Gasperini confirms Koné and Dybala fit for Fiorentina; Friedkin ownership presence signals future planning

Younés El Aynaoui, a former Moroccan tennis player and father of Roma midfielder Neil El Aynaoui, has given an interview to FIFA's official channels discussing his son's football career and mentality. Younés revealed that Neil initially showed more interest in tennis while the family lived in Barcelona, but discovered his true passion for football between ages 10 and 11, inspired by Barcelona's culture. His mother, who has close ties to AS Nancy, encouraged the switch. Younés noticed his son's potential when he began training at CREPS Nancy, displaying superior physical abilities and unwavering commitment. Younés described his contribution to Neil's development as an athlete, emphasizing discipline in diet, sleep, and injury prevention—habits learned from his own tennis background. He stressed that the family ensured football remained Neil's personal project rather than a parental dream. Walid Regragui, Morocco's coach, reportedly praised Neil's professionalism and work ethic, drawing a comparison between father and son. Younés said: "Logically, one should not change anything about one's daily routine. You shouldn't delude yourself into thinking you can do something sensational, because trying to do everything perfectly can generate tension. For Neil, the World Cup is there every day, every time he trains." Younés highlighted that Neil, though appearing shy and gentle, possesses a strong character and extraordinary football knowledge. He trains at the highest level regardless of tournament context, maintaining focus and avoiding overwork in the lead-up to major competitions.

Roma midfielder Neil El Aynaoui featured in Morocco's 1-1 draw against Brazil at the MetLife Stadium in the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first Roma player to debut in the tournament. He was satisfied with his team's performance despite the challenging match. "For the content of the game, I think we played the match we wanted to play. We are satisfied with the performance and now we are focused on Scotland," he said in the post-match zone. El Aynaoui spoke positively about his midfield partnership with Ayoub El Kaabi, noting their understanding both on and off the pitch. The midfielder addressed his future at Roma directly, confirming his commitment to the club ahead of the new season. "I am doing well at Roma, very well. Will I stay? Yes, of course," he stated. Looking ahead, El Aynaoui and Morocco are now preparing for their next World Cup fixture against Scotland, shifting focus from their opening match against Brazil. He expressed confidence in the squad's ability to compete at the highest level: "We know we can play matches of this level. We are convinced that this squad has the qualities to do great things in the tournament."

Manu Koné, Roma's midfielder, addressed his immediate future while on France national team duty ahead of the nation's World Cup 2026 opener against Senegal on Tuesday. When asked about reported interest from Inter, Koné stated: "Sincerely at this moment I think only about the World Cup. It's my first big international competition, a tournament I've always dreamed of playing in. I want to stay focused exclusively on this. We'll talk about the future after the World Cup and we'll see what happens." Koné's final months at Roma were disrupted by two hamstring injuries that affected his season. Despite these setbacks, he expressed confidence in his recovery and his ability to contribute for France. He emphasized his readiness to serve the team when called upon, noting that he featured regularly during qualifying. The midfielder reflected on his journey with pride, recalling watching France's 2022 final campaign from Germany while playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach at that time. Regarding the Senegal match, Koné stressed France's preparation and intentions: "We've prepared well. We've played two friendlies that will be useful to us in the future. We're adapting to the heat and I hope we'll be ready against Senegal to start well in the competition. It's the first match and we must win it to get off on the right foot."

Roma are actively pursuing Mason Greenwood as their primary attacking target while exploring alternative options including Christian Pulisic and Crysencio Summerville. The Giallorossi are willing to spend over €40 million for their preferred target, structured through an obligation to buy with an initial fee, substantial bonuses, and a resale clause. Personal terms on a multi-year contract worth €4.5 million in wages have already been agreed. Pulisic, currently at Milan, has not responded positively to the Rossoneri's contract extension offer, and his representatives have approached Roma and other clubs. However, he remains contracted to Milan until 2028 through an option with a reported price tag around €45 million. Summerville, the West Ham forward, is also attracting interest from PSG and faces an uncertain situation following his club's relegation. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini views both players favourably. Roma's final attacking recruitment will depend on developments surrounding Matías Soulé, Paulo Dybala, and Lorenzo Pellegrini, with momentum building around Soulé's potential departure and the permanence of the other two.

AS Roma is accelerating its contract renewal negotiations with key players, prioritizing squad retention ahead of the summer transfer window. The club is targeting agreements with Lorenzo Pellegrini, Paulo Dybala, and Celik, but has implemented salary ceilings to control spending on new deals. Roma's strategy reflects a balance between securing important squad members and maintaining financial discipline as the club prepares for the 2026–27 season.

AS Roma is renegotiating contracts with established squad members to reduce the overall wage bill and create financial space to sign English forward Mason Greenwood from Marseille. The player has reportedly agreed to join Roma, and the club is now accelerating negotiations with the French side to complete the deal before the end of June to avoid an additional €10 million in transfer costs. The salary reductions involve several key players. Paulo Dybala's wages are targeted to drop from €8 million to €3.5 million plus bonuses, though his representatives have requested increased fixed salary to compensate. Defender Çetin (Celik) can still benefit from Italy's Growth Decree tax relief and stands to halve his current €2 million salary. Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract is also being renegotiated, with wages set to fall from €6.5 million to €3 million. Collectively, these three deals could generate approximately €8 million in annual savings—roughly equivalent to Greenwood's expected salary. While negotiations with Dybala remain complex due to image rights disputes, the expectation is that all parties will eventually reach middle-ground agreements and continue together. Roma is working to finalize these arrangements quickly to fund the Greenwood signing and maintain competitive squad depth.