Ferguson on Torino's radar as Brighton striker eyes Italian return

Roma's pursuit of Brazilian forward Endrick has become significantly more complicated. Despite the club's interest shown in recent weeks, the young attacker now appears set to continue his season away from Serie A. Real Madrid have decided to loan Endrick out, but have opted to send him to the Premier League rather than Serie A, effectively closing the door on Roma's interest. The decision blocks Roma's path to securing an attacking reinforcement for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The club must now look elsewhere for the forward they hoped to bring in. According to journalist Ramón Álvarez de Mon, writing for RadioMarca and LaGalerna, the Premier League destination chosen by Madrid's hierarchy has left Roma's management forced to redirect their search for an offensive option to strengthen the squad.

Roma's pursuit of Endrick has stalled, with Real Madrid opting to send the Brazilian talent on loan to the Premier League rather than Italy. According to RadioMarca and LaGalerna, the Spanish club have decided against a move to the Giallorossi, closing the door on a transfer that had been on Roma's radar for several weeks. The development represents another setback in Roma's attempts to strengthen their attacking options this summer. The club will now need to redirect their recruitment efforts elsewhere as Endrick remains out of reach. Real Madrid's preference for a Premier League destination over a Serie A move underlines the competitive landscape for loan placements at elite level.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has signed a new contract with Roma, turning down offers from Juventus and Besiktas to remain with the club. The midfielder, born in 1996 and formally out of contract from 1 July, will be welcomed back by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini on his return from Roma's pre-season training camp in Wales and England, where a friendly against Brighton is scheduled for 8 August. Pellegrini has used recent weeks to recover from injury, a period that Sky Sport reports helped all parties involved reach the best decision. The club is expected to announce the renewal on 7 August. The deal is structured as a one-year agreement. The midfielder's decision to commit to Roma underlines his importance to Gasperini's plans for the 2026-27 season. Pellegrini, who wears the number 7, was free to negotiate with any club after his previous terms expired but chose to stay at the Giallorossi rather than pursue moves elsewhere.

Chris Smalling, the former Roma and England defender now with Saudi club Al-Fayha, has spoken warmly of José Mourinho's leadership during their time together at the Giallorossi. Smalling, who left Roma in 2024 after five years at the club, played under Mourinho at both Manchester United and Roma, and credits the Portuguese manager with instilling trust and passion in his squad. Smalling told the BBC that Mourinho's influence extended beyond tactical acumen. "Sia allo United che alla Roma, José mi schierava nella maggior parte delle partite perché avevamo un buon rapporto e si fidava di me," Smalling recalled, explaining how Mourinho earned the confidence of experienced players. "È molto facile influenzare i giocatori più giovani, ma la bellezza di Sir Alex Ferguson e di José sta nel fatto che sono riusciti a creare quella fiducia nei giocatori più esperti. Molti allenatori sanno fare dei buoni discorsi alla squadra, ma se guardi qualcuno negli occhi, vedi la passione e la vera convinzione che 'succederà', i giocatori più esperti lo seguono e gli altri si impegnano al massimo. Questa è la bellezza degli allenatori di alto livello." Smalling's assessment underscores Mourinho's ability to motivate players through force of personality and genuine conviction, qualities the defender regards as the hallmark of elite coaching.

Roma's attacking department has been decimated ahead of the 2026–27 season, with coach Gian Piero Gasperini now overseeing just five senior forwards for the role — down from ten options at the end of January. The remaining quartet consists of Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, and Robinio Vaz, with young prospect Arena also available. The collapse mirrors Gasperini's repeated public calls for investment in attack. Speaking exactly a year ago on 4 August 2025 at the English national team's St. George Park facility in Burton Upon Trent, Gasperini outlined his philosophy: "It concerns all clubs that spend large sums on attackers. The offensive department is the most sought after and most expensive. Teams with strong attacking players are more competitive." That same summer, Roma pursued Fabio Silva and Jadon Sancho without success, settling on a loan move for Romain Bailey as a last-minute solution. By the end of 2025, Roma had assembled eight attacking options — Dybala, Artem Dovbyk, Evan Ferguson, Bailey, Soulé, Baldanzi, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Lorenzo Pellegrini — to fill three positions in Gasperini's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. The winter transfer window swelled that number to ten through the departures of Bailey and Baldanzi and the arrivals of Malen, Vaz, Bryan Zaragoza, and Lorenzo Venturino. However, only Malen performed consistently. With just twenty days until the league campaign begins, Roma faces a critical shortage. The club is reportedly making another approach for Nusa and preparing a move for Fofana to bolster the depleted ranks.

Roma suffered a 4–1 defeat to Cardiff in what appears to be a pre-season fixture. Gian Piero Gasperini's reaction to the hosts' first goal was notably frustrated, though he remained composed as further goals followed. Paulo Dybala scored for Roma, but the performance was marked by defensive lapses and a lack of cohesion. The defeat highlighted areas of concern for Roma ahead of the new season. Tensions emerged on the pitch during the match, with Dybala and Matías Soulé involved in a discussion with Bryan Cristante. Gasperini addressed the squad's preparation afterwards, remarking on their lack of focus and emphasizing the need to complete the squad roster as soon as possible. The result comes as Roma continue their pre-season preparations and work on the transfer market. Evan Ferguson made his debut for the club during the match, while other transfer activity continues to develop, with reported interest in Read and ongoing discussions about Soulé's future.