Dovbyk opens up on Roma struggles: pressure made mistakes impossible

Roma are pursuing Lyon winger Malick Fofana as a candidate to fill the left-wing slot in attack, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini attracted to the 2005-born player's attributes and potential for development. The club could make a move for Fofana if negotiations with Porto over Rodrigo Mora collapse. Lyon's financial demands have softened in recent weeks, according to reports, with a deal now possible for a fee below €40 million. Fofana remains one of Roma's primary targets for the left-wing position as the transfer window continues. The main uncertainty surrounding any potential agreement centres on the player's physical condition, as he dealt with multiple injuries during the previous season.

Roma's transfer hunt for a left-sided winger remains a key focus of debate among the club's media circle. Carina highlighted Rodrigo Mora as a critical target, noting that agent Jorge Mendes is working to resolve a rift between the two clubs. Gasperini showed interest in Christopher Nkunku in January and remains keen now, but the obstacle is his salary: "the player earns over 5 million a year," Carina said. Pruzzo assessed the available alternatives critically, arguing that Luis Henrique and Cacciamani are not players capable of delivering a quality leap forward. He suggested Luis Henrique on loan with a purchase option would be viable, but rejected a €30 million outright fee. Pruzzo backed Matías Soulé's retention despite two years at the club without a breakthrough: "I would keep him, hoping he finds optimal condition and confidence in himself and his qualities to become a squad player." The broader transfer challenge facing Roma emerged in commentary from Mattioli and Orsi. Mattioli noted that market activity has stalled on several fronts, citing the Fofana case as evidence of the club's inability to push past certain financial limits. Orsi flagged a wider puzzle: despite a year of searching, Roma has failed to identify and secure a right-footed left winger. Orsi also suggested that if Roma received €45 million for Mile Svilar, he would sell the goalkeeper and move for Vicario instead.

Roma have reopened contact with Olympique Lyonnais over winger Malick Fofana as contingency planning continues around their pursuit of Porto's Rodrigo Mora. Sporting director D'Amico has sought fresh information on the Belgian winger, born in 2005, who is valued by Lyon at a minimum of €40 million. Transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà reported on X that Lyon's valuation is decreasing, potentially making a move more feasible if Roma's bid for Mora falls through. The 21-year-old Fofana had been tracked by Roma in recent weeks, though concerns over his fitness have previously complicated the potential deal. By revisiting the player's profile now, Roma are preparing for multiple outcomes as they await a definitive response from Porto regarding Mora. The prospect of a lower price tag from Lyon could help Roma navigate a complex transfer window where securing reinforcements remains a priority.

Artem Dovbyk has explained his difficult final season at Roma after joining Bologna on loan with a right of purchase, in a swap deal that saw Santiago Castro move in the opposite direction. The Ukrainian striker told Il Messaggero that he lost confidence under the pressure at the Stadio Olimpico. "Last season was difficult, with injury, but that came later," Dovbyk said. "After pre-season Roma told me to look for minutes elsewhere, but there wasn't time. I was very close to Milan, but there were three days left in the transfer window and it didn't happen. I stayed and tried to convince the manager I deserved more space, but I started the season playing little and they made clear I would be the backup striker. I was preparing for a long season as the main man, and it was hard to accept that wouldn't happen. I played less and less and wasn't enjoying it anymore. Then I got injured." Dovbyk reflected on the unique pressures of playing for Roma compared to his previous spell in Spain. "There are fantastic players there in my position, like Dybala, Soulé, El Shaarawy," he explained. "But playing there is different—there's so much pressure, mistakes aren't an option. Sometimes I'd get just one chance in a match, and if I didn't score it was over. Many managers came and went, and the club changed a lot too, and from the pitch it was hard to understand all that. Several of us couldn't give our best. Even someone like Dybala struggled." At Bologna, Dovbyk feels valued again: "I'm physically fine now and starting a new challenge. At Bologna I felt welcomed by a strong group, a family. I hope soon I'll show my best version here—now I feel I can enjoy football again."

