De Roon: A Difficult Day Despite Moving to Roma; Gasperini Was Decisive in the Move

José Mourinho has made clear he has no intention of letting Endrick leave Real Madrid, directly warning rival clubs including Roma that they will have to contend with him to sign the Brazilian forward. Endrick was a long-standing Roma target last summer under Gasperini, and came close to joining the club in August before Mourinho intervened and persuaded him to stay at Madrid, where he has since received minimal playing time. At a press conference on 13 October ahead of Roma's match against Real Madrid, Mourinho was asked directly about Endrick's future and responded bluntly: "I club interessati dovranno lottare con me per ingaggiarlo. Lo adoro, ha un potenziale di altissimo livello ed è molto importante per noi. Non ha bisogno di essere ceduto in prestito, farà grandi cose e avrà un grande successo qui. Giocherà presto." Roma continue to monitor the 21-year-old, who impressed during a six-month spell at Lyon in France, where he scored 8 goals in limited appearances. Milan and Aston Villa are also credited with interest. Roma's sporting director Tony D'Amico is meanwhile evaluating other concrete options to strengthen the club's attack in January.

Roma have begun planning reinforcements for the January transfer window and have set their sights on Daniel Banjaqui, a 2008-born right-back at Benfica considered one of Europe's most promising young talents in his position. The interest comes as the club looks ahead to both immediate needs and longer-term recruitment options. Banjaqui has already attracted attention from several clubs, including Juventus, according to German transfer outlet Transfersfeed. The move would form part of Roma's broader strategy to strengthen the squad in the coming window, with ambitious signings under consideration beyond their existing targets.

Roma have identified Daniel Banjaqui, a 18-year-old right-back at Benfica, as a potential transfer target, according to German outlet Transfersfeed. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini stated ahead of Roma's match against Real Madrid: "Now the January market does not interest me", with reference to forward Endrick, who is expected to remain at the Spanish club. Roma's move for Banjaqui comes as the club considers alternative objectives across different positions. Juventus are also monitoring the teenager among several European sides tracking him. Banjaqui remains contracted to Benfica until 2031 with a release clause set at €45 million, though a transfer could potentially be negotiated for around €35 million. Roma have undertaken only preliminary information-gathering through intermediaries at this stage, with no concrete negotiations underway. The club are also watching developments in Portugal across two fronts: alongside Banjaqui at Benfica, Roma are tracking Porto right-winger William Gomes, a 20-year-old left-footed player. Gomes carries a substantial release clause of €80 million in his current Porto contract, which expires in 2031. The clause is expected to rise to €100 million following an imminent contract renewal with the Portuguese club. Neither pursuit represents an active negotiation at present.

Marten de Roon gave his verdict after Roma's 3-4 loss to Real Madrid in a Champions League encounter on 14 October. The midfielder found it difficult to come to terms with the result, describing it as a heavy defeat despite Roma's performance for long stretches. "A great shame, it's a serious result," de Roon said. "We put on a great display and had Real Madrid under pressure for 80 minutes." Roma's collapse in the closing stages proved decisive. De Roon acknowledged that Real Madrid's quality emerged through their substitutions, but placed emphasis on Roma's defensive vulnerabilities. "Their quality came out with the substitutions, but we had defended well. Except for the corners, we were too static, too rigid. We defended poorly—that's part of the game," he told Prime Video after the match. The result underlined how narrow the margin can be in European football: dominant for most of the match, Roma conceded four goals and failed to hold on to their advantage.

Marten de Roon struggled to process Roma's 3–4 loss to Real Madrid on 14 October, describing the result as painful despite what he felt was a dominant display. Speaking to Prime Video after the match, the midfielder said: "I find it hard to comment on this match. It's a great shame, this is a heavy result. We played a great match and dominated Real Madrid for 80 minutes." De Roon acknowledged Real Madrid's quality emerged through their substitutions but felt Roma's defending had been sound until set pieces became a liability. He concluded: "Their quality came out with the substitutions, but we had defended well. Except for corners, we were too static, too still. We defended poorly, that's part of the game."

Marten de Roon assessed Roma's performance in the second matchday of the Champions League against Real Madrid, reflecting on a display that started well but ultimately fell short. "It is a great shame," de Roon said. "I think for 70 minutes we played a great match, then their quality came out with fresh players who changed the game. However, we defended well except for the corners." Roma's defending from set plays proved costly in a match where the Giallorossi were competitive through the first hour but could not withstand Real Madrid's second-half push. The introduction of fresh personnel shifted the balance decisively in favour of the visitors, exposing a weakness from which Roma could not recover.