Dybala renews Roma contract until 2027 as Gasperini reshapes training regime

Roma are seeking exits for at least two squad members as they continue to reshape the squad. Salah-Eddine is effectively sidelined and will not feature in the matchday squad for the league campaign opener, having missed the entire pre-season training camp in Wales and trained separately since his return. The winger rejected a move to Olympiacos, who offered close to €10 million, after earlier loan stints elsewhere proved unsuccessful; PSV attempted to secure him but were rebuffed. Roma are now seeking alternative buyers, though only loan offers have materialized, particularly from the Netherlands. Defender Ziółkowski has attracted attention from two Saudi Arabian clubs, with Roma valuing him at €20 million—a figure that includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause owed to Legia Warszawa. Should the Polish defender or fellow centre-back Ghilardi (targeted by Bologna) depart, Roma plan to recruit another defender on loan. Head coach Gasperini explained that any further departures would only occur as part of planned tactical adjustments, telling the club to "switch" positions as needed. Porter Vazquez, equally marginal to the project, would suit a loan arrangement. By contrast, Robinio Vaz will remain; he impressed Gasperini during pre-season, and Roma rejected several Serie A loan offers for the young defender. Roma's loan-based strategy reflects their careful approach to the transfer window with the campaign now underway.

Jayden Oosterwolde is on the verge of joining Roma from Fenerbahçe on a deal worth a reported €17–18 million overall, structured as a loan with a conditional right of purchase tied to appearances. The move will add depth to Gasperini's squad in multiple positions: Oosterwolde will arrive as a left-back, effectively as cover for Wesley, a role he played early in his career at Twente, but can also operate as a central defender if needed. Fenerbahçe need to sell to trim their UEFA list, having already offloaded Cherif to Coventry, Fayed to Frosinone and Musaba to Norwich. Oosterwolde is currently sidelined with a muscle injury sustained in a Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz and is unlikely to feature before mid-September. The signing addresses one of two gaps Gasperini identified in Roma's squad planning. The club can register 23 players on their Europa Conference League list and have slots to fill before the window closes. Gasperini told his press conference: "Numerically we can insert 23 players into the Europa lists and so we have free spots to fill — we hope to complete the squad in these last ten days, but I am very satisfied with the players who have arrived so far." Roma's technical staff value Oosterwolde for his physical strength and pace, which allows him to progress the ball in attack while maintaining solid defensive recovery numbers.

Roma have reached a swift agreement with Fenerbahçe to sign left-back Jayden Oosterwolde on a season-long loan with a purchase option set at €16 million. The 25-year-old Dutch defender, tracked by sporting director D'Amico for around a year, will earn €1.6 million net per season on a four-year contract plus an option. The option to buy becomes mandatory if Roma achieve specific personal and squad targets, including a top league finish and qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Oosterwolde, standing 1.90 metres tall and left-footed, offers tactical flexibility as either a left-back or centre-back and brings a strong athletic profile to Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. He has previous experience in Italian football, having played for Parma. Roma elected to close the deal despite Oosterwolde being sidelined by a minor muscular injury until mid-September, choosing not to wait. His imminent arrival opens the door to the departure of Jan Ziółkowski, who has received a concrete offer of €16 million from Saudi side Neom. That sale would generate a substantial profit for Roma and fully cover the cost of the Oosterwolde loan for the current season, with the permanent transfer deferred to next year and resources preserved for a final attacking addition.

