Roma to restructure backroom staff; Del Vescovo expected to return

Stephan El Shaarawy's official departure from AS Roma at the end of the season has prompted widespread messages of affection from teammates, former teammates, and supporters. The announcement triggered a wave of heartfelt comments celebrating the winger's contributions to the club. Legendary Roma defender Aldair led the tributes with a particularly moving message. He wrote: "There are players who make noise. And others who earn respect through work, silence, and love for the team. Stephan has been this in recent years—always ready, always correct, always at the service of Roma. A player like that would be useful to any team. Best of luck for everything, lad." Current teammate Paulo Dybala posted simply "Great Faraone," while Koné offered "Respect" and Ziolkowski called him a "Legend." Former teammates also joined in paying tribute. Alessandro Florenzi posted "Uncle," Nicolò Bove wrote "Fara," and Radja Nainggolan shared a longer message: "You're a great ElSha, and you'll see that the last one at home will be a beautiful one, the most beautiful ones... I know what it means, it's tough, but what matters is that it stays with you forever." The messages underscore El Shaarawy's impact at Roma both as a teammate and as a respected figure within the club's culture.

AS Roma's ownership, the Friedkin Group, has made multiple attempts in recent days to convince Napoli to sell sporting director Giovanni Manna and bring him to the capital. However, Napoli president De Laurentiis remains unwilling to allow the departure of his sporting director, creating what is described as an almost insurmountable obstacle to the deal. Roma's search for a new sporting director has intensified following the imminent departure of Massara, with Manna identified as the Friedkin Group's preferred candidate. The pursuit of Manna underscores Roma's priority to strengthen their off-field structure. Despite the Friedkin Group's determination and repeated negotiation attempts, Napoli's resolute stance suggests movement on this front remains unlikely in the near term. De Laurentiis has given no indication of willingness to open discussions about Manna's future, and the club shows no signs of budging from their position. Updates on the situation are expected soon, though details on any potential alternative targets or timeline for resolution remain unclear.

Roma has made an official offer to Paulo Dybala as contract negotiations continue. Separately, El Shaarawy announced his departure from the club via social media. The upcoming Derby della Capitale between Roma and Lazio will be refereed by Maresca. The three developments represent significant squad and administrative activity for the Giallorossi, with the Dybala situation taking priority as Roma seeks to retain their attacking midfielder. El Shaarawy's exit marks another change to the squad composition under current management.