Ndicka ruled out of Ivory Coast's World Cup match against Germany

The United States defeated Australia 2-0 in the second group match of the World Cup, advancing to the round of 16 with a perfect record. However, Christian Pulisic, the AC Milan forward who was linked with AS Roma in recent transfer window discussions, did not feature in the match. Pulisic, who had been substituted at half-time during the USA's opening game against Paraguay due to a calf injury, has not yet recovered from the problem and was ruled out entirely for the Australia fixture. Despite his absence, the USA secured victory through an own goal by Burgess and a goal from Freeman in the first half, leaving them top of Group D after two matches. Pulisic has endured a season disrupted by physical issues at club level. In the opening group match against Paraguay, the midfielder had impressed during his 45 minutes on the pitch, providing an assist and creating several chances before being withdrawn at the interval. The expectation had been that he would be available for the Australia match, but the injury proved more persistent. Former Roma player Volpato made his debut for Australia in the second half of the match.

Ismael Koné, a Sassuolo midfielder, suffered a severe left-leg fracture during a Canada vs. Qatar match at the 52nd minute. He underwent emergency surgery and now faces months of rehabilitation. The injury significantly impacts AS Roma's transfer strategy, as the club had identified Koné as the ideal replacement should Manu Koné depart. With that option removed, Roma's alternatives have narrowed considerably. Roma's primary focus remains Manu Koné, the French midfielder. Coach Gasperini reportedly prefers to sell Matías Soulé instead of losing Koné, but time is running short. If no offer of around 40 million euros arrives for Soulé, the club may be forced to consider Manu Koné's departure seriously. With Ismael Koné now unavailable, Roma must explore other options to reinforce midfield. Among the remaining targets is Danilo, a Brazilian midfielder at Botafogo, valued between 30 and 35 million euros—a substantial sum that could strain Roma's budget. Another internal option is El Aynaoui, a Moroccan midfielder who impressed during his first season and could step into a starting role if needed. Any sale of Manu Koné would generate significant revenue to reinvest in the transfer market.

Wesley is working towards his return to fitness after missing out on the World Cup. The Roma defender has expressed determination to come back stronger than before, moving past the disappointment of his late exclusion from the tournament. Wesley remains focused on his rehabilitation and is targeting a full recovery to rejoin the squad. His commitment to bouncing back underscores Roma's hopes of having him available for upcoming fixtures.