Dybala Roma's lone bright spot as Gasperini seeks market reinforcements

Anass Salah-Eddine will not travel with Roma to their training camp in Wales from 31 July to 8 August, signalling that the club and head coach Gasperini have decided to move on from the left-back. The 2002-born defender spent the past season on loan at PSV Eindhoven, but the Dutch club opted not to exercise their purchase option when he returned to Roma. Salah-Eddine's absence from the Wales trip indicates Roma and Gasperini have ruled him out of their plans for the upcoming season, despite an encouraging World Cup campaign with Morocco. A new departure is now in the works, with no place for the full-back in the new campaign. The player's departure represents a clear decision by the technical and administrative hierarchy at the club following his loan spell in the Eredivisie.

Manchester United has slowed its pursuit of Roma midfielder Manu Koné after initial intensive monitoring of the 2001-born France international, according to The Telegraph. The delay stems from doubts within the Manchester United hierarchy over whether the player justifies an outlay of at least €60 million. This does not represent a definitive withdrawal from the race, but rather a period of careful reflection on whether Koné represents the right investment for the club. Koné has attracted attention from top European clubs following an impressive World Cup campaign with France. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini considers him a fundamental piece of Roma's midfield setup, yet the club could be open to a sale of the right magnitude to help address financial fair play obligations. Manchester United had been the most attentive suitor to date, but the recent hesitation signals uncertainty about committing such a significant fee to the midfielder's profile.

Manu Koné's future remains uncertain as Roma weigh selling the midfielder against Manchester United's hesitation to commit. The club is prepared to listen to offers for one of Europe's strongest central midfielders, with both Al Ahli and Manchester United showing interest. However, neither club has moved decisively. At Old Trafford, not all senior figures support investing in the French midfielder. According to the Telegraph, perplex­ities exist within the English club over pursuing Koné, and a move worth approximately 60 million euros has not secured unanimous backing from United's hierarchy. Roma is keen to monetise a significant asset to address Financial Fair Play constraints, but concrete bids have been slow to arrive. The delay reflects genuine uncertainty at Manchester United rather than a definitive rejection. The Red Devils continue to monitor Koné as a target, but the club intends to evaluate every aspect of a potential deal before tabling a formal offer. This represents a slowdown in proceedings rather than an outright termination of discussions.

Roma will face Cannes in a friendly match on Sunday 26 July, with kickoff at 17:30. The fixture represents the Giallorossi's third pre-season test under Gasperini, following successive 6–0 victories over the Primavera and Trastevere. Cannes, owned by the Friedkin Group, will offer a more demanding examination than those earlier opponents as Roma's summer preparation continues. Gasperini is expected to deploy Bah alongside Cristante in midfield due to a shortage of alternatives in that area. In attack, Malen and Dybala are likely to feature, with the latter already showing excellent form during the pre-season campaign. This match will give the coach more significant insights into the work completed so far in the preparation period. The match will be broadcast exclusively live on DAZN. Viewers can watch via the DAZN app on smart TV, gaming consoles including Xbox and PlayStation, or alternative devices such as Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and TIM VISION Box. An active DAZN subscription is required. Live updates will also be available through Forzaroma.info's live blog and Roma's social media channels on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Lorenzo Pellegrini remains in limbo nearly a month after his contract expired on 30 June, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini keen to retain him but negotiations still unresolved ahead of the new season. Gasperini has sought Pellegrini's confirmation alongside Paulo Dybala and Zeki Çelik; Dybala has already signed new terms and Çelik has departed, but Pellegrini's future remains uncertain. The midfielder is currently recovering from a previous season injury and unavailable for training, which has extended talks. Gasperini said: "I hope for the renewal, but at this moment the player could not train. He must recover from injury, for this reason the timescales are a little longer. In the meantime I hope he can recover as soon as possible, then reach an agreement." A banner from the Roma supporters' group appeared at the training ground reading: "Making a mistake can happen... Repeating it means carelessness! Let's hold on to Lorenzo!" Bryan Cristante added his support after Roma's friendly with Trastevere at Trigoria, saying he had been in contact with Pellegrini and was waiting for him with open arms. The sticking point centres on contract duration: Pellegrini is requesting a three-year deal but would reportedly accept two years. The squad will soon relocate from Trigoria to Wales for their summer training camp.

Paulo Dybala has emerged as Roma's bright spot in an otherwise quiet transfer window, impressing during pre-season work at Trigoria over the opening two weeks. The Argentine scored three goals across early tests against the Primavera and Trastevere, operating consistently on the right flank alongside Wesley. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has paired the pair to devastating effect, with the Brazilian exploiting Dybala's inward runs to attack space in overlapping positions. Roma underlined Dybala's strategic and symbolic importance when they stationed him on the balcony of via degli Uffici del Vicario on the night of 21–22 July to greet almost 10,000 supporters gathered for the club's birthday celebrations. While Gasperini works with Dybala and Matías Soulé on the pitch, the sporting directorate pursues reinforcements on the left wing—a priority after failed moves for Greenwood and Summerville. Director of Sport Tony D'Amico is monitoring several international profiles, including Antonio Nusa and Said El Mala of Cologne, though the German club's €50 million valuation for the 19-year-old gives Roma pause given his single season of Bundesliga experience. Recent additions to the shortlist include Oscar Bobb of Manchester City and Brazilian Luiz Henrique.