Dybala stays, reinforcements stall: Gasperini signals frustration over transfer delay

Roma have abandoned their move for Jayden Oosterwolde after conducting additional medical tests that altered their assessment of the defender's injury status. Oosterwolde had already arrived in the capital in recent days and passed initial medical examinations, but further investigation into a biceps injury he was carrying prompted Roma to reopen talks with Fenerbahce about modifying the deal's terms. When no new agreement could be reached, the club decided not to proceed with the signing. The transfer had been structured as a loan with an obligation to buy, with a combined value under €20 million. Roma's medical team established that the defender would require three to four weeks to return to group training and a minimum of six to eight weeks before he could play, timescales the club deemed unacceptable. Having reassessed the situation with the Fenerbahce hierarchy, Roma chose to withdraw rather than risk the investment given the extended recovery period. Oosterwolde will now return to Turkey. The move had been expected to be wrapped up swiftly after the midfielder arrived at Ciampino airport two days ago, with only medical clearance standing between the player and his registration.

Roma have abandoned their attempt to sign Jayden Oosterwolde after further medical assessments raised concerns over the defender's recovery timeline from a muscular injury sustained at Fenerbahce. The Dutch left-back had travelled to Rome in recent days and undergone initial medical tests, but additional checks ordered by Roma revealed doubts about when he would be fit to play. The move, initially structured as a loan with an option to buy that would become mandatory under certain conditions, had appeared close to completion before the club reversed course. Roma and Fenerbahce attempted to renegotiate the terms of the deal to address the injury concerns, but ultimately the Giallorossi decided the recovery period was too lengthy and uncertain to justify proceeding. Oosterwolde will return to Fenerbahce. The setback forces the club back into the market for defensive reinforcement on the flanks, an area where head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is still awaiting a signing before the close of the transfer window.

Roma are exploring defensive reinforcements as the transfer window enters its final days, with uncertainty over Jan Ziółkowski's future complicating their planning. The Polish defender is in talks with Monza over a potential departure, forcing Roma to plan for a replacement centre-back option. The pursuit of Morato has grown increasingly difficult after Nottingham Forest rejected Roma's advances on a loan with a purchase option. Director D'Amico has turned his attention to Thilo Kehrer, the 1996-born defender leaving Monaco according to Sky Sport. Kehrer is viewed as an experienced profile capable of providing Gasperini with defensive cover when needed. The move would allow Roma to manage their squad depth at centre-back depending on whether Ziółkowski departs before the window closes.

Roma have learned their eight opponents in the UEFA Champions League League Phase following the draw in Monte Carlo. Gian Piero Gasperini's side will face Real Madrid, PSG, Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Lille, Fenerbahçe, Slovan Bratislava and AEK Athens, with four matches at the Stadio Olimpico and four away. The standout home fixture will be Real Madrid's visit, marking José Mourinho's return to the Olimpico as an opponent after his years managing Roma. Luis Enrique will also feature prominently in the draw — he returns to face Roma, this time from the PSG bench, adding another layer of intrigue to a competition that holds particular resonance for the club. Slovan Bratislava's inclusion stirs memories of Roma's 2011 European elimination under Enrique, a match recalled for the controversial substitution of Francesco Totti. At home, Roma will also host Sporting Lisbon, Lille and Slovan Bratislava. Away, the fixtures include one of recent European football's great classics: Manchester United at Old Trafford, a tie that evokes numerous Champions League clashes between the clubs across the 2000s. The Fenerbahçe trip carries particular significance, bringing Roma face-to-face with Mason Greenwood — described as a major regret from the summer transfer window — alongside Mattéo Guendouzi, who will encounter Paulo Dybala after previous meetings, and Romelu Lukaku. The campaign concludes with a trip to AEK Athens in Greece. Roma's full League Phase schedule: Real Madrid (home), PSG (away), Sporting Lisbon (home), Manchester United (away), Lille (home), Fenerbahçe (away), Slovan Bratislava (home), AEK Athens (away). The draw has assembled a fixture list rich in European history and storylines for Roma's return to the Champions League.

Paulo Dybala has committed to Roma by accepting a dramatic wage cut, restructuring his contract around performance bonuses that could ultimately make him the club's highest-paid player. His base salary fell from 8 million euros net to 2.2 million, but a complex bonus structure rewards every appearance, goal and assist. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged Dybala's commitment after Roma's victory against Fiorentina, saying: "In this squad there are players who wanted Roma very strongly or wanted to stay at Roma very strongly." Dybala reached 100 Serie A appearances for Roma in that same match. The contract, signed on 12 July, reflects both an act of loyalty and a calculated gamble on his own performance. Dybala will earn 100,000 euros for each starting appearance lasting at least 45 minutes, capped at 20 matches for a maximum of 2 million euros. He has already collected 100,000 euros following the Fiorentina win. Substitute appearances of 20 minutes or more earn him 75,000 euros. From his 21st match onwards, the appearance bonus rises to 150,000 euros per game. Goal contributions drive even larger payments: every five goal involvements trigger a bonus ranging from 100,000 to 1 million euros. Dybala has already begun accumulating these rewards, recording three goal involvements in the opening matchday alone. The structure is straightforward: the more prominent Dybala becomes, the more he earns. If his season stalls and he plays infrequently, he will pocket only the 2.2 million base salary—a scenario neither he, Roma nor Gasperini wish to see unfold. Over the course of his fifth season at the club, the bonus framework could elevate his total compensation to rival or exceed that of any teammate.

Giancarlo Antognoni, Fiorentina legend, has praised Paulo Dybala as the best attacking midfielder in Serie A and the player capable of driving Roma towards the title under Gian Piero Gasperini. Speaking to Corriere della Sera, Antognoni analysed Roma's recent victory and Dybala's role in it, singling out the Argentine's quality on the ball as decisive. "Dybala is one of the strongest in the league, the best in his position," Antognoni said. "If he continues like this, Gasperini will be able to fight for the Scudetto. With the ball he does what he wants: pure spectacle. Fiorentina gave him too much freedom, but if bad luck leaves him in peace, Gasperini has an ace in his hand." Antognoni also highlighted Dybala's impact on Roma's opening goal, noting how he "jumped past half the team before setting up Malen." Antognoni reflected on the rarity of the number 10 role in modern football, observing that Italy has few players of such quality. "Football has become too tactical and physical," he explained. "The number 10 still exists in youth academies, but at club level results come first and fear of losing stifles imagination. So the number 10s have to adapt: Calhanoglu became a regista, Dembélé is a ten disguised as a nine, Yildiz starts wide but moves inside the pitch." He detected signs of revival, citing Nico Paz at Como, Liberali, and Mastantuono as promising talents, and suggested that talented players in midfield positions—like Lautaro at Inter—can make their teams unpredictable. Antognoni also praised Rodrigo Mora, describing him as another talented signing Roma has brought in who "seems already almost ready."

The relationship between head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and sporting director Ricky Massara deteriorated throughout the 2025–26 season, marked by clashing views on transfer strategy, public criticism and mounting friction that became irreparable. Massara, who felt treated as an amateur despite his substantial track record, endured difficult months in silence, though tension grew steadily. The conflict began last summer during negotiations for Sancho and Fabio Silva, then escalated in late August when Massara said "Sancho at the moment remains a suggestion because I don't think there are the conditions or the motivations," while Gasperini later replied: "Sancho never refused Roma." The situation exploded in early September during a heated discussion at Fulvio Bernardini, where Gasperini accused Massara of being too slow in negotiations, dismissing the restrictions imposed by Financial Fair Play and inherited difficulties. Disputes over specific targets fuelled the rift further: Gasperini's veto on Raspadori, his preference for Malen over Zirkzee, and disagreements over Robinio Vaz. The breakdown continued from a distance after Massara moved to Juventus, with the director's pursuit of Zeki Çelik irritating Roma while Gasperini attempted to insert himself into the Juventus deal for Kessié. The definitive rupture came in spring, when Gasperini rejected Kerim Alajbegovic and made his position clear: having secured the departure of Ranieri, he wanted Massara gone as well to remain at Roma.

Kostas Tsimikas could be offered a fresh chance in Serie A after his difficult spell at Roma. The left-back has returned to Liverpool but has caught the attention of Juventus, who are searching for a deputy to Cambiaso. Massara, who brought Tsimikas to Roma last summer, could reunite with the defender at Turin. According to Corriere dello Sport, Juventus view Tsimikas as a low-cost option to strengthen their defence. The move would also reunite him with Zeki Çelik, who transferred to Juventus in early July. Tsimikas arrived at Roma on loan from Liverpool ahead of the 2025–26 season but struggled during his time in the capital.

