Gasperini Unveils Roma Contract and Transfer Strategy

Ricky Massara appears poised to depart AS Roma after just one season following his return to the club. His departure comes in the wake of Claudio Ranieri's exit, and strained relations with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini have reportedly accelerated the timeline. Marseille has now entered preliminary discussions with Massara regarding a directorial position, placing him on their shortlist of sporting director candidates. Roma's hierarchy, led by the Friedkin Group and Gasperini, are actively moving to find a replacement. Giovanni Manna, currently sporting director at Napoli, is reportedly the primary target on Roma's radar, though other candidates are also under consideration. The club aims to secure a successor soon. Massara himself is exploring options elsewhere, aware that his time in the capital is drawing to a close. Details regarding the precise timeline or the exact nature of Marseille's interest remain unclear. Roma's search for a new sporting director represents a significant administrative reshuffle as the club looks to align its football operations with Gasperini's vision following his recent appointment.

Transfermarkt compiled a special top 11 list of Serie A's most costly players based on salary divided by minutes played during the 2024–25 season. Roma features three players in this unflattering ranking: Bryan Zaragoza, Paulo Dybala, and Artem Dovbyk. Zaragoza leads Roma's contingent at 23,148 euros per minute despite playing only 135 minutes. Dovbyk, hampered by injuries, earned 16,667 euros per minute across 384 minutes of action, while Dybala accumulated 11,857 euros per minute over 1,088 minutes played. The metric highlights the financial pressure Roma faces when squad performance falls short of investment. The club is not alone in this struggle; Inter features several expensive fringe players including Diouf, Frattesi, De Vrij, and Darmian with similarly high per-minute costs. Lazio's Hysaj also appears in the analysis with approximately 21,000 euros per minute. Juventus's Vlahovic dominates the entire list, commanding 29,960 euros per minute across 741 minutes played.

Donyell Malen will spearhead Roma's attack in Sunday's match at Parma after completing full training with the squad, following a scheduled personal session the previous day. Lorenzo Pellegrini and Zaragoza have worked separately and are expected to miss the fixture. Roma's medical staff faces a busy week as the club pursues three crucial matches in hopes that rivals slip up. Off the pitch, Roma is actively pursuing a new sporting director to replace Massara. Giovanni Manna, currently at Napoli, is the frontrunner for the role, alongside targets Tony D'Amico and Daniele Pradè, who remains without a club following his departure from Fiorentina. Piero Ausilio of Inter rejected an approach. Manna's former president at Lugano, Renzetti, suggested the director is flattered by Roma's interest and receives regular contact from coach Gasperini, though he believes Manna will remain at Napoli if given a salary increase: "He is flattered and Gasp phones him every other day. But I don't think he wants to leave Napoli—with an increase he would stay there." In transfer activity, Roma has reopened interest in Gianluca Scamacca and is exploring a potential swap involving forward Dovbyk and Fiorentina's Piccoli. Wing targets include Bernabei and Culbreath.

Donyell Malen will spearhead Roma's attack in Sunday's match at Parma after completing full training with the squad, following a scheduled personal session the previous day. Lorenzo Pellegrini and Zaragoza have worked separately and are expected to miss the fixture. Roma's medical staff faces a busy week as the club pursues three crucial matches in hopes that rivals slip up. Off the pitch, Roma is actively pursuing a new sporting director to replace Massara. Giovanni Manna, currently at Napoli, is the frontrunner for the role, alongside targets Tony D'Amico and Daniele Pradè, who remains without a club following his departure from Fiorentina. Piero Ausilio of Inter rejected an approach. Manna's former president at Lugano, Renzetti, suggested the director is flattered by Roma's interest and receives regular contact from coach Gasperini, though he believes Manna will remain at Napoli if given a salary increase: "He is flattered and Gasp phones him every other day. But I don't think he wants to leave Napoli—with an increase he would stay there." In transfer activity, Roma has reopened interest in Gianluca Scamacca and is exploring a potential swap involving forward Dovbyk and Fiorentina's Piccoli. Wing targets include Bernabei and Culbreath.

Roma continue preparations at Trigoria ahead of their Serie A matchday 36 fixture against Parma. Donyell Malen has returned to group training after a recent absence. Updates on the availability of other squad members, including Lorenzo Pellegrini and details regarding Zaragoza, remain part of the team's assessment as they build toward the upcoming match.

