Tony D'Amico close to Roma; Marseille asks high price for Greenwood; Dybala near contract renewal

Paulo Dybala has been excluded from Argentina's World Cup squad by head coach Lionel Scaloni, despite strong recent performances with AS Roma. Scaloni confirmed the decision in a media interview, emphasizing that while Dybala remains a world-class talent, other players merit opportunities in his position. The Roma star recently helped his club secure Champions League qualification with several impressive displays. Scaloni explained his reasoning in detail: "Paulo is a great player, there's no need to say it. He returned in an exceptional manner with his team, reaching the Champions League with very good performances in recent matches. As always, however, there are players making their debut and showing important things. In our case, there are players in that field position who have established themselves and deserve an opportunity. So we decided to give this opportunity to other players. There are no doubts about the quality he has, about the fact that we care for him and that he is a spectacular player, but we always look at the present and what the future can give us. And today there are other players who can make their contribution. There are also other world champions who stayed out — these are things that are decided day by day." Dybala's exclusion comes despite his strong contributions to Roma's recent campaign, which culminated in Champions League qualification. Scaloni's comments indicate the decision reflects squad rotation and the emergence of alternative options rather than any concern over Dybala's ability.

Matías Soulé, who recently departed Roma for Argentina, spoke to media about his teammate Paulo Dybala's future at the club. Soulé said he gets along well with Dybala but acknowledged the forward has not disclosed his intentions. "I get along very well with him, but he doesn't want to tell me what he'll do. This year we made a nice group, Paredes was here before too. Obviously having him with me is nice, but it's a decision he has to make based on what he thinks is best," Soulé explained. Soulé also reflected on his own 2024–25 campaign at Roma. He described the first half of the season as going very well before a bout of pubalgia limited his appearances mid-season. "The first part went very well, then pubalgia held me back for a few matches, but I finished the season playing, which was what I wanted," he said. He added that he now plans to rest during the break. Soulé is among 55 pre-selected players for Argentina's next World Cup campaign and expressed cautious optimism about his chances of being called up, acknowledging the high level of competition. He said: "I know it's difficult, but there's always hope. There are many players, there's very big competition. If I don't get called, I'll continue working for the future."

Atalanta have announced the departure of sporting director Tony D'Amico, bringing him closer to a move to AS Roma. D'Amico held the role at the Bergamo club and is now expected to join Roma in a similar capacity. The move represents a significant appointment for Roma as they seek to strengthen their management structure under new ownership. Details of the exact timing and contract terms remain unclear.

Paulo Dybala has been excluded from Argentina's World Cup squad by head coach Lionel Scaloni, despite strong recent performances with AS Roma. Scaloni confirmed the decision in a media interview, emphasizing that while Dybala remains a world-class talent, other players merit opportunities in his position. The Roma star recently helped his club secure Champions League qualification with several impressive displays. Scaloni explained his reasoning in detail: "Paulo is a great player, there's no need to say it. He returned in an exceptional manner with his team, reaching the Champions League with very good performances in recent matches. As always, however, there are players making their debut and showing important things. In our case, there are players in that field position who have established themselves and deserve an opportunity. So we decided to give this opportunity to other players. There are no doubts about the quality he has, about the fact that we care for him and that he is a spectacular player, but we always look at the present and what the future can give us. And today there are other players who can make their contribution. There are also other world champions who stayed out — these are things that are decided day by day." Dybala's exclusion comes despite his strong contributions to Roma's recent campaign, which culminated in Champions League qualification. Scaloni's comments indicate the decision reflects squad rotation and the emergence of alternative options rather than any concern over Dybala's ability.

Matías Soulé, who recently departed Roma for Argentina, spoke to media about his teammate Paulo Dybala's future at the club. Soulé said he gets along well with Dybala but acknowledged the forward has not disclosed his intentions. "I get along very well with him, but he doesn't want to tell me what he'll do. This year we made a nice group, Paredes was here before too. Obviously having him with me is nice, but it's a decision he has to make based on what he thinks is best," Soulé explained. Soulé also reflected on his own 2024–25 campaign at Roma. He described the first half of the season as going very well before a bout of pubalgia limited his appearances mid-season. "The first part went very well, then pubalgia held me back for a few matches, but I finished the season playing, which was what I wanted," he said. He added that he now plans to rest during the break. Soulé is among 55 pre-selected players for Argentina's next World Cup campaign and expressed cautious optimism about his chances of being called up, acknowledging the high level of competition. He said: "I know it's difficult, but there's always hope. There are many players, there's very big competition. If I don't get called, I'll continue working for the future."

Roma are planning major structural changes across multiple departments over the next two weeks, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini positioned as the central figure of the rebuild. Tony D'Amico is close to being confirmed as sporting director to replace Massara, with the appointment expected within one to two days. In parallel, Paulo Dybala's contract renewal is also nearing completion and could be finalized by the end of the week once owner Ryan Friedkin returns to Rome; negotiations on salary details are ongoing but both parties are aligned. Lorenzo Pellegrini and Zeki Celik are next in line for renewal talks, with Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante's extensions already secured. Behind the scenes, Roma are restructuring their youth academy and scouting operations. Alessandro Frara, currently leading Frosinone's youth department, and Valentino Angeloni, head of Fiorentina's academy, are the leading candidates for the youth academy role. Both have connections to Gasperini—Frara played under him in Juventus's youth ranks approximately 25 years ago, while Angeloni worked with him at Atalanta from 2016 to 2018. Michele Fratini is under consideration for the scouting director position; despite the exit of his former ally Massara, discussions have continued and a new meeting is planned. Roma also plan to appoint Riccardo Del Vescovo as health director; Del Vescovo previously worked with Gasperini at Bergamo and is a former Roma player. The club aims to complete these appointments and address necessary player departures before the World Cup begins in mid-June.