna exploring loan move for Robinio Vaz if Castro departs

Roma have intensified negotiations with Real Betis over the signing of Abde Ezzalzouli as Gian Piero Gasperini continues his search for a new attacking winger. The Moroccan winger, born in 2001, has emerged as one of the club's primary targets to reinforce the wide areas after the Roma hierarchy assessed several profiles in recent weeks. Quick, adept at one-on-one duels and capable of playing across both attacking flanks, Ezzalzouli possesses the characteristics Roma seek to add quality and unpredictability in the final third. The negotiations are not expected to be straightforward, however. Betis's financial demands are considered high by Roma, and the outcome of the deal will depend largely on the Spanish club's economic requirements. Despite those challenges, Roma remain committed to finding a solution and have no intention of abandoning the pursuit. D'Amico is working to identify the correct formula to bring the Moroccan to the capital without exceeding the budget set by the club. Ezzalzouli remains one of the hottest names on Roma's radar as the summer transfer window progresses.

Roma have revived their interest in Real Betis winger Ezzalzouli, who has emerged as a target on the club's transfer shortlist. The Giallorossi had pursued the player in previous transfer windows and remain keen, but a significant obstacle stands in their way: Betis are demanding €60 million for the winger, a fee that complicates any deal substantially. Roma will attempt to push forward with negotiations despite the high cost. Ezzalzouli sits behind Nusa on Roma's priority list for attacking reinforcements. Head coach Gasperini is keen to add a new attacking winger to his squad before Friday, when the team is scheduled to gather in Wales for a training camp. The timeline is tight, with hopes that a new arrival could be in place for the Welsh preparations.

Roma's transfer window has finally gained momentum. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who previously described the club as "a diesel engine", now expects another push following the first signing. Antonio Nusa remains the priority target, with a deadline of the weekend set for negotiations; the club will not wait beyond that point for the Argentine winger. Roma's sporting director D'Amico is already evaluating alternative profiles in case Nusa talks stall. Matías Soulé could move in the opposite direction. According to transfer expert Matteo Moretto, the Roma winger has been proposed to AC Milan, who are examining his profile with interest. The deal has not yet advanced to active negotiations, but the player appeals to Milan and fits the characteristics demanded by coach Amorim. Roma plan to depart for Wales on Friday to continue their pre-season training camp. Gasperini expects further activity soon, ideally before the Welsh camp begins, as the club looks to strengthen both attacking depth and defensive options ahead of the new season.

Santiago Castro has completed his move to Roma from Bologna for €35 million including bonuses on a five-year contract. The Argentine striker will arrive at Termini station around 23:45 this evening before undergoing medical examinations tomorrow and signing his deal. His arrival triggers Artem Dovbyk's departure to Bologna on a loan with a purchase option, with the Ukrainian's €3.5 million salary covered by the Emilian club. Dovbyk will travel to Bologna tomorrow for his medical. Castro's signing marks Roma's primary attacking reinforcement ahead of the new season, particularly with Champions League football on the horizon. Gasperini has prioritised two strong forward options, and club sources confirm Roma rejected a loan approach for Robinio Vaz before Bologna proposed Dovbyk as an alternative. Roma's hierarchy has also made Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract renewal a priority. Following recent signings of Dybala, Mancini, and Cristante, the club aims to extend Pellegrini's deal before the squad departs for a pre-season training camp in Wales. Pellegrini's new contract is projected to run until 2028 with an optional further season, offering €2.5 million annually plus bonuses. Rome's mayor Gualtieri confirmed progress on the new Stadio della Roma at Pietralata. At an institutional meeting on Friday involving Regional President Rocca and ministers Abodi and Salvini, Gualtieri stated: "Today we make another leap forward in the procedures for stadium construction. An entire area regeneration with a stadium at its centre that will have the world's largest Curva and will be a joy for all sports fans. The services conference will be concluded by September." Roma legend Roberto Pruzzo praised Castro as "a great player, strong" with quality to play centre-forward or provide assists.

