Competition intensifies for Engels as Tottenham enters race

Roma have rekindled their interest in Genoa forward Schjelderup, according to Sky Sport. The Norwegian, born in 2004, was tracked by the Giallorossi in January but was removed from the market after scoring twice in the Champions League against Real Madrid. The club have not yet made a formal offer, but Schjelderup remains on their list of targets alongside West Ham's Summerville. Schjelderup impressed at international level, recording a goal and three assists at the World Cup and earning recognition as one of his country's standout performers. Roma view him as a potential reinforcement in their attacking ranks as they continue to assess options in the transfer window.

Manu Koné is available for transfer this summer, with Manchester United leading the pursuit of the Roma midfielder. The Premier League club have placed him on their shortlist of midfielders to buy and have already opened contact with his representatives, according to L'Equipe. Arsenal showed interest weeks earlier but have been overtaken in the race by the Red Devils. Koné impressed at the World Cup with France and now faces a decision on his future. Roma have not yet received any formal offers at their training ground, Trigoria, despite the growing interest from England. The 23-year-old midfielder remains on the club's list of players available for sale, meaning his departure cannot be ruled out.

Roma and Inter are both tracking Verona right-back Rafik Belghali as a potential signing, according to reports from France. The 2002-born Algerian defender has impressed in his first Serie A season and recently scored for his national team at a World Cup match against Austria. Belghali could be a candidate to replace Zeki Çelik at Roma, following the defender's unexpected departure to Juventus after a contract renewal fell through.

Spain and Argentina face off in the World Cup final, with the Spanish seeking their second world title after 2010 and Argentina pursuing a fourth star and back-to-back victories. Ahead of Roma's training session against the Primavera this morning, the club's players declared their allegiances. The majority of the Roma squad will support Argentina and Messi. Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé lead the Argentine contingent, joined by Bryan Cristante, Daniele Ghilardi, Niccolò Pisilli, Mile Svilar, Artem Dovbyk, Devyne Rensch, and Gianluca Mancini. Mancini also sent a message to his former Roma teammate Leandro Paredes: "Vamos Leandro". On Spain's side, Jan Ziółkowski, Hermoso, and Angeliño will be backing the Spanish, with one additional Roma player from the Spanish camp also expressing support for las furias rojas.

AS Roma asked its squad members to reveal which team they will support in tonight's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, kicking off at 21:00 in New York. The club's social media campaign featured responses from Bryan Cristante, Jan Ziółkowski, Matías Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Niccolò Pisilli, Mile Svilar, and Gianluca Mancini among others. Mancini, the club's number 23, backed his former teammate Leandro Paredes with the message: "Vamos Leandro!" The Argentina contingent within Roma's squad showed their colours during the exercise, with both Dybala and Soulé participating in the video responses. The engagement reflects the global reach of Roma's playing staff, with strong connections to both European and South American football. The campaign concluded with Argentina ultimately prevailing among the respondents, though the article emphasises that the pitch will ultimately decide the true winner of the match.

Roma defeated their Primavera side 6-0 in a pre-season fixture at 09:00, with Paulo Dybala and Artem Dovbyk each scoring twice. Bryan Cristante and Matías Soulé added single goals in a match that served as preparation for Gian Piero Gasperini's second season in charge. The friendly was divided into four 20-minute periods, allowing Gasperini to assess his squad ahead of the campaign. Dybala and Dovbyk impressed most prominently throughout the contest. Mario Hermoso departed the field with ice applied to his knee, though no serious concern was immediately indicated. The Primavera squad included players D'Amico, Margiotta and Frara. Roma fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back line of Daniele Ghilardi, Jan Ziółkowski and Hermoso, and Devyne Rensch, a player listed as Bah, Niccolò Pisilli and Angeliño across the midfield, with Soulé and a player listed as Cherubini supporting Dovbyk. Goals came on 8 minutes (Dovbyk), 40 minutes (Soulé), 49 minutes (Dybala), 52 minutes (Cristante), 56 minutes (Dybala) and 62 minutes (Dovbyk).

Roma defeated the Primavera side 6–0 in an internal friendly at Trigoria under the watchful eye of director Tony D'Amico, with Paulo Dybala orchestrating the performance. The match was played in four slots under Gasperini's new-look system. Roma struggled initially in the opening 20 minutes, with Artem Dovbyk spurning a clear chance in front of goal. Once Gasperini reshuffled the lineup around the quarter-hour mark, Dybala took control. Matías Soulé opened the scoring by heading in a Dybala cross, before Soulé himself added a second from a Dybala assist at the 44-minute mark. In the second half, Dybala converted a penalty won by Cherubini and added a fifth with a left-footed half-volley from Soulé's assist, demonstrating the twin's telepathic understanding. Bryan Cristante also scored from a distance, with Dovbyk adding the sixth late on. Angeliño featured for just one half, while Wesley played on the right flank in place of the injured Çelik. Hermoso led the defensive line with authority and precision. Gasperini granted the squad a day's rest following the exercise, with training resuming tomorrow at 18:00.

Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract renewal with Roma remains deadlocked, with the club offering a two-year deal while the 30-year-old captain seeks a three-year agreement after accepting a significant wage reduction. Having been sidelined last summer before being recalled by Gian Piero Gasperini, Pellegrini has been a free agent for 20 days and has turned down interest from Juventus, Napoli, and Inter—all of whom have made approaches—because he wants only Roma. Gasperini warned in a press conference on Saturday that delays are unhelpful and called for the contract to be resolved quickly, hoping to have the number 7 back in the squad soon. The delay has prompted a banner from the Roma ultras group to appear at Trigoria reading: "Fare un errore può succedere, ripeterlo vuol dire approssimazione. Teniamoci stretto Lorenzo" [Making a mistake can happen, repeating it means carelessness. Let's hold tight to Lorenzo]. Unlike Pellegrini's stalled talks, midfielder Bryan Cristante has signed a new contract through 2028, posting on social media: "Roma and the Roma, for me and my family, are home. A happy place... the city of my children... I prefer to speak little and demonstrate my attachment through sweat, but this bond until 2028 means something special to me: eternal love. I have always given everything for Roma and will continue to do so. I am honoured to continue my journey in giallorosso, a world that is and will always be home."

Lorenzo Pellegrini remains committed to Roma despite interest from Juventus, Inter and Napoli, but negotiations over a new deal have stalled. The 30-year-old midfielder, formally out of contract for twenty days, is willing to take a pay cut to stay at the club but is demanding a three-year contract while Roma is offering only two years. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has stressed the need to settle the squad as soon as possible, with the season already underway. The impasse has drawn attention from Roma's Curva Sud, who displayed a banner at Trigoria urging the club to secure Pellegrini immediately and avoid repeating what they view as the mistake made with Çelik. The supporter group's intervention reflects broader concerns about losing another key player during a critical period. On a positive note for Roma, Bryan Cristante has signed a new contract extension that ties him to the club until 2028, ending uncertainty over one of the club's senior figures.