El Aynaoui and Koné in Premier League sights; Koné waits for Paris Saint-Germain

Roma are actively working to sign Santiago Castro from Bologna as a potential understudy to Donyell Malen. According to reports, contacts between the two clubs remain live as Roma look to strengthen their attacking depth. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has made clear the priority: finding a forward who can deliver goals, intensity, and consistency when Malen is unavailable. The Giallorossi had previously pursued Tresoldi, but Brugge's €50 million valuation stalled that move. Bologna now represent a warmer option, though negotiations carry significant obstacles. The Emilian club have valued Castro at approximately €40 million and show no willingness to discount. One element appears settled: Artem Dovbyk will not be offered as a makeweight in any deal. The Ukrainian striker remains available on the market but will not be used as a counterpart in a potential Bologna transfer.

Roma's summer transfer market remains frozen with no new arrivals by late July, frustrating head coach Gasperini who expected reinforcements at Trigoria. Targets Mason Greenwood and Luis Summestre have already fallen through, while director D'Amico searches for the opening piece of the window. El Mala and Alexander Nusa top the priority list, though the Norwegian's high asking price and injury history give The Friedkin Group pause—they are reluctant to take on another injury-prone signing and have delayed movement. Nusa has not yet signalled openness to Roma. The pursuit of Tresoldi has become complicated despite the German's willingness to join. Club Brugge's steep demands are slowing negotiations. Fresh names emerging at Trigoria include Castro and Oscar Bobb, while midfielder Franck Kessié remains a live possibility. Noa Lang was offered to Roma in attack, but the club rejected the proposition, seeking different profiles for the forward line. Patience is wearing thin both among Roma supporters and sections of Everton's fanbase, who have begun to lose confidence in the Americans' transfer strategy. Ryan Friedkin has returned to the United States.

A meeting is scheduled for Monday regarding Roma's new stadium project. In the transfer market, Roma have made contact with RB Leipzig over winger Nusa, but Leipzig value the player highly and there remains a significant gap between the clubs' valuations. Nusa has not yet opened the door to a Roma move. Roma have also been proposed numerous other wide players, including Luiz Henrique of Zenit, though he was not pursued. Meanwhile, Gian Piero Gasperini and the Roma squad await the return of Lorenzo Pellegrini following injury. The midfielder wants to secure a contract renewal and has accepted reducing his salary, but a key sticking point remains: Pellegrini is pushing for a three-year deal while the club currently offers only two years. Nevertheless, both the player and the club show clear willingness to stay together. After Roma's friendly against Trastevere, Bryan Cristante spoke openly about his teammate, emphasising the squad is waiting for Pellegrini with open arms. Pellegrini was also spotted dining with Gianluca Mancini at a Roman trattoria, a signal of his continued bond with the group. Elsewhere, Roma are tracking Franck Kessié as Juventus pursue the midfielder. Juventus have been in contact for several weeks but no agreement has been reached, with salary and squad integration among points still to be finalised. Roma are prepared to move decisively should Manu Koné depart.

Roma are actively chasing multiple attacking targets as sporting director D'Amico attempts to strengthen Gian Piero Gasperini's squad following failed moves for Greenwood and Summerville. Nusa of Leipzig remains the primary objective but his €60 million valuation is seen as prohibitive. The club has held contacts with Leipzig but the German side continues to resist, prompting Roma to explore alternatives including Bahoya of Eintracht Frankfurt, Leweling of Stuttgart, and El Mala of Cologne. Castro of Bologna has emerged as a realistic target to deputise for Malen, with negotiations ongoing between Roma and the Rossoblu. The Argentine is not considered untouchable by Bologna, and Dovbyk will not be offered as a makeshift part-exchange. Meanwhile, Roma have rejected Luiz Henrique of Zenit and discarded Noa Lang of Napoli, whom Gasperini does not find convincing. Bobb of Fulham is also under consideration, valued at approximately €30 million, though Nusa remains the priority. On outgoings, Manchester United are preparing an opening bid for Manu Koné in the coming days, with Roma expecting an offer of at least €60 million. El Aynaoui has also attracted English interest. Separately, Fiorentina are pursuing Dovbyk as a replacement for Kean, potentially generating €40 million for Roma while investing €20 million in the Ukrainian striker. Roma are additionally monitoring Kessié, the free agent Ivorian also tracked by Juventus.

Roma swept past Trastevere 6–0 in a pre-season friendly at Trigoria, with Donyell Malen making an immediate impact on his first appearance of the season. The Dutch forward unlocked the match after three minutes and provided an assist for Bryan Cristante's goal, though he squandered a close-range opportunity. Paulo Dybala and Cherubini completed the first-half scoring, while Angeliño and young player Arena added second-half goals. Despite the emphatic victory, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini faces a depleted squad. Seven players from last season remain unresolved in the transfer market, and several more are absent due to post-World Cup leave—including Manu Koné and Neil El Aynaoui. Matías Soulé was rested as a precaution, while Robinio Vaz and Niccolò Pisilli have physical issues; Pisilli is sidelined with a first-degree soleus muscle-fascial strain. Evan N'Dicka appears fully recovered and Cristante impressed with his solidity and attacking threat, though Angeliño showed signs of lacking match fitness despite his goal. Prospect Camara delivered a convincing display under close staff observation. Cristante reiterated Roma's ambitions for the upcoming Champions League campaign and expressed confidence in new signings arriving soon, while signalling full openness to Lorenzo Pellegrini's return to the group.

Donyell Malen and Evan N'Dicka have returned to Roma training and will feature in a friendly against Trastevere at Trigoria on 18:00 today. Both players rejoined the squad following their international commitments and will play their first minutes under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini in what amounts to their first session back after post-tournament rest. The Dutch attacker and Ivorian defender are keen to rediscover form after disappointing spells with their national teams and regain full fitness ahead of the new season. The friendly represents a significant opportunity for Gasperini to manage returning players' workload as Roma continue to operate with limited squad depth during the transfer window. Today's match will also serve as the debut for Roma's new adidas home kit for 2026–27, which features the return of the traditional crest. The club expects further national team returns in coming days, with Neil El Aynaoui due back on 30 July and Manu Koné completing the squad later.