Gian Piero Gasperini has embraced Santiago Castro as a first-team option rather than a backup, challenging the perception that the Argentine arrival from Bologna is merely a reserve striker. Castro joins fellow attacking options including Donyell Malen and Robinio Vaz, who was signed for €25 million seven months ago but was never treated as a reliable rotation option under Gasperini's management. Gasperini's track record shows he rotates his attacking options freely rather than maintaining rigid hierarchies. With Castro now at his disposal, Roma have multiple tactical avenues to explore as they rebuild following a third-place finish that secured their return to the Champions League after seven failed attempts. The coach can rest Malen periodically, deploy a three-forward system, or use the Argentine as part of a dual-striker setup alongside the Dutchman. Roma's most convincing performance last season came on 25 January against Milan at the Olimpico, when they played 3-4-1-2 with Dybala alongside Malen and Matías Soulé as attacking midfielder. That experiment convinced Gasperini to revisit the formula, this time with Castro and Malen as the forward pairing, potentially supported by a midfielder operating as a trequartista behind them.

Santiago Castro has arrived as Roma's first summer signing, reportedly costing around 35 million euros. The Argentine striker was acquired to challenge Donyell Malen for the centre-forward role, but his impact is expected to extend far beyond that of a mere substitute. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini has repeatedly shown his need for genuine attacking depth, with last season exposing the toll on Malen of playing nearly every match without adequate relief. Robinio Vaz failed to convince as an alternative, while Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk were hampered by injury. Castro's profile—goal-scoring instinct, ability to attack space, ball retention, and defensive work-rate—fits Gasperini's demands perfectly. Last season at Bologna, he committed more fouls than any teammate, a marker of his combative nature. He was also second in the squad for duels won. Rather than operate solely as a backup, Castro can start alongside Malen in a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Matías Soulé or Paulo Dybala deployed behind the two strikers. This shape, a Gasperini favourite from his Atalanta years, allows Castro's defensive intensity to free Malen for ball-carrying and finishing. Gasperini seldom deploys attackers on the wing; he requires his forwards positioned as close to goal as possible. The signing signals Roma's intent to reinvigorate an attack that misfired last season.

Roma find themselves in unexpected stasis on the transfer market one month before their Serie A opener against Fiorentina, hampered by slow planning, a complex summer constrained by Settlement Agreement rules, and difficulty delivering the reinforcements Gian Piero Gasperini has requested. As of late July, Roma had completed zero signings and just one minor departure, leaving six players from last season's squad still to be replaced: El Shaarawy, Ferguson, Tsimikas, Celik, Venturino, and Zaragoza. The club also has several players ready to depart—Salah-Eddine, Kumbulla, and Dovbyk among them—while others including Soulé and Koné remain uncertain. Contract complications surround Dybala, and Pellegrini's position requires clarification. Delays stem from structural issues worsened by Tony D'Amico's late arrival as sporting director, who became operational only in the final ten days of June following a dispute with Atalanta, compounded by World Cup scheduling and Settlement Agreement restrictions. Gasperini intends to compete at the highest level while preserving the squad's core and adding only a few elite signings. Roma pursued Mason Greenwood and Luis Summerville at length, becoming committed to the Dutch player beyond their budgeted limits before the deal collapsed entirely.

AS Roma are closing in on Crysencio Summerville, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini expecting a resolution in the coming days. The club has raised their bid to €50 million to persuade West Ham to sell the Dutch international and fend off competition from Aston Villa. Gasperini will have final say once Roma and Summerville's agents reach an agreement on personal terms. Despite publicly casting doubt on the transfer during Saturday's press conference—a tactical move to maintain negotiating leverage—Gasperini is eager to bring the winger to Rome. The breakthrough hinges on agreeing contract details with Summerville's representatives, the final hurdle before the deal can be completed. Roma's willingness to climb to the €50 million mark signals their determination to secure one of their priority targets this window. The next 24 to 48 hours are viewed as critical to the outcome. Summerville, who would join a squad already including attackers such as Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk, and Stephan El Shaarawy, represents a significant investment in Gasperini's vision for the team.