Roma prepare for their Serie A opener against Fiorentina on Monday evening at the Olimpico, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini running through final selection details. The squad is virtually at full strength, with Lorenzo Pellegrini the sole absentee as he continues his rehabilitation programme. Gasperini has been resolving key tactical questions in recent training sessions as Roma adopt their familiar 3-4-1-2 formation. The main selection uncertainty centres on midfield and the attacking three. In defence, the back three will comprise Gianluca Mancini on the centre-right, Evan N'Dicka in the middle, and Mario Hermoso on the left. Molina will operate on the right flank and Wesley on the left, both tasked with providing attacking thrust and quick defensive cover. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are locked in as the attacking partnership. Gasperini is considering fielding young Rodrigo Mora in the number 10 role from the start, a move that would sacrifice some defensive balance but offer greater attacking quality. In central midfield, Niccolò Pisilli holds a clear advantage over Neil El Aynaoui in the battle to partner Manu Koné and provide dynamism and forward runs. This positioning could see Bryan Cristante start on the bench despite featuring heavily in pre-season friendlies. Roma will hold a final training session this afternoon at Trigoria before the squad remains overnight at the Fulvio Bernardini sports centre ahead of Monday's debut against Fiorentina.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed in a press conference that the club still has two vacant squad slots to fill with ten days remaining in the transfer window. "Whoever arrives is strongly desired and wants strongly to come and play for Roma," Gasperini said. He acknowledged the shift in transfer strategy imposed by Financial Fair Play constraints. "We started with very high-profile names, that is no secret. But we had to confront the need to keep the wage bill under certain limits. So you cannot go and pick established players." Roma face Fiorentina in their Serie A campaign opener in less than 48 hours. On Paulo Dybala's fitness, Gasperini expressed optimism: "He will have a great season. The hope is that no anomalies happen like last year." The club continues to pursue reinforcements before the August deadline, with the recruitment focus now shifted toward more cost-effective targets that fit within stricter financial parameters.

Gian Piero Gasperini held his pre-match press conference at Trigoria two days before Roma's season opener against Fiorentina, addressing the squad's current state and the club's transfer strategy. The coach confirmed the squad remains incomplete, stating: "We still have two vacant slots for four players", but expressed satisfaction with the new arrivals and their commitment to the club. On young midfielder Rodrigo Mora, Gasperini said: "He is a very young lad, but has already reached important levels. He is a very important investment for the society." Dybala and Soulé are in excellent condition, while Gasperini was emphatic about Manu Koné's future: "For me at Roma he is a fundamental player." On the broader challenge ahead, the coach said: "We start from zero every year" and stressed the priority of making a strong opening: "What we don't lack is the will to start strong immediately." Gasperini acknowledged the constraints of financial fair play, explaining that further signings will arrive only if they represent genuine added value to the squad. The club remains active in the transfer market as the window approaches its close. Left-back Jayden Oosterwolde is now close to joining Roma from Fenerbahce on a loan deal with a right of purchase set at €17–18 million, which can become an obligation under certain conditions. The negotiation is in an advanced stage as the club works to finalise the remaining details. Chelsea has closed the door on any exit for winger Jamie Gittens, refusing to consider the loan formula Roma requested. That pursuit therefore remains blocked. Away from the pitch, radio analyst Pugliese noted that the current leadership differs from last season's Massara–Ranieri administration, which had repeatedly stated a significant sale would be needed to respect UEFA's financial rules and avoid European competition exclusion. No major departure has occurred, raising the prospect of substantial fines and squad restrictions. Analyst Marcacci warned that sales of Neil El Aynaoui and Jan Ziółkowski would represent a significant financial benefit but a notable technical loss, particularly in El Aynaoui's case.

Roma prepare for their Serie A opener against Fiorentina on Monday evening at the Olimpico, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini running through final selection details. The squad is virtually at full strength, with Lorenzo Pellegrini the sole absentee as he continues his rehabilitation programme. Gasperini has been resolving key tactical questions in recent training sessions as Roma adopt their familiar 3-4-1-2 formation. The main selection uncertainty centres on midfield and the attacking three. In defence, the back three will comprise Gianluca Mancini on the centre-right, Evan N'Dicka in the middle, and Mario Hermoso on the left. Molina will operate on the right flank and Wesley on the left, both tasked with providing attacking thrust and quick defensive cover. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are locked in as the attacking partnership. Gasperini is considering fielding young Rodrigo Mora in the number 10 role from the start, a move that would sacrifice some defensive balance but offer greater attacking quality. In central midfield, Niccolò Pisilli holds a clear advantage over Neil El Aynaoui in the battle to partner Manu Koné and provide dynamism and forward runs. This positioning could see Bryan Cristante start on the bench despite featuring heavily in pre-season friendlies. Roma will hold a final training session this afternoon at Trigoria before the squad remains overnight at the Fulvio Bernardini sports centre ahead of Monday's debut against Fiorentina.

