Dybala stays at Roma; Riquelme hides disappointment over failed Boca pursuit

Manchester United have entered the pursuit of Nicolò Tresoldi, the Club Brugge striker, adding further pressure to Roma's efforts to sign the forward. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini rates Tresoldi highly, but the Giallorossi now compete against a crowded field of elite European clubs for the italo-German attacker. Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen have long monitored Tresoldi, a class of 2004 prospect, and the presence of three major Bundesliga and Premier League sides considerably complicates matters for Roma. Despite the mounting competition, the club has not abandoned the target. Tresoldi remains a profile Roma follow to strengthen their attack, valued for his youth, growth potential, and suitability for Gasperini's tactical approach. No official contact between Roma and Club Brugge has been established as of now. Brugge continue to assess their forward without any intention of offering concessions on valuation.

Roma's pursuit of a backup winger has hit a snag. Bruges winger Tresoldi was the initial target to provide cover for Donyell Malen, but negotiations have stalled over the Belgian club's asking price of €50 million. Despite already reaching personal terms with the player, Roma have decided to pivot to alternative targets. Juan Castro of Bologna is now the priority. The Argentine forward appeals to Gasperini and preliminary talks have begun. Bologna value Castro at approximately €40 million, and further discussions are expected in the coming days. Roma's sporting director continues to work on multiple fronts, with the right winger position also a key priority for the summer window. Time is running short: Gasperini and the squad depart for Wales on Friday, and the coach hopes to have at least one new signing in place by then.

Santiago Castro's performance against Roma on 19 March — when Bologna won 4–3 at the Olimpico with an assist and goal from the Argentine striker — eliminated the Giallorossi from the Europa League and sent the Emilia-Romagna side to the quarter-finals, where they later fell to Aston Villa in May. The display exemplified Castro's blend of determination and clinical finishing that has now attracted Roma's interest as the club weighs a summer move for the 20-year-old. Castro's trajectory began at Velez in Buenos Aires, where he spent a decade in the youth system before making his senior debut in August 2021 at just 16 years old. He scored his first goal in Copa Argentina against Cipolletti in March 2022, followed by a strike against Talleres, signalling the creativity and positioning that would define his play. After totalling two goals in 2021–22 and seven in 2022–23, Bologna sporting director Sartori signed him in January 2024 for just over 13 million euros. Castro wrote on social media on the day of departure: "I leave peacefully, because I gave everything." The departure of Sergiño Zirkzee after his first six months opened the pathway to regular minutes. In 2025–26, Castro has continued his development: he hit the crossbar against Roma, scored a spectacular goal against Fiorentina, and netted with a heel flick versus Genoa. At 1.79 metres tall, he operates effectively both from distance and inside the box through work-rate and technical quality. Roma is considering Castro or Tresoldi as a forward option.

Roma take on Cannes in a pre-season friendly on Sunday 26 July at 17:30 at Stade Pierre de Coubertin. The match marks another step in Gian Piero Gasperini's preparation after earlier fixtures against Primavera and Trastevere. Roma will be without Pisilli and Vaz, both currently sidelined through injury. Gasperini has named a 3-4-2-1 lineup: Svilar in goal; Mancini, Ndicka and Hermoso in defence; Rensch, Bah, Cristante and Wesley across midfield; Dybala and Cherubini behind Malen up front. The fixture takes on added significance as Cannes is owned by the Friedkin Group, which also controls Roma, making this an internal test ahead of the competitive campaign. Tickets remain on sale through the official Cannes website. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN, with live text updates available on ilromanista.eu.

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.