Chelsea demand permanent deal or easy obligation for Gittens as Roma push for winger

Roma have completed the signing of Leonardo Balerdi on loan from Marseille. The Argentine defender will join on a loan deal worth €1 million, with a right of rescission that can become an obligation based on certain conditions. The rescission fee is variable between €12 million and €15 million. Balerdi will arrive at Ciampino airport and undergo medical tests before signing his contract. Balerdi is Roma's fifth summer acquisition, following Santiago Castro, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Nahuel Molina, and Rodrigo Mora. The club remains active in the transfer market with other targets still being pursued. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini continues to press for a left-winger, a position the club has lacked for six years. Sky Sport reports Roma are close to meeting Zenit's demands for an unnamed left-sided player, whose transfer fee stands at €40 million and who earns €4 million annually. Negotiations over player agreement are ongoing. In midfield, Roma hold an agreement with Fofana and are pushing for a loan with a right of rescission, though Lyon have not yet accepted this formula. Meanwhile, Sunderland have recently entered the race for a Belgian player as an alternative to Igor Paixao of Marseille, according to FootMercato. Hull City maintain strong interest and have already tabled a €35 million offer to the French club. Gigi Garzya, a former player with strong ties to Roma, stated on the remaining market window: "It is early to say where Roma can reach in their second year under Gasperini's leadership, and the market may not yet be finished. We must see what the other teams do by the closing date. Certainly we must do everything to maintain the Champions League position, because Roma must play regularly in this competition."

Defender Balerdi has arrived in Rome and undergone initial formalities with Roma supporters spotted greeting him at Ciampino airport. The Argentine will undergo medical examinations to complete his move to the club as a new reinforcement for coach Gasperini. The transfer is structured as a loan with a conditional obligation to buy. The deal represents a swift piece of business in the current transfer window as Roma continue to strengthen the squad ahead of the 2026-27 season. Gasperini will have Balerdi available for selection once the medical process concludes and all paperwork is finalised.

Roma are pressing Zenit San Pietroburgo for Brazilian winger Luiz Henrique in the final days of the transfer window. According to Angelo Mangiante, the club have moved closer to the Russian side's asking price and are now attempting to reach agreement with the player himself. Fabrizio Romano reported that Roma are in direct contact with Zenit over a potential deal, having requested details of the transfer's terms and costs after the player was proposed to them. Luiz Henrique, 25, is a left-footed forward who can operate across the attacking line, offering tactical flexibility that could address Gasperini's need for a winger. The profile differs from Roma's primary target throughout the summer—Gasperini had mainly sought a right-footed attacker capable of starting from the left—but Henrique's versatility and ability to play on either flank or in a more central role present an alternative solution. The push for the Brazilian emerges at a decisive stage of the window after weeks dominated by other targets including Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Malick Fofana. Henrich came onto Roma's radar in recent hours as clubs race to complete their squads ahead of the window's closure. Reporters Alfredo Pedullà and Gianluca Di Marzio flagged the growing likelihood of a move, with negotiations described as ongoing. The article emphasises that the coming hours will determine whether Luiz Henrique represents a concrete target or remains merely an alternative being considered.