CIES recognizes Wesley among Italy's 15 most valuable players

Former striker Nicola Ventola has expressed strong admiration for Donyell Malen during an episode of the podcast Viva El Futbol. Ventola, who played for Bari, Inter, and Atalanta during his career, highlighted Malen's technical quality and work rate since the attacker's arrival at Roma in January's transfer window. Malen has already scored 11 league goals this season. Ventola praised Malen's movement and positioning, noting his intelligence in reading defensive play and his ability to find space away from the penalty area. He emphasized that Malen consistently makes the correct decisions in his first touch and positioning relative to defenders, even when his back is turned. The former attacker described Malen as a player he "did not know" to this level before watching him play for Roma. Ventola said: "Malen does everything right, because he also has intensity in the right movements: the first touch in plays, but not just in the area when he scores, precisely how he gets into position. He always knows where the defender is, even with his back turned. Many times I made that movement wrong, because maybe I thought he was following me; he instead always makes the right movement and manages, with his posture, to always be in a position to attack, even when far from the area. So he is a player that honestly I did not know like this: he is extraordinary. What surprises me is that you never see him tired. This surprises me, because he is a sprinter: he sprints, sprints and sprints... and you always see him rested, always sharp."

Roma will face Fiorentina on Monday at 20:45 in Serie A matchday 35. Fiorentina have recovered left-back Parisi and midfielder Gosens for the fixture, while striker Kean is being assessed ahead of the match. The article does not provide further detail on Roma's squad status or tactical approach for the encounter. Details remain unclear on the exact availability of Fiorentina's remaining players and Roma's preparation.

Roma received a boost ahead of the final four Serie A matches with midfielder Koné returning to full group training at Trigoria. Head coach Gasperini oversaw the session as the squad prepares for the closing stretch of the season. The return of Koné to collective work is a positive development for Roma's injury situation during this crucial period of the campaign.

Tony D'Amico, the Atalanta sporting director, has been identified as Roma's primary target to succeed Massara in the same role. The 1980-born executive has worked closely with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini for three years at Atalanta, contributing to the club's Europa League success. D'Amico previously held positions at Hellas Verona as vice coach (2016–2018) and sporting director (2018–2022) before joining Atalanta, bringing substantial experience to the role. Roma hopes to prise D'Amico away from Atalanta before his contract expires, though the Bergamo club's ownership has not been receptive to such approaches in the past. The relationship between D'Amico and Gasperini remains strong despite some recent tensions during Atalanta's previous season, including disagreements over player recruitment such as the Wesley case. Roma's preference is to appoint an Italian sporting director with established credentials, which D'Amico satisfies. Other candidates remain in contention, including Manna and Sogliano—the latter also having worked with Gasperini at Genova. Fabio Paratici is mentioned as a longer-term possibility but has not been formally approached; he has personal connections to Rome through family ties. Giovanni Giuntoli, another name circulated, is expected to join Marseille instead. The appointment of Roma's next sporting director represents a significant structural decision as the club reshapes its upper management.

Roma is pursuing Giovanni Manna, Napoli's sporting director, as a replacement in its front office following an internal restructuring. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and ownership view Manna as their top choice, believing they will operate in sync—a contrast to Gasperini's current relationship with Roma director Frederic Massara. Manna has earned widespread respect at Napoli for balancing youth development with experienced signings, and previously managed Juventus' Next Gen squad, which aligns with Roma's plan to establish a second team. Manna remains under contract with Napoli until 2029, making any move challenging. Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis is unlikely to release him without significant resistance. Roma's shortlist also includes Cristiano Giuntoli, Atalanta's Tony D'Amico, and Verona's Sean Sogliano as alternative options. Beyond the director role, Roma intends to strengthen three areas next summer: a new left-back to allow Wesley to shift to the right wing, a pacey attacker following failed experiments with Leon Bailey and Bryan Zaragoza, and potentially address midfield depth depending on potential departures of either Manu Koné or Evan N'Dicka.

Wesley has become central to Roma's attacking approach, with statistics revealing a significant performance gap when the Brazilian winger is absent. In seven Serie A matches without him this season, Roma recorded three defeats and one draw. With Wesley on the pitch, the side creates more chances (2.33 per match versus 0.86), attempts more shots (13.4 versus 11), and scores more goals (1.44 versus 1.29). Head coach Gasperini's emphasis on keeping Wesley reflects this tactical importance, and recent performances at Bologna have underscored his value. Wesley's versatility across both flanks has also impressed the coaching staff. Roma's recruitment team is now seeking reinforcements for the fullback positions, with several players departing. Tsimikas and Angelino are set to leave, while Celik's contract is expiring. According to reports, two primary targets have been identified: Dodò from Fiorentina represents the ambitious option, as contract renewal talks with the Serie A club have stalled and his deal expires within a year; Belghali of Verona offers a flexible alternative capable of playing on either flank. Previous contact with Belghali had been established in January before his Copa d'Africa commitments, with both parties agreeing to resume discussions in the summer. Inter and Juventus are also tracking Belghali. Additional names linked include Fortini and Carlos Augusto for the left flank, as Gasperini expects significant squad reinforcement in the transfer window.