Roma and Fiorentina meet in one of the season's most compelling opening fixtures, with both clubs arriving with contrasting recent trajectories but shared ambitions for growth. The Giallorossi finished last season strongly, while Fiorentina struggled for consistency, yet both squads have been reinforced in the transfer window. Gasperini requested additions and several have arrived; Fiorentina's boss Grosso has a squad of quality following an excellent market campaign. The match promises entertainment built around established talent—Malen and Kean chief among them—alongside new faces. Both teams are ready to make a statement in what shapes as an intriguing early-season clash.

Roma's recruitment this summer has been solid without delivering the transformational signing head coach Gasperini believed would unlock scudetto ambitions. The club secured a Champions League return and approaches its centenary in a position of genuine hope, yet the window carries an air of incompleteness. Gasperini had nursed real title dreams and was convinced that one or two top-tier additions could lift Roma out of the dreamlike state that has gripped the club since 2001. Players such as Greenwood, Summerville, Nusa and Fofana were mooted—names that offered greater guarantees than the squad possessed—but none arrived. Roma instead finds itself in a crowded midfield battle alongside Como, Milan, Juventus and Atalanta, unable to close the gap with Inter and Milan. The squad is measurably stronger than last year's. The article cites positional switches: Castro replaces Dovbyk, Molina comes in for Çelik, and Mora arrives for Bailey. Gasperini acknowledged both D'Amico's serious work in the transfer market and the communication difficulties with the Friedkin ownership. Crucially, Roma held firm by not selling any major players, but equally failed to move on the fringe figures who might have opened the door to genuine transformation. The absence of a headline signing—the kind of arrival that might force police to station units at Rome's airports—leaves the club without that superhero figure to lean on during difficult moments. Gasperini knows the squad is not title-contenders material, perhaps not even Champions League material despite finishing third last season. The coach had hoped the previous miracle result might unlock previously blocked spending channels, constrained by UEFA regulations that have clouded Roma's waters for years. That reckoning will arrive in the coming months. Much depends on Paulo Dybala's form, on the promises Mora delivers and on Donyell Malen's consistency. Ten days remain before the season begins. Until then, the sense of wanting but being unable to act lingers unresolved.

Roma prepare for their Serie A opener against Fiorentina on Monday evening at the Olimpico, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini running through final selection details. The squad is virtually at full strength, with Lorenzo Pellegrini the sole absentee as he continues his rehabilitation programme. Gasperini has been resolving key tactical questions in recent training sessions as Roma adopt their familiar 3-4-1-2 formation. The main selection uncertainty centres on midfield and the attacking three. In defence, the back three will comprise Gianluca Mancini on the centre-right, Evan N'Dicka in the middle, and Mario Hermoso on the left. Molina will operate on the right flank and Wesley on the left, both tasked with providing attacking thrust and quick defensive cover. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are locked in as the attacking partnership. Gasperini is considering fielding young Rodrigo Mora in the number 10 role from the start, a move that would sacrifice some defensive balance but offer greater attacking quality. In central midfield, Niccolò Pisilli holds a clear advantage over Neil El Aynaoui in the battle to partner Manu Koné and provide dynamism and forward runs. This positioning could see Bryan Cristante start on the bench despite featuring heavily in pre-season friendlies. Roma will hold a final training session this afternoon at Trigoria before the squad remains overnight at the Fulvio Bernardini sports centre ahead of Monday's debut against Fiorentina.

