Castro to spend first night at Trigoria as Roma move nears

Roma are maintaining their interest in Endrick, the 2006-born striker currently owned by Real Madrid, as they look to add further reinforcements to their attacking department this summer. The move would follow Roma's acquisition of Santiago Castro, with Endrick identified as one of several targets on the club's shortlist. Endrick recently featured for Brazil at the World Cup and spent the previous season on loan at Lyon. Real Madrid are open to allowing the forward to leave on loan again to secure more regular playing time. Roma's interest forms part of a broader summer recruitment plan as the club seeks to strengthen its offensive options under the direction of recruitment staff.

Roma continue to monitor Endrick as a potential offensive reinforcement, with Real Madrid open to sending the 2006-born Brazilian forward out on loan to gain playing time. The 18-year-old has struggled for opportunities at the Bernabéu and the Spanish club are keen to develop him through a temporary move. Endrick returns from a successful spell at Lyon and is now being tracked by the Giallorossi alongside other attacking targets. Roma's transfer activity is accelerating following the imminent arrival of Castro, with defender Koulierakis close to joining the club as well. Bolstering the attacking department remains the priority for the Giallorossi, and Endrick fits the profile of a young talent capable of adding depth to the squad. Real Madrid's willingness to loan the Brazilian opens a potential pathway for Roma to secure his services without a permanent investment.

Riccardo Pagano has completed a permanent departure from AS Roma, joining Serie B side Cesena. The academy graduate's exit marks the end of his time at the Giallorossi after a succession of loan moves away from the club. Roma confirmed the transfer through a social media post: 'Pagano sold to Cesena. Good luck, Riccardo!' Pagano's departure represents another chapter in the ongoing management of Roma's youth development pathway. Having progressed through the club's academy system, he was unable to establish himself in the first team and spent time away on loan before now securing a permanent exit. The move to Cesena offers him the prospect of regular senior football in Italy's second tier.

Santiago Castro has arrived at Roma as the summer's first signing, with the class of 2004 striker set to partner or rotate with Donyell Malen as Gasperini builds attacking depth for a season that includes Champions League football. Castro was welcomed by supporters at Termini Station two days before his official presentation; his role will not be secondary, as the dual-striker system has been a recurring theme throughout Gasperini's tenure at Atalanta. Gasperini's track record shows a consistent preference for rotating or pairing two attacking players. At Atalanta, he deployed Petagna and Cornelius (2017–18, 6 goals each) before signing Duvan Zapata from Sampdoria for 26 million euros total and adopting a 3-4-1-2 formation with two strikers. Zapata and Alfredo Morelos combined for 38 goals in 2019–20 (19 each), while Zapata and Alejandro Muriel posted 19 and 26 goals respectively in 2020–21. Later signings included Matteo Scamacca, who scored 19 times in 2023–24, and eventually Mateo Retegui, who managed 28 goals last season while playing as sole striker or in partnership—the lone exception to Gasperini's two-striker preference that still delivered Champions League qualification. At Roma, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson have been ruled out through injury and poor form; Malen's 15 goals secured European football. Castro joins a squad that also includes Robinio Vaz and reportedly others, offering Gasperini the flexibility to deploy two forward options when needed.

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.

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.