Artem Dovbyk has joined Bologna and reflected on his time at Roma in an interview with La Repubblica. The striker said he struggled to enjoy himself in his final months at the Giallorossi and is now seeking a fresh start where he can rediscover his form. "In Italy you haven't yet seen my best version, but I hope and believe I'll be able to show it here," Dovbyk said. "Here I'm finding that emotion again, I feel important for the club. Now I can enjoy football once more." Dovbyk explained that Roma informed him after their pre-season to seek playing time elsewhere. He came close to joining Milan in January but the transfer window closed before a deal could be completed. Starting the 2025-26 season with limited minutes, he was told he would be the reserve striker—a role that conflicted with his preparation for a full campaign as a regular starter. The situation worsened as his playing time decreased and he subsequently suffered an injury. "I was playing less and less and wasn't enjoying it any more, then I got injured," Dovbyk said. "Everything happened at once and now I just want to play and enjoy the pitch."

Roma's pre-season tour of England ended in a heavy 3–0 defeat to Brighton. Goals from Georginio and a double from Ayari condemned the Giallorossi to a sluggish, listless performance that prompted immediate concern from head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. "Terrible: a poor performance, lacking the right concentration. We're struggling to switch on, but we think we can fix it soon," Gasperini said after the match. The squad returns to Trigoria on Tuesday for group training, which will mark Nahuel Molina's first session with the team. Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury layoff extends beyond initial expectations, with Gasperini warning recovery will take at least a month and the matter will be reassessed in September. The coach also urged patience for players returning from international duty—Evan N'Dicka, Neil El Aynaoui, and Donyell Malen among them—as Roma prepare for Serie A's start in a fortnight. On the transfer front, Gasperini confirmed changes to the squad. "We replaced Çelik with Molina and Dovbyk with Castro, then Koulierakis arrived. But numerically we still need something. D'Amico is negotiating very young but important players," he said, referencing director Tony D'Amico's ongoing dealings in the market.

Roma will travel to Borussia Dortmund tomorrow at 17:30 for their final pre-season friendly at Signal Iduna Park. The match comes nine days before their Serie A opener against Fiorentina on Monday 24 August at 20:45 at the Olimpico. Head coach Gasperini's squad will depart for Germany this afternoon. Lorenzo Pellegrini and Niccolò Pisilli will both be unavailable — Pellegrini is managing a training programme following his contract renewal, while Pisilli remains sidelined by injury. Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala are expected to operate in attack behind either Donyell Malen or another forward option. Soulé, who was linked with Dortmund in the early weeks of the transfer window, has carried uncertainty about his future for two months. However, according to Il Messaggero, staying at Roma is no longer out of the question. For now, Soulé remains the only attacking winger available to Gasperini, making his continued presence significant as Roma prepare for the new season.

Artem Dovbyk has explained his difficult final season at Roma after joining Bologna on loan with a right of purchase, in a swap deal that saw Santiago Castro move in the opposite direction. The Ukrainian striker told Il Messaggero that he lost confidence under the pressure at the Stadio Olimpico. "Last season was difficult, with injury, but that came later," Dovbyk said. "After pre-season Roma told me to look for minutes elsewhere, but there wasn't time. I was very close to Milan, but there were three days left in the transfer window and it didn't happen. I stayed and tried to convince the manager I deserved more space, but I started the season playing little and they made clear I would be the backup striker. I was preparing for a long season as the main man, and it was hard to accept that wouldn't happen. I played less and less and wasn't enjoying it anymore. Then I got injured." Dovbyk reflected on the unique pressures of playing for Roma compared to his previous spell in Spain. "There are fantastic players there in my position, like Dybala, Soulé, El Shaarawy," he explained. "But playing there is different—there's so much pressure, mistakes aren't an option. Sometimes I'd get just one chance in a match, and if I didn't score it was over. Many managers came and went, and the club changed a lot too, and from the pitch it was hard to understand all that. Several of us couldn't give our best. Even someone like Dybala struggled." At Bologna, Dovbyk feels valued again: "I'm physically fine now and starting a new challenge. At Bologna I felt welcomed by a strong group, a family. I hope soon I'll show my best version here—now I feel I can enjoy football again."

Matías Soulé remains at the heart of Roma's plans despite two months of transfer speculation, with no concrete offer materializing as the summer window enters its final stretch. The Argentine winger has impressed Gasperini during pre-season preparations and is expected to feature in Roma's friendly against Borussia Dortmund tomorrow at 17:30, partnering Paulo Dybala on the attacking line. Soulé's willingness to stay is understood to be genuine, though he is aware that Roma would consider a serious bid should one arrive. Soulé is now the sole natural wide attacker in Roma's squad, with Lorenzo Pellegrini and Niccolò Pisilli both sidelined by injury. His performances in capital-based training and across pre-season matches in the UK have earned Gasperini's approval. Borussia Dortmund made an enquiry in June but never pursued a formal approach. Soulé's situation reflects a broader challenge: Roma's various targets have fallen through one by one, and with less than a fortnight remaining before the window closes, his continued presence has shifted from unlikely to increasingly probable. Roma's Argentine contingent has grown with the arrival of Molina, who trained with the group yesterday. The club now boasts Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Molina and Castro among its Argentine contingent—the largest concentration since the post-Scudetto era, when Samuel, Batistuta, Cufré, Balbo and Cejas were all on the books.