Gian Piero Gasperini defended Roma's transfer approach at his pre-match press conference on 22 August, two days before the Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico. The coach confirmed that UEFA financial regulations have forced a strategic shift in the market, compounding constraints that stem from years of previous spending. "The profile is only that of UEFA; there are no other possibilities," Gasperini said. "There are situations that UEFA imposes and from which our ownership, even wanting to, cannot escape. I thought that after six months or with arrival in the Champions League the situation would be resolved, but it is not so." Gasperini emphasised that Roma remain the only Italian club currently under UEFA supervision. "Roma has already had two deferrals and probably cannot have any more," he noted. "Now the reckoning has arrived, but we will do well anyway." Despite those constraints, he expressed satisfaction with arrivals in the window. Álex Molina replaced Zeki Çelik after winning the World Cup two months earlier; Christos Koulierakis joined as a defensive profile the squad lacked; and Rodrigo Mora arrived as a young long-term investment. Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson departed, replaced by Mateo Castro. El Shaarawy, Bryan Zaragoza, Angeliño and Kostas Tsimikas also left. Gasperini stated: "All the players who arrived have strongly wanted to come to Roma. They have also reduced their salaries—and under this aspect I believe very positive work has been done. There are still ten days of the market left and we hope to complete everything." On the left wing position that Roma had pursued, Gasperini offered flexibility: "Only if he can be added value, otherwise I am not going to load myself with players just for the sake of it." Numerically, two squad slots remain available from a full complement of 23. He praised Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante for accepting significant wage cuts. On Dybala's fitness prospects, Gasperini said: "I am certain, because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He completed a pre-season perhaps for the first time without injuries." Dybala suffered two serious injuries last season—one requiring meniscus surgery that sidelined him for three and a half months. Gasperini stated that further squad exits may follow only if they represent tactical switches rather than pure departures. "If there are other exits it is only for changes, to switch," he said. "In this moment there is nothing certain." The window closes in ten days. Roma finished last season on 73 points and third place in Serie A, but Gasperini stressed the slate resets: "Every year you start from zero. What was done was very positive and satisfactory for all, but when the season starts everyone begins at 0 points and the 73 points from last year must be played again."

Gian Piero Gasperini addressed Roma's transfer strategy and squad preparation two days before the Fiorentina fixture, emphasising that while the squad is more competitive, UEFA financial controls have forced creative market decisions. Gasperini confirmed the club can still add two players numerically to the 23-strong squad sheet, but only if conditions can be met within budget limits. "The profile is only that of the UEFA regulations, there are no other possibilities," Gasperini said. "There are situations that UEFA imposes and from which even our ownership, much as they would like, cannot escape. If we had done Summerville we could not have done anything else. There are technical parameters that cannot be explained—you must have trust in the society that they are complex enough and force a club under UEFA control like Roma, unique in Italy right now, to comply." Gasperini revealed that reaching the Champions League last season had not resolved Roma's financial strictures as initially expected. "I thought that after six months or with arrival in the Champions the situation would be resolved, it is not so and this forces this type of market," he said. Roma remains the only Italian club subject to UEFA Financial Fair Play monitoring following accumulated deficits from previous years and has already received two deferrals; no further extension is available. Despite these constraints, Gasperini backed the recruitment approach, particularly the arrivals of Rodrigo Mora from Porto—described as "a very important investment, especially in perspective"—and the swap dealing that saw Zeki Çelik depart for Molina, and Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk exit for Castro. He also praised the contract reductions undertaken by Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini, as well as renewals by Bryan Cristante and others. On the left-wing position, Gasperini stated he will only pursue a signing if it adds genuine value: "Numerically the discussion is what I said before—two players can be added. But only if they can be reached under the conditions we can have. If the market offers this it will be so, otherwise we stay as we are." Regarding Dybala, Gasperini expressed confidence the 32-year-old will achieve more appearances this season. "I am sure of this because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He had a preparation that perhaps for a long time he could not complete, without injuries. Last year in my view he was very unlucky. I remember two injuries, kicking the penalty in Milan and the free kick against Turin. Two borderline cases—in one it cost him a meniscus and he was out three and a half months. Muscularly he seems much more toned. Perhaps he no longer has the speed and power of shot from when he was young, but he has improved other qualities. At 32 years old today you are in the prime of technical and physical maturity. I think he will have a great season." Gasperini will take stock of any remaining recruitment possibilities before facing Fiorentina, a heavily renovated side. He acknowledged uncertainty in his starting formation for the opening match, citing the integration of recently arrived players Mora and Molina alongside squad members returning from World Cup duty with different fitness levels. On the season's ambitions, Gasperini declined to discuss the Scudetto prospect, saying: "We must look at our own path, we are trying to do the best possible for our possibilities. I am convinced we will do well. To speak of a final result I do not know, it will also depend on the opponents."