Endrick in the spotlight as Ancelotti praises 'extraordinary talent' — and Roma are watching

Roma will attempt to bring Real Madrid forward Endrick to the club on loan in January, having come close to completing a deal in summer only for former manager José Mourinho to block the move at the last moment. The 20-year-old has barely featured for Real Madrid this season, appearing for just a few minutes so far. Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has stated recently that a lack of playing time could affect players' chances of national team selection, a factor that may influence Endrick's thinking. Roma are confident that if Endrick does not receive more minutes in the coming months, he will be willing to push for a temporary exit in January, and the club are keen to capitalize. The forward thrived during a six-month loan at Lyon, where he registered eight goals and assists each in 21 appearances. It is clear that Endrick arrived at Real Madrid too early in his development; he needs to play now, and temporary solutions are preferable to continued marginalisation. Should Roma fail to secure Endrick, the club have identified other targets: Ruben van Bommel at PSV, Luiz Henrique at Zenit, and Giorgi Kvernadze at Frosinone. The article notes that Roma have established themselves as an attractive destination for young forwards at present.

Roma have identified Endrick as a priority signing for the January transfer window, with director D'Amico having worked on the Brazilian forward since last summer. Both the player and his father have indicated their willingness to join, according to reports. Endrick, who has featured for just 4 minutes so far this season, is seeking regular playing time and consistency. His father previously explained that the player "had regained happiness" in France after Real Madrid had limited his pitch time. Roma could offer him the space and central role within Gasperini's project that he is seeking. Separately, Roma's women's team face Lazio in the Derby della Capitale at the Tre Fontane stadium at 18:00 today, Saturday 3 October, in a Serie A fixture. The Roma women arrive at the match after a particularly demanding period, having played four more matches than their derby opponents since 6 September across league, Women's Cup and Champions League commitments. The match will be broadcast on DAZN, Rai Sport and Rai Play. For Roma coach Gianpiero Piovani, it will be his first Lazio derby from the Roma bench. He said of his opposite number: "Knowing Grassadonia, I don't expect a cautious team, especially given they have some very quick players up front."

Paulo Dybala rejected approaches from Juventus and Napoli this summer to stay at Roma, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini playing a decisive role in persuading the Argentine to commit to a restructured contract. Dybala's deal was expiring and renewal talks had stalled as Roma sought to protect themselves against his history of injuries and reduce his base salary. Both Juventus and Napoli made contact with his representatives to explore the possibility of signing him, but Roma eventually reached agreement after strong intervention from Gasperini. The forward accepted a 70 percent pay cut, bringing his base salary down to €2.2 million. However, the deal includes substantial bonus clauses that could substantially increase his earnings: €100,000 for every start in which he plays at least half the match, up to a maximum of 20 appearances, then €150,000 once that threshold is reached. Dybala will also earn significant add-ons for every five goal contributions. The restructuring heavily favours Roma financially, though the club faces an ironic prospect: if Dybala remains injury-free, they could end up paying him a considerable sum anyway. Early in the 2026-27 season, he has logged almost full minutes and provided four assists, though he is yet to score.