Artem Dovbyk has explained his difficult final season at Roma after joining Bologna on loan with a right of purchase, in a swap deal that saw Santiago Castro move in the opposite direction. The Ukrainian striker told Il Messaggero that he lost confidence under the pressure at the Stadio Olimpico. "Last season was difficult, with injury, but that came later," Dovbyk said. "After pre-season Roma told me to look for minutes elsewhere, but there wasn't time. I was very close to Milan, but there were three days left in the transfer window and it didn't happen. I stayed and tried to convince the manager I deserved more space, but I started the season playing little and they made clear I would be the backup striker. I was preparing for a long season as the main man, and it was hard to accept that wouldn't happen. I played less and less and wasn't enjoying it anymore. Then I got injured." Dovbyk reflected on the unique pressures of playing for Roma compared to his previous spell in Spain. "There are fantastic players there in my position, like Dybala, Soulé, El Shaarawy," he explained. "But playing there is different—there's so much pressure, mistakes aren't an option. Sometimes I'd get just one chance in a match, and if I didn't score it was over. Many managers came and went, and the club changed a lot too, and from the pitch it was hard to understand all that. Several of us couldn't give our best. Even someone like Dybala struggled." At Bologna, Dovbyk feels valued again: "I'm physically fine now and starting a new challenge. At Bologna I felt welcomed by a strong group, a family. I hope soon I'll show my best version here—now I feel I can enjoy football again."

Roma's attacking department has been decimated ahead of the 2026–27 season, with coach Gian Piero Gasperini now overseeing just five senior forwards for the role — down from ten options at the end of January. The remaining quartet consists of Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, and Robinio Vaz, with young prospect Arena also available. The collapse mirrors Gasperini's repeated public calls for investment in attack. Speaking exactly a year ago on 4 August 2025 at the English national team's St. George Park facility in Burton Upon Trent, Gasperini outlined his philosophy: "It concerns all clubs that spend large sums on attackers. The offensive department is the most sought after and most expensive. Teams with strong attacking players are more competitive." That same summer, Roma pursued Fabio Silva and Jadon Sancho without success, settling on a loan move for Romain Bailey as a last-minute solution. By the end of 2025, Roma had assembled eight attacking options — Dybala, Artem Dovbyk, Evan Ferguson, Bailey, Soulé, Baldanzi, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Lorenzo Pellegrini — to fill three positions in Gasperini's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. The winter transfer window swelled that number to ten through the departures of Bailey and Baldanzi and the arrivals of Malen, Vaz, Bryan Zaragoza, and Lorenzo Venturino. However, only Malen performed consistently. With just twenty days until the league campaign begins, Roma faces a critical shortage. The club is reportedly making another approach for Nusa and preparing a move for Fofana to bolster the depleted ranks.

Roma find themselves in unexpected stasis on the transfer market one month before their Serie A opener against Fiorentina, hampered by slow planning, a complex summer constrained by Settlement Agreement rules, and difficulty delivering the reinforcements Gian Piero Gasperini has requested. As of late July, Roma had completed zero signings and just one minor departure, leaving six players from last season's squad still to be replaced: El Shaarawy, Ferguson, Tsimikas, Celik, Venturino, and Zaragoza. The club also has several players ready to depart—Salah-Eddine, Kumbulla, and Dovbyk among them—while others including Soulé and Koné remain uncertain. Contract complications surround Dybala, and Pellegrini's position requires clarification. Delays stem from structural issues worsened by Tony D'Amico's late arrival as sporting director, who became operational only in the final ten days of June following a dispute with Atalanta, compounded by World Cup scheduling and Settlement Agreement restrictions. Gasperini intends to compete at the highest level while preserving the squad's core and adding only a few elite signings. Roma pursued Mason Greenwood and Luis Summerville at length, becoming committed to the Dutch player beyond their budgeted limits before the deal collapsed entirely.