Dybala to Sign New Roma Contract After Accepting Major Pay Cut

Rafael Leão has become a fresh target for Roma's final stretch of the transfer window after the Portuguese winger opened to a possible move to the club in recent hours. No advanced negotiations are currently under way, but Roma are studying a sustainable formula centred on payment structure. The real obstacle remains agreement with Milan, who value Leão at €40 million plus €5 million in bonuses. A conversation between Gerry Cardinale and Leão's agent Jorge Mendes could prove decisive in the coming hours in determining which scenarios are genuinely feasible. At Trigoria, Tony D'Amico is observing closely: Leão is considered an ideal profile for Gasperini's attacking department, but concrete openings from Milan will be needed before any serious move. Roma remain undeterred in their pursuit of Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and have made a new attempt to sign the Chelsea winger. The negotiation remains tied to the structure of the deal. Chelsea do not view the player as outside their project and are unwilling to accept a loan without guarantees. To persuade the Blues, Roma will need to present either a permanent offer or a loan with a mandatory purchase obligation. Roma's defensive department has become particularly rich in alternatives following the arrival of Koulierakis and the imminent arrival of Jayden Oosterwolde. With this in mind, in the final days of the window, either Ziółkowski or Ghilardi could leave Trigoria to find more playing time. Polish defender Ziółkowski is the subject of strong interest from Saudi Arabia, while Ghilardi appeals to Bologna. The Emilia side are tracking him as a possible replacement for Lucumì: there is concrete interest at present, but a formal negotiation has not yet begun. Roma will make their Serie A home debut tomorrow at 20:45 against Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico, which is heading towards a sell-out. Gates open at 18:45 and the club advises supporters to arrive at least 90 minutes early to avoid queues at the turnstiles. The Box 4 on via Nigra will be active from 17:45 until kick-off for any needs, while from 09:00 it will be possible to contact Roma via Contact Centre, telephone or email.

Roma continue to pursue winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, but Chelsea have signalled a change in the structure required to make a move happen. According to Fabrizio Romano and Matteo Moretto, Chelsea will not sanction a departure on a simple loan with an option to buy. Instead, the London club are demanding guarantees of a permanent transfer—specifically a loan with an obligation to buy, potentially tied to easily achievable conditions that would effectively guarantee a permanent sale. Chelsea do not regard Gittens as surplus to requirements; they see him as a player capable of remaining useful within their squad, which explains their reluctance to part with him on softer terms. Roma's previous proposal—structured as a loan with an option to buy—has been rejected on this basis. Should Roma pursue Gittens further, they will need to move closer to Chelsea's demands and accept a far more binding financial commitment. If the club chooses not to accept those terms, they will be forced to explore alternative targets to provide head coach Gian Piero Gasperini with the attacking winger he has requested. Meanwhile, the transfer of Jayden Oosterwolde is now finalised in principle. An agreement with Fenerbahçe has been reached, with only final bureaucratic steps remaining before the deal closes. Roma's transfer activity may not end there: director Tony D'Amico continues to work on multiple fronts, and further moves in the coming days cannot be ruled out.

Rafael Leão has signalled willingness to join Roma in the closing stages of the transfer window, stepping back from Turkish offers that have failed to convince him. According to Tele Radio Stereo, the Portuguese winger has opened the door to a move to the Giallorossi in recent days. The matter has become pressing for Milan, with owner Gerry Cardinale travelling to the club to address the situation and hold talks with Jorge Mendes, the agent who represents Leão. Mendes is working to satisfy all parties and facilitate Leão's transfer to a new club. Roma have so far shown reluctance to structure a permanent deal, meaning Milan will need to accept alternative formulas—such as a loan with a conditional option or obligation to buy—to open genuine negotiations with Roma's sporting director D'Amico. Leão has remained on Roma's radar throughout the window and could represent a surprise addition to the attack as the deadline approaches. Milan are asking for €40 million plus €5 million in bonuses to allow his departure. D'Amico is aiming to turn what was only a suggestion days ago into reality, but the two clubs must find common ground on the structure of any deal before serious talks can begin.

Roma open their 2026–27 Serie A campaign at the Olimpico against Fiorentina in less than 24 hours, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini still finalising his starting lineup. Rodrigo Mora is a serious contender to make his debut from the first minute in the attacking midfield role behind the Paulo Dybala–Donyell Malen partnership. Gasperini is expected to deploy a 3-4-1-2 formation to counter Fiorentina's four-man defence, with Wesley and Nahuel Molina set to operate on the flanks. Fiorentina boss Fabio Grosso addressed the challenge in his pre-match press conference on Friday morning. "Roma is strong, but we are prepared," Grosso said. "It will be a battle." Fiorentina have no remaining injury concerns and will have all squad members available for selection, including Atta and Kean.

Rodrigo Mora, a Portuguese midfielder who has joined Roma from Porto, will make his debut at the Stadio Olimpico hoping to replicate the impact Sergio Oliveira made on 16 January 2022. Oliveira, who arrived at Roma that day, needed just 33 minutes to score from the penalty spot in a 1–0 win over Cagliari under José Mourinho, kickstarting a spell that would yield three goals and, crucially, the UEFA Europa Conference League title within months. Four years on, Mora—a 2007-born prospect—arrives with the same objective: an immediate impression at the stadium and in Serie A. Against Fiorentina, Mora could start from the bench in support of Donyell Malen and his idol Paulo Dybala. Though Mora and Oliveira play different positions, both share the ambition to leave their mark from the outset. The class of 2007 wants to score on his Olimpico bow, just as Oliveira did. History does not truly repeat itself, but on Monday it may find new paths to do so—and Mora is hoping to begin precisely there: with a goal, with the entire Olimpico his to claim.

Roma's Serie A season opens on Monday at the Olimpico against Fiorentina. Gasperini will largely depend on the core squad from last season, with few new faces starting from the first minute. Molina is certain of a place in the lineup, while Mora is competing with Soulé for a starting spot. Castro and Koulierakis will begin on the bench. Malen and Dybala will lead the attack, with Koné expected to start in midfield alongside Cristante, and Wesley playing on the left. The defence will feature the familiar trio of Mancini, Ndicka, and Hermoso. Roma–Fiorentina is the opening fixture of Serie A Enilive. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN and in co-exclusive coverage on Sky Sport, with kickoff at 20:45. Viewers will need a DAZN subscription to watch on television; the app can be downloaded on smart TV, Xbox, or PlayStation. Alternatively, the match can be streamed via Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, and TIM VISION Box. Live commentary will be available on Forzaroma.info, with updates across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.