European clubs circle Roma goalkeeper Svilar; Tottenham bid rejected

Roma have altered their transfer strategy following the Rodrigo Mora operation, pivoting their attention towards a left-back after initially pursuing other targets. The club are pressing Luis Henrique, the Brazilian left-back, though an agreement has not yet been reached. Hector Fort of Barcelona is also under consideration, but the defender has prioritised a move to Borussia Dortmund. The pursuit of Yacine Fofana has grown more distant; Roma deem Lyon's asking price of €35 million plus bonuses excessive, despite having reached an agreement with the 2005-born winger. Cacciamani is similarly off the radar. In outgoings, Jan Ziółkowski is poised to leave the club, potentially to Saudi Arabia. Should the defender depart, Roma would seek a centre-back on loan, with Fenerbahçe's Oosterwolde re-emerging as a target. Meanwhile, Manchester City's reported interest in Manu Koné has been confirmed; the midfielder is among the names in contention for their midfield.

Roma have paused negotiations with Lyon over midfielder Fofana following the arrival of Rodrigo Mora, according to Fabrizio Romano. The gap between the clubs remains small, but Roma are prioritizing the signing of a left winger before reviving that deal. Lorenzo Pellegrini will miss Roma's opening Serie A fixture against Fiorentina on Monday evening at the Olimpico. The number 7 is recovering from a right rectus femoris injury and requires further time before returning to Gasperini's squad. He will also sit out the subsequent match at Lecce on Monday 31 August, with a return to group training planned for early September. Pellegrini is targeting involvement in the match against Atalanta on Saturday 5 September at the Olimpico. Positive news emerged from training today as Niccolò Pisilli worked fully with the squad following a minor issue. Wesley trained partially with the group and is targeting full fitness to start against Fiorentina. Head coach Gasperini will hold his first pre-match press conference of the season on Saturday at 13:30.

Roma are tracking Barcelona right-back Hector Fort as director D'Amico expands the club's search for defensive reinforcements following the Rodrigo Mora operation. The 20-year-old Spanish defender, born in 2006, has received proposals from both Roma and Real Sociedad but is prioritising a move to Borussia Dortmund. Fort is willing to wait until the final day of the transfer window to complete a transfer to Germany, where Dortmund and Barcelona are in direct contact to find a solution. The hunt for a full-back comes as Roma continue their summer recruitment drive. Luis Henrique is among other targets being monitored by the club's recruitment department as Gasperini's side prepares for the 2026-27 season. Fort is capable of playing on both flanks, adding versatility to any potential move.

Rodrigo Mora impressed in his first training session and now has four days to convince Gasperini he deserves the starting role in Roma's match against Fiorentina on Monday. The Portuguese forward will compete with Matías Soulé for the trequartista position in a 3-4-1-2 formation that Roma trialled on 19 August. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are set to start as the two strikers, with Mora eyeing an opportunity to stake his claim in the role that suits him best. Soulé's availability for the match remains uncertain as AC Milan continues to press for his signature, alongside English club Sunderland. The competition for places elsewhere in the team appears settled: Molina is ready to make his debut, Wesley will start at left-back, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné will operate in midfield, and the defensive line in front of Mile Svilar will comprise Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso. Gasperini's early feedback on Mora has been positive, giving the forward genuine scope to earn a starting berth.

Roma radio pundits debated the club's transfer strategy on 19 August, with disagreement over whether the Friedkin ownership will fund a €30 million move for Lyon midfielder Fofana. Pes stated that the club cannot afford Rafael Leao, whose salary would exceed Roma's highest earners—Mile Svilar and Donyell Malen on €4 million annually. He said: "The real issue is understanding whether the ownership will have the will to invest €30 million to close the Fofana operation. As of today there are no conditions to close Fofana; you have to understand if you can do a different formula or free up economic space through some sales, otherwise it's a matter of finding a different target." The €25 million investment for Rodrigo Mora and the tentative Fofana talks weigh on the club's evaluations, Pes added, while Gasperini's tactical system requires two reinforcements beyond Mora alone. Carina countered that Roma's market is unfinished, expecting the arrival of a winger and a deputy for Wesley. He assessed the current market positively and said Fofana's arrival would improve matters further, but stressed a lack of favourable conditions for Leao. Orsi suggested Roma needed another midfielder beyond the four from last season's squad, praising the Friedkin Group's measured approach to recruitment and Roma's merit in securing Champions League qualification by remaining competitive through a run of nine wins in ten matches.

Roma begin their 2026–27 campaign with five days to prepare before facing Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico on 24 August. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will resume full-squad training on 19 August at Trigoria, following a brief rest after the pre-season training camp in Wales and a 2–2 friendly against Borussia Dortmund in Germany. Wesley and Niccolò Pisilli are expected to participate despite recent injuries—the Brazilian striker suffered a mild ankle sprain before the Dortmund match and missed that fixture, while the midfielder picked up a calf injury at the end of July during the camp and has yet to train fully with the group. Lorenzo Pellegrini has worked individually throughout the summer while negotiating a contract renewal and will require more time to regain match fitness. Rodriguel Mora, signed as the club's latest attacking reinforcement, arrived in Rome on 18 August afternoon and is undergoing the formalities of medical clearance and administrative procedures before joining Gasperini's sessions. The 2007-born attacking midfielder represents one of several new faces—including Castro, Koulierakis and Molina—awaiting assessment ahead of the Fiorentina fixture. With Mile Svilar secure in goal and a defensive unit anchored by Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso, Gasperini has five days to finalize his tactical approach and evaluate which new arrivals might feature from the start or from the bench. Paulo Dybala is expected to feature prominently after an strong pre-season showing.