Roma's squad reported to Trigoria by 12 noon on Monday to begin their first week of training under Gian Piero Gasperini, who enters his second season in charge following the club's return to the Champions League. The first session, preceded by routine medical checks, was scheduled for the afternoon after lunch. The squad welcomed back no new faces, with departures including El Shaarawy, Ferguson, Zaragoza and Tsimikas, and the club opted not to publish the squad list publicly. The decision to withhold squad details reflects uncertainty over Paulo Dybala's contract situation. Roma's hierarchy worked to complete all formalities of Dybala's contract renewal by Monday morning, with the financial terms already agreed for several days. Çelik will be the first player to return following his involvement in international competition, though his own renewal announcement has not yet been confirmed. The full or near-full squad is expected only when the team convenes for a training camp in Wales. Gasperini is awaiting reinforcements from the club's sporting director D'Amico, who has drawn up a target list prioritising Moreira, while Garnacho and Tresoldi remain under consideration for the attack and centre-back positions respectively.

Roma have completed the Santiago Castro signing and will resume their search for a quick attacker, but Gabriel Martinelli and Marcus Rashford remain unrealistic targets despite recent speculation. The Giallorossi will spend €35M including add-ons on Castro. Artem Dovbyk is leaving on loan to Bologna with a €17M option to buy, where he will work with coach Giovanni Tedesco to revive his career. Both Martinelli and Rashford earn around €11M gross annually, significantly above Roma's top earners, a salary barrier that previously blocked Mason Greenwood's move to the Italian capital. Antonio Nusa currently leads Roma's shortlist, though RB Leipzig's advanced talks to sell Yan Diomande to Real Madrid could negatively impact those plans. Rashford's name arose during separate negotiations with Manchester United regarding midfielder Manu Koné, who spent a productive loan at Barcelona where he scored 14 goals and provided 14 assists in 49 appearances. Manchester United have shortlisted Koné but are not aggressively pursuing him at present. Roma's summer spending on a striker rather than a winger marks a tactical shift, with both Castro and Donyell Malen offering mobility. The club's interest in another forward may depend on whether Matías Soulé remains in the squad.

Paolo Marcacci's weekly ratings roundup highlights Paulo Dybala's perfectly struck free-kick against Cannes in a friendly, earning top marks for technical excellence regardless of the opposition's standard. Donyell Malen has returned from his recent World Cup commitments with renewed hunger for goals and prominence in Roma's attacking play, while Devyne Rensch is already showing signs of sharpness and remains underrated heading into official fixtures. Pierluigi Gollini's position as second-choice keeper warrants reflection from the club. Matías Soulé's fitness condition drew specific mention from Gasperini in a recent press conference, with Soulé appearing among those most behind pace during the Cannes match—though this observation carries no bearing on ongoing transfer considerations. Angeliño's search for match sharpness requires respectful patience rather than unsolicited commentary. The wider ratings reflect concerns about Italy's national team setup under new management, with political interference in sporting matters undermining both the sport itself and public confidence.

Radio Roma commentators have weighed in on the club's transfer strategy following its opening move, with widespread consensus that an attacking winger remains the urgent priority before the squad departs for Wales. Lorenzo Pes said: "The first market move is a bit late; now D'Amico's mission is to sign the winger before the trip to Wales. Beyond Nusa there are other profiles we don't know about; after Summerville, Roma is working behind the scenes, and they're trying to close a deal before Friday." Simone Valdarchi added that an attacking winger "will be a fundamental piece the club wants to cover," while Piero Torri expects both a full-back and an attacking winger to arrive within two weeks. Roberto Pruzzo praised Castro as "an excellent level player" but stressed that Roma must still complete its attacking setup. He noted: "Now you have Dybala, you have Soulé, you have Castro, you have Malen…you don't have physicality, but you have players who are at a very high level." Valdarchi also suggested that a departure may follow, naming Koné as a potential sale, and noted that Salah-Eddine is set to leave in the coming days. The consensus reflects a broader view that while Roma's squad possesses technical quality, the club must act swiftly to address gaps before competitive action begins.