Roma have completed a significant midfield overhaul in the final stages of the transfer window. Neil El Aynaoui has departed for RB Leipzig on a paid loan worth €4 million with a purchase option of €25 million, plus a percentage on any future resale. The Moroccan midfielder, who arrived last summer, exits after being identified as a potential departure in recent days. Leipzig's loan-plus-option structure ultimately satisfied both parties after Roma showed greater openness to such terms compared to an outright permanent sale, according to sources attributed to Fabrizio Romano.
The departure has created space for Roma to strengthen midfield under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Marten de Roon has arrived from Atalanta, where he captained the side under Gaspereri, on a deal worth a maximum of €1 million in bonuses. De Roon requested to be released to rejoin Gasperini at Roma. Additionally, Roma have revived their interest in Richard Ríos, the Colombian midfielder currently at Benfica. According to Sky Sport and Gianluca Di Marzio, Benfica are open to a loan arrangement, though Besiktas are also competing for the player's signature. Roma's director Tony D'Amico has initiated concrete talks with Benfica and Ríos's representatives to establish the conditions for bringing him to Trigoria.
Away from midfield, Jan Ziolkowski is departing on loan to Monza with an €18 million purchase option. The Polish centre-back's exit requires Roma to identify defensive reinforcements, with Morato at Nottingham Forest and players including Kehrer and Aguerd on the shortlist, though discussions remain fluid across those targets.
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