Roma pursue Greenwood as Marseille faces UEFA deadline; Fajardo eyed as attacking option

Three Italian football stories dominated the day's news. Fiorentina sporting director Paratici signalled openness to selling defender Dodo. Separately, plans for a new stadium project are progressing. Most relevantly for Roma supporters, contract renewal negotiations with Lorenzo Pellegrini are continuing at a slow pace. Pellegrini, born in Rome and a key midfielder for AS Roma, remains a central figure in the club's plans. The status of his contract extension remains uncertain as talks proceed without urgency.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is pursuing Diego Moreira, a 2004-born winger from Strasbourg, as Roma's main target for the left flank in the coming transfer window. Moreira, described as a modern full-back capable of playing on either wing, has impressed with his dribbling, technical ability, and physicality during two strong seasons in Ligue 1, recording 4 goals and 6 assists in 27 league appearances this season. Gasperini views him as a complementary option to Wesley, who has become a permanent fixture on the left after his repositioning. Moreira was born in Liège, Belgium, to Portuguese father Almami Moreira and progressed through Standard Liège's academy before joining Benfica's B team at age 16 in 2020. Chelsea signed him in September 2023 for €2 million, but he failed to secure playing time in the Premier League and moved to Strasbourg in 2024, where he has since developed into a key player. At international level, he has represented Belgium at youth levels before committing to Portugal from U16 onwards and recently made his senior debut. Strasbourg has set their asking price at approximately €35 million following Roma's initial approach. Roma's sporting director is expected to attempt to negotiate this figure downward in the coming weeks. Gasperini has requested Champions League-calibre additions without major squad overhauls, and Moreira fits the profile of a targeted, high-quality reinforcement for the upcoming campaign.

Issa Doumbia, who helped Venezia earn promotion from Serie B, has moved to Portugal's Primeira Liga. According to his agent, Roma were monitoring the player's progress until the departure of Massara from the club. The timing of Massara's exit appears to have coincided with Roma's loss of interest in the midfielder. Doumbia's move to the Portuguese top flight represents a significant step in his career after his success in Italian football.

An analysis of AS Roma's 2025–26 season examines the underlying numbers and performances that shaped the club's campaign beyond the headline achievement of securing third place and Champions League qualification. The piece focuses on individual contributions from key players including Gianluca Mancini, Bryan Cristante, and Artem Dovbyk, exploring statistical insights that reveal the full picture of Roma's season. While Roma achieved a strong final league position, the deeper metrics highlight both standout individual performances and areas of note across the campaign. The analysis provides context for understanding how specific players and tactical elements influenced the overall outcome.

Roma's sporting director D'Amico is pushing to complete several outgoings as the club reshapes its squad. A well-advanced negotiation is underway between left-back Angeliño and Spanish club Real Betis. Betis has also made enquiries about striker Artem Dovbyk, though that deal faces obstacles due to Roma's high asking price for the Ukrainian forward. Beyond Angeliño, Roma is exploring the departure of midfielder Matías Soulé, who has attracted interest from Borussia Dortmund, and several fringe players. Dovbyk remains a priority for exit, and D'Amico aims to use funds from these sales to bring in a new back-up forward to support Donyell Malen under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The club is also considering loan moves for other squad members within Serie A. According to journalist Gianluigi Longari of SportItalia, there has been recent and substantive contact with Betis over Angeliño, signalling the talks have progressed well. However, the structure of future business depends on clearing the existing squad first.

Head coach Gasperini has identified goal-scoring as Roma's key area for improvement heading into next season, despite finishing third in Serie A. The team struggled in attack until January, cycling through Dovbyk, Ferguson, and Baldanzi as false nines without consistent results. Since acquiring Donyell Malen, Gasperini wants to add more threat across the pitch, particularly in midfield and attacking areas. Matías Soulé, who scored 6 goals this season as Roma's second-leading marksman behind Malen, has emerged as a potential sacrifice in pursuit of that ambition. Gasperini believes Soulé lacks the killer instinct demanded in the penalty area, prompting Roma to target replacements with superior finishing records. Prospective targets include Mason Greenwood, Luis Summerville, Christian Pulisic, and Christopher Nkunku—all players accustomed to contributing goals regularly. Statistical comparison reveals Soulé ranked last among these candidates for expected goals (3.96 xG), well behind Greenwood (14.39), Nkunku (9.48), and Pulisic (8.07). The analysis also highlighted Soulé's excessive ball losses—averaging 12.0 per match compared to 3.6 for Nkunku and 7.6 for Pulisic—a pattern both Claudio Ranieri and Gasperini have previously emphasized as frustrating. Gasperini's ideal profile targets concrete, efficient attacking play with fewer unnecessary touches and fewer turnovers. For Roma to compete at Champions League level, the coaching staff prioritizes goals, intensity, and consistency in the final third of the pitch.