Ferguson's ankle injury worse than expected, Ireland boss warns of lengthy recovery

Roma's pre-season camp begins Monday 13 July at Trigoria under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Paulo Dybala will be present after signing a one-year contract with an option until 2028, with the deal's official confirmation expected in the coming days. Zeki Çelik and Lorenzo Pellegrini will be absent, both currently free agents in negotiations to renew with the club. While Çelik's deal is nearly finalised, talks with Pellegrini continue with a €500,000 gap between the club's offer and his demand, though optimism is filtering through. The pair's absences extend beyond contract matters. Çelik, recovering from Turkey's early elimination from the World Cup, receives standard additional rest alongside other international players. Pellegrini, however, will not train regardless of negotiations—a recurring injury sustained in May's derby, which cost him the end of last season, continues to trouble him. The squad will train at Trigoria before the second phase of pre-season begins on 31 July in Wales, running until 8 August, with further friendlies scheduled thereafter.

Roma's training ground at Trigoria reopens officially tomorrow as the club begins pre-season under Gian Piero Gasperini. The squad will not arrive at full strength, with captain Lorenzo Pellegrini among notable absentees. Pellegrini is sidelined by a recurrence of an injury suffered in May that requires continued caution, though contract renewal talks are progressing in parallel. The midfielder and the club have already agreed on a two-year deal with an option for a third season, leaving only a minor financial gap of approximately €500,000 to bridge. The negotiations are expected to conclude soon with what is being termed a 'white smoke' moment of agreement. Defender Zeki Çelik is also absent, extending his post-tournament rest following international commitments, though he is close to signing a contract extension. Meanwhile, Paulo Dybala's recent contract renewal has been confirmed, and he will participate fully in pre-season as Roma look to build momentum for the campaign ahead.

Roma will reconvene at their Trigoria training ground tomorrow with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, though no new signