Castro offers Gasperini far more than back-up to Malen

Santiago Castro has joined the ranks of Roma's costliest acquisitions, with the club paying 33 million euros in fixed fees and bonuses to secure him. He now ranks fifth in the club's transfer history, sitting between Gabriel Batistuta and Antonio Cassano in the all-time spending table. Patrik Schick remains Roma's record signing at 42 million euros in summer 2017. Artem Dovbyk, who arrived in 2024, cost 41.1 million euros and sits second, followed by Tammy Abraham at 41 million euros in August 2021. The article notes that aside from Abraham's strong first season, all three have delivered performances well below expectations. Gabriel Batistuta was signed for the equivalent of 36.15 million euros in 2000, while Antonio Cassano cost roughly 31 million euros in 2001—both figures now adjusted for inflation and the pre-euro era. Leonardo Spinazzola ranks seventh at 29.5 million euros in summer 2019, though Luca Pellegrini's inclusion in that deal reduced Roma's net outlay to 7.5 million euros. Matías Soulé, who arrived alongside Dovbyk in summer 2024, cost 28.6 million euros and ranks eighth. Steven Nzonzi (26.65 million euros, summer 2018) and Marash Kumbulla (26.5 million euros) complete the top ten.

Roma are working to complete the permanent sale of Anass Salah-Eddine, with director of sport Tony D'Amico negotiating an advanced deal with Olympiacos. The left-back returned to Trigoria after a loan spell at PSV Eindhoven, where he made regular appearances and gained valuable minutes in his development as a player, operating primarily as a left-back and occasionally as a left-sided midfielder. Salah-Eddine featured consistently in the Eredivisie and European competitions for PSV, contributing assists and solid defensive displays during his loan period. Roma are now actively moving to offload the Moroccan defender as part of their efforts to clear out surplus players from their squad. The negotiations with the Greek club have progressed to an advanced stage as the Giallorossi seek to finalise his permanent exit from the club.

Roma's transfer chief Tony D'Amico is actively working to bring a new attacking winger to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Nusa remains under consideration, but the club is also tracking Ezzalzouli of Real Betis, valued at €60 million. Roma are attempting to negotiate the asking price down to €45 million. A new option has emerged in Fresneda, a product of Real Madrid's academy now at Sporting CP, who is priced at €25 million—though Roma hope to pay less. On departures, Salah-Eddine is heading for the exit after interest from Olympiakos intensified in recent days, with negotiations now active. Manu Koné is also expected to leave, with Manchester United showing the strongest interest. Roma value the midfielder at over €50 million. Chelsea and Arsenal have also made enquiries, while Koné hopes for a proposal from Paris Saint-Germain to return home. In the background, Belghali remains on Roma's radar as an alternative option.

Santiago Castro has completed his medical assessment at Campus Biomedico and arrived at Trigoria to begin life as AS Roma's new number 9. The Argentine forward, signed from Vélez, embodies the profile favoured by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini—combining the dynamism that reminds the manager of Donyell Malen or Luis Muriel from his time at Atalanta. Castro will undergo his official presentation, take his first training session under Gasperini, and link up with Roma's Argentine contingent of Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala before joining the squad for their pre-season training camp in Wales. Gasperini views Castro's arrival as a significant boost to Roma's attacking options. The 21-year-old can operate as a pure centre-forward, a mobile second striker, or a left-sided attacker, giving the Italian tactician flexibility across multiple competitions and knockout fixtures. With Paulo Dybala positioned as a playmaker, the pairing promises to unlock different offensive configurations. Castro's versatility allows Roma to tailor their formation and approach based on the opposition, strengthening the squad depth and providing certainty during the demanding season ahead.

Santiago Castro has completed his move to Roma on a five-year contract worth €1.5 million plus bonuses per season, with the signing formally concluded today. The deal forms part of a package involving Artem Dovbyk's departure to Bologna. Castro was greeted by crowds at Termini railway station despite the weekday timing, and will now begin training under Gian Piero Gasperini alongside his new teammates. The Argentine will wear the number 9 shirt—the traditional pure strikers' number. Castro, 20, impressed Gasperini during Atalanta's Coppa Italia quarter-final win over Roma in February 2025, a match the Argentine won with a goal that sent Atalanta to the final. Roma face that same Atalanta side again when they begin preparations in Wales this Friday, with friendlies against Cardiff, Newport, and Brighton scheduled before an Ferragosto test against Borussia Dortmund. His competitive debut comes on 24 August. In attack, Castro will initially operate alongside fellow Argentines Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé, who are currently Roma's only playmakers. Soulé and Castro are linked by a strong friendship and spent part of their holidays training together at Comunicaciones, the club owned by Soulé's father. Donyell Malen will also feature, with Castro serving as his primary alternative, though Gasperini may deploy the pair's combined pace and dynamism simultaneously.

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.