Donyell Malen returned to full group training at Trigoria on Wednesday as Roma prepared for Sunday's match against Parma. The forward had completed personalized recovery work the previous day as part of his planned rehabilitation schedule and trained with the squad this morning. Malen is set to lead Roma's attack in the fixture, aiming for the breakthrough that eluded him twice against Fiorentina when the crossbar denied him. Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Zaragoza remain unavailable, having undertaken separate work away from the main group. With three days remaining before Sunday's encounter, both players are unlikely to recover in time for the Parma fixture. Roma's priority is to have Pellegrini fit for the Derby della Capitale against Lazio the following week, followed by the final away match of the season at Verona. Details remain unclear regarding the specific nature of the injuries affecting Pellegrini and Zaragoza.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has made his position clear to Roma's hierarchy: he wants to retain all players currently on expiring deals, including Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Zeki Celik, and Stephan El Shaarawy. Gasperini has stated his intentions to the club's leadership, though they must find ways to make the finances work. The coach is satisfied with the group's cohesion and harmony and prefers to keep the squad intact if possible. Roma's management has long sought to reduce payroll, with non-renewal of expensive contracts being the easiest cost-control method. Dybala, the highest-paid player, and captain Pellegrini would need to accept significantly lower wages to stay. Celik, whose status has improved this season, is reportedly seeking a higher salary. The negotiations have been complicated by Roma's recent poor form, though Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini have already signed new contracts. Dybala has not agreed terms with Boca Juniors and has prioritized remaining at Roma for at least another year. The club's sporting director role remains uncertain, adding complexity to contract discussions. Roma's qualification for the UEFA Champions League could potentially increase the transfer budget and allow revised contract terms.

Roman radio personalities and former footballers have shared their views on Roma's current state, with criticism focused on the club's internal structure and decision-making. Mario Mattioli remarked that if the Friedkin Group had maintained a normal corporate vision, Roma would likely be in a stronger position. He stated: "If the Friedkin owners had a normal organizational vision, probably Roma would be further ahead. The club is paying the price for a certain organizational confusion. The management pyramid has gaps. The presidency spends a lot of money and that cannot be disputed." Roberto Pruzzo emphasized the need for reinforcements that match the quality of recent signing Donyell Malen, suggesting the club should recruit three similar players to elevate squad standards. Pruzzo highlighted Gasperini's experience at other clubs, noting that no coach possesses a magic solution and that a willingness to strengthen the team is essential. Piero Torri raised concerns about El Shaarawy's contract renewal, interpreting it as a sign the club intends to limit transfer activity in attack. The commentary reflects broader concerns about Roma's internal organization and the execution of coach Gian Piero Gasperini's strategic vision, with observers stressing the importance of aligned decision-making between ownership and the technical staff to drive improvement.

Stephan El Shaarawy's departure from AS Roma is no longer certain. The Egyptian winger, whose exit had appeared imminent, may now remain at the club following head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's support for keeping him in the squad. Gasperini has reportedly advocated for El Shaarawy to stay, potentially reversing what had seemed like a straightforward departure. The shift comes as Roma reassesses squad decisions, with El Shaarawy's future now back under discussion after months of speculation surrounding his position.

Gemitaiz, a rapper and AS Roma supporter, appeared on a Gazzetta dello Sport podcast where he expressed criticism of Paulo Dybala's performances, calling him "fracico" (worn out), and suggested the player should leave the club. Gemitaiz advocated for giving head coach Gian Piero Gasperini time to implement his vision at Roma. The comments reflect some fan frustration with the team's current situation as Gasperini begins his tenure at the Giallorossi.

Transfermarkt compiled a special top 11 list of Serie A's most costly players based on salary divided by minutes played during the 2024–25 season. Roma features three players in this unflattering ranking: Bryan Zaragoza, Paulo Dybala, and Artem Dovbyk. Zaragoza leads Roma's contingent at 23,148 euros per minute despite playing only 135 minutes. Dovbyk, hampered by injuries, earned 16,667 euros per minute across 384 minutes of action, while Dybala accumulated 11,857 euros per minute over 1,088 minutes played. The metric highlights the financial pressure Roma faces when squad performance falls short of investment. The club is not alone in this struggle; Inter features several expensive fringe players including Diouf, Frattesi, De Vrij, and Darmian with similarly high per-minute costs. Lazio's Hysaj also appears in the analysis with approximately 21,000 euros per minute. Juventus's Vlahovic dominates the entire list, commanding 29,960 euros per minute across 741 minutes played.

Italian rapper and Roma fan Gemitaiz discussed the club's recent developments in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport podcast, touching on the departures of Ranieri and Gasperini, as well as the future of Paulo Dybala. Gemitaiz, who attended Roma's match against Fiorentina, expressed his frustration with Dybala's situation at the club. Speaking about the Argentine forward, he said: "Dybala is fracico [a Roman dialect term for unreliable/injury-prone], as we say in Rome, but it is a pleasure to see him play. I hope he leaves; he takes too much money and never plays." On Ranieri's recent exit from the club, Gemitaiz expressed sympathy for the former manager while backing the decision to move forward with Gasperini. He stated: "I'm sorry, he's a symbol of Roma. He wanted to retire for years; I don't think sacking Gasperini was the solution. No Roma fan isn't on Ranieri's side; I'm grateful to him, but if things aren't working... He's said many times he wanted to stop; it's more natural and spontaneous for him to leave. Gasperini is a great coach; we've been making the same points for a long time, let's give him a chance to start the project." Gemitaiz also spoke fondly of Francesco Totti, expressing his childhood admiration for the club's legendary number 10 and his desire to thank him if they met.