Roma's profit-sale strategy: optimism as Premier League circles Matías Soulé

AS Roma owner Ryan Friedkin is travelling to the capital to hold talks with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the club begins planning for the summer transfer window. With four matches remaining in the season, the Friedkin Group wants to address key decisions including the appointment of a new sporting director and potential player departures. The meeting at Trigoria will focus on the club's direction ahead of the close season. Roma are monitoring Fiorentina's squad ahead of Monday's match between the sides. Gasperini is interested in three players: Dodò, Gudmundsson, and Fortini. The Brazilian right-back is expected to leave Fiorentina, while the Icelandic midfielder's asking price stands at a minimum of 15 million euros. The club is also exploring defensive reinforcements, with Oosterwolde reportedly on their radar. Additionally, defender Aké has been offered to Roma, though details remain unclear on the terms or timeline of such an offer.

Manchester City has reportedly offered defender Aké to AS Roma as the transfer window approaches. The Premier League club is open to selling the player in the coming summer market. Roma is among the clubs being presented with the opportunity to sign Aké. Details about Roma's interest level and any formal bid remain unclear at this stage. The news comes as Roma begins assessing potential reinforcements ahead of the new season.

Nathan Aké, a Dutch centre-back from Manchester City, has been offered to AS Roma as the midfielder enters the final stage of his contract with the Premier League club. The 1995-born defender, who has won multiple trophies under Pep Guardiola at City, is being made available to several Serie A clubs including Juventus and Inter via intermediaries. Aké's contract runs until June 2027, and his valuation stands at approximately 15 million euros. Roma are considering the move as part of their defensive reinforcement plans under head coach Gasperini, particularly if current defenders Ndicka or Hermoso depart. While Aké represents a departure from Roma's recent transfer strategy—which has favoured young players on modest wages—he would fit well into Gasperini's three-man defensive system, given his experience playing as a left-side centre-back. Roma's planning is expected to accelerate in the coming days with the arrival of Ryan Friedkin at the club's training ground, as the organisation addresses financial fair play constraints and other strategic priorities. No concrete negotiations are underway at present, though the club views Aké as a viable option should the defensive lineup change. His Premier League pedigree and tactical suitability represent a different profile compared to recent Roma acquisitions.

Marco Amelia, speaking to Il Messaggero, has praised Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar in an interview. Amelia reportedly stated that Svilar should only leave Roma for a fee of €70 million, and suggested the club would be better served by parting with another player, Koné, rather than losing the goalkeeper. The comments reflect confidence in Svilar's value and importance to the squad during a period when Roma may face transfer decisions.

Roma is preparing for a significant squad overhaul as Financial Fair Play constraints force the club to make difficult decisions. Departures are already settled for players who have not convinced, while others seek moves elsewhere. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini wants Mancini and Cristante to form the core of his squad, with both renewals close to completion. Donyell Malen will be permanently signed for 25 million euros, and Hermoso is expected to stay after his contract extension clause is formalized. Paulo Dybala has signaled his priority is remaining at the club, with the Boca offer considered a secondary option. On the transfer list for potential sales are Koné and Ndicka at the top, followed by Matías Soulé and Mile Svilar further down the pecking order. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation differs slightly—the club had previously offered roughly one-third of his current salary, though circumstances may now be shifting. Roma will release all other loan players and is likely to lose El Shaarawy upon contract expiration. Celik is also in advanced negotiations with other clubs, though the significant gap between the club's asking price and incoming offers means his departure is not yet confirmed. Ryan Friedkin is expected in the city for meetings with Gasperini to plan the club's future direction, with numerous topics under discussion.

Marco Amelia, former Roma goalkeeper, has weighed in on the club's financial situation and coaching style under Gian Piero Gasperini. Amelia, who spent nine years in Roma's youth academy and won the Serie A title as third-choice keeper, worked alongside Gasperini during their time at Genoa. On the question of selling Svilar to balance the books, Amelia believes the goalkeeper should only leave for a substantial fee. He stated: "Mile is the strongest goalkeeper in Serie A and should not be sold because it is more complicated to find another in that role. Then it depends on the offer too, because he is the only one with a very high value. I don't think other players can be worth around 60/70 million. If offers of this type arrive, Roma can also sell him. The sacrifice—as happened with Alisson in 2018—will be made to respect regulations that I find absurd." Amelia suggested alternatives such as experienced keepers or lower-cost options, and argued that selling midfielder Koné would be preferable to trading Svilar for a player like Vicario. Regarding Gasperini's management style, Amelia said: "He is someone who demands from his players and stimulates them to perform strongly. But he is not a bad person, otherwise he would not have stayed so long at Genoa and Atalanta. He does not give pats on the head, just like Capello."

Midfielder Manu Koné remains the only unavailable player ahead of Roma's crucial match against Fiorentina on Monday, with four matches remaining in the season to chase a Champions League place. Koné has been sidelined since March 19 after suffering a thigh injury in a Europa League fixture against Bologna. Head coach Gasperini hopes to have him available soon, potentially using him in rotation with Niccolò Pisilli for the Fiorentina encounter. Koné's immediate return is significant because these final four matches could be his last with Roma. The club faces pressure to generate €80 million in profit before June 30 and views the midfielder as a candidate for sale. Roma acquired Koné for €18 million plus €2 million in bonuses and values him at €45 million, which would represent approximately €35 million in profit. The France international, 24 years old, attracts interest from Inter, PSG, and Newcastle. Roma is reportedly keen to avoid repeating the Mohamed Salah situation, when the club sold him for €42 million plus bonuses in June 2017 under financial fair play pressure before his market value increased substantially during the summer. Details remain unclear regarding the exact timeline for Koné's return to training, though reports indicate he may resume work on Wednesday. The club's ability to retain him depends partly on external factors, including a potential World Cup cycle that could increase his transfer value.

Roma secured a decisive 2-0 away victory at Bologna, with the goals coming in the first half. Donyell Malen delivered an outstanding performance, scoring one goal and providing an assist. Wesley, returning from injury, proved crucial to the result, while El Aynaoui also contributed a goal and an assist—marking his first Serie A goal. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar made important saves when called upon, and the defensive trio performed solidly throughout. The win keeps Roma's Champions League ambitions alive as Juventus faced AC Milan the same evening. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini received praise from multiple newspapers for his tactical setup and team management. Midfielder Niccolò Pisilli impressed with a solid display, while the midfield and defensive structure remained compact and disciplined. The ratings across major Italian publications were relatively consistent, with Malen earning scores between 7.5 and 8, and El Aynaoui consistently rated 7.5. Wesley and Svilar also drew positive marks across the board. Gasperini himself was rated 7 to 7.5 by the publications surveyed.

Roma secured a 2-0 victory away at Bologna, with Donyell Malen and El Aynaoui scoring in the first half. Malen was central to Roma's dominance, recording a goal and an assist while creating additional clear chances that went begging. Wesley made two decisive defensive contributions that led directly to both goals. The match was never in doubt as Bologna offered little resistance, contrasting sharply with their earlier performance that season. Gasperini's side played clean, direct football with freedom after internal tensions dissipated. The coach deployed El Aynaoui in an unorthodox role ahead of traditional strikers, raising Niccolò Pisilli into the midfield line alongside Matías Soulé. Paulo Dybala entered as a substitute in the second half after three months sidelined. Roma squandered at least two additional scoring opportunities through Malen, who was found in behind by Wesley but fired wide on one occasion and had another effort deflected by an opponent. The victory narrows the gap on Juventus to two points, with the Turin club facing Milan later that evening. Gasperini continues to shape Roma into a competitive unit, though questions linger about squad depth in midfield as Bryan Cristante and another midfielder enter the final stretch fatigued and dealing with injury concerns.

Ryan Friedkin, vice president of AS Roma, is preparing to travel to Rome in the coming days to meet with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and discuss the club's strategic direction. The visit aims to address several key issues facing the Giallorossi as they plan for the 2026–27 season and beyond. According to reports, the agenda includes appointing a new sporting director to replace Massara, whose tenure is ending, determining the summer transfer budget and required player sales to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations, and establishing priorities for potential departures. Contract renewals for Lorenzo Pellegrini, Paulo Dybala, and Çetin are also on the table. Gasperini has reportedly requested a strong signal from ownership regarding the club's direction and infrastructure. The timing of Friedkin's visit reflects Roma's need to move decisively after delays in recent management decisions. The meetings are expected to lay the groundwork for Roma's future planning, with summer preparations and the transfer window looming. Setting a clear budget allocation and identifying which players may be sold to generate funds will be crucial as the club navigates Financial Fair Play obligations in the coming months.

Radja Nainggolan has reiterated his enduring love for AS Roma while reflecting on his time at the club during an interview on Sky Calcio Unplugged. The former midfielder discussed Roma's competitive ambitions during his era, acknowledging the squad's quality but highlighting their inability to compete with Juventus, particularly against their formidable three-man defensive line of Barzagli, Bonucci, and Chiellini. Nainggolan emphasized that Roma's objective should always be to finish in the top four, noting that current squad members such as Paulo Dybala are expected to make greater impact. Nainggolan reflected fondly on Roma's memorable Champions League encounter against Barcelona, recalling the atmosphere and belief within the squad that something special could happen. He recalled: "In that week we could feel something, a sensation that made us think something could happen." He also highlighted a missed penalty decision on Pellegrini that would be awarded with VAR technology. Beyond his playing career, Nainggolan expressed admiration for coach Luciano Spalletti, praising his tactical approach and communication style while suggesting Juventus could have challenged Inter more effectively had Spalletti been in place from the season's start.

Roma is preparing for a significant squad overhaul as Financial Fair Play constraints force the club to make difficult decisions. Departures are already settled for players who have not convinced, while others seek moves elsewhere. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini wants Mancini and Cristante to form the core of his squad, with both renewals close to completion. Donyell Malen will be permanently signed for 25 million euros, and Hermoso is expected to stay after his contract extension clause is formalized. Paulo Dybala has signaled his priority is remaining at the club, with the Boca offer considered a secondary option. On the transfer list for potential sales are Koné and Ndicka at the top, followed by Matías Soulé and Mile Svilar further down the pecking order. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation differs slightly—the club had previously offered roughly one-third of his current salary, though circumstances may now be shifting. Roma will release all other loan players and is likely to lose El Shaarawy upon contract expiration. Celik is also in advanced negotiations with other clubs, though the significant gap between the club's asking price and incoming offers means his departure is not yet confirmed. Ryan Friedkin is expected in the city for meetings with Gasperini to plan the club's future direction, with numerous topics under discussion.