Emanuele Lulli made his Serie A debut in Roma's 4–0 victory over Fiorentina on 24 August 2026, delivering numbers that exceeded the seasonal average of predecessor Zeki Çelik. The 19-year-old academy product recorded four successful tackles, 56 touches, 86.5% pass accuracy, seven duels won out of ten, and a decisive recovery that led to Donyell Malen's goal for the 3–0. In the 2025–26 season, Çelik averaged a rating between 6.7 and 7.0 with roughly two tackles per 90 minutes and solid passing precision; Lulli's intensity and physicality in his opening match surpassed that baseline. The comparison extends beyond statistics. Çelik managed play with experience and positional sense across four years in the shirt; Lulli brought the aggressive, tireless profile that Gasperini has consistently sought in his wide defenders—more in the mould of a pressing, high-intensity fullback than a controlled operator. Gasperini's system rewards corsa, aggressiveness and constant covering rather than refined crossing. Çelik departed for Juventus without generating significant regret, but a Palestrina and Trigoria academy graduate has now demonstrated, at least in raw output, superior performance to the departed player's average. Lulli remains incomplete. He must improve his ball management and the quality of his final pass. He showed no signs of being overwhelmed by the context and contributed concretely to Roma's cause. The performance serves as more than tactical encouragement: it reinforces a working principle that the academy, when given proper development and managerial backing, can generate solutions better suited to Gasperini's model than external recruitment alone.

Roma are attempting to rework their agreement with Fenerbahçe over Jayden Oosterwolde after medical checks revealed a far longer recovery timeline than initially disclosed. The Dutch left-back arrived with a biceps femoris injury assessed as a brief layoff, but Roma's own examination and consultation with Finnish specialist professor Lasse Lempainen—who operated on Lorenzo Pellegrini last season—indicated a recovery window of at least one month to six weeks. The club needed to rule out the necessity for surgery; while recent tests provided reassuring news on that front, the prospect of unavailability stretching into October forced Roma to revisit the transfer structure. Roma sporting director Tony D'Amico initially attempted to convert the deal into a straight loan but Fenerbahçe refused. Negotiations are now focused on making the permanent obligation more difficult to trigger. Under the original terms reported by *Gazzetta dello Sport*, the obligation to buy would activate after 20 appearances of at least 45 minutes each; the new talks aim to raise that threshold to between 25 and 30 appearances. Additionally, *Messaggero* reports Roma are working to eliminate any loan fee component. Roma remain cautious at their training ground; if Oosterwolde is genuinely sidelined until October, the club wants to avoid being automatically committed to a permanent purchase without sufficient guarantees on his actual playing time. Optimism continues to filter from the player's camp and both parties have shown willingness to reach a solution, but significant details remain under discussion and subject to Fenerbahçe's approval. A decision was expected on 27 August—either a renegotiated agreement or a definitive end to the operation.

Jayden Oosterwolde's move to Roma is close to official confirmation, though medical tests have revealed the left-back's muscular injury is more serious than initially feared, also involving the tendon. He is due for further examination in Turku with Professor Lempainen, a tendon specialist who recently operated on Lorenzo Pellegrini. Despite the setback, Oosterwolde will join Roma; Gasperini has approved waiting for him, bolstered by the promising displays of young academy player Lulli. The injury prompted Roma to revise their agreement with Fenerbahçe: the deal has been converted from an obligation to buy after twenty appearances into a loan with appearance-based bonuses. An announcement is expected soon. On the outgoings front, Jan Ziółkowski has agreed terms with Monza on a straight loan under manager Juric, but Roma will only grant approval once they have secured his replacement. The Morato option from Nottingham Forest has cooled, forcing the club to evaluate other defensive targets. With six days of the transfer window remaining, director Tony D'Amico continues work on multiple incoming and outgoing moves across the squad. Jamie Gittens remains the hottest prospect on Roma's radar. The Chelsea winger is frustrated with limited playing time and ready to leave, though Chelsea are not facilitating negotiations. Roma believe they can persuade the London club. Malick Fofana of Lyon also remains under consideration in the background, having recently been eliminated from the Champions League preliminaries; that operation could advance only with an offer exceeding 30 million euros, capping a summer transfer window full of surprises.

Jayden Oosterwolde's arrival at Roma is imminent following medical clearance, and he will become Gasperini's fifth summer signing. The Dutch defender, sidelined by a biceps femoris injury sustained in Champions League action with Fenerbahce, underwent examination at Roma's Campus Biomedico facility in Trigoria. The clinical picture proved more complex than anticipated, prompting Roma to send his medical documentation to professor Georg Ahlbäumer at Saint Moritz—the Friedkin family's medical reference—and specialist Lasse Lempainen in Turku, who recently operated on Pellegrini. Although Oosterwolde has received definitive clearance, recovery timelines extended beyond initial estimates. Roma attempted to renegotiate the deal as a straightforward loan to safeguard themselves but faced outright rejection from Fenerbahce. With that route closed, Roma director Tony D'Amico preserved the original structure while amending its terms and financial conditions. The mandatory buyout clause, originally triggered at 20 appearances, will now activate only when Oosterwolde reaches between 25 and 30 appearances of at least 45 minutes. The restructured arrangement, more economically and contractually complex, is now finalized and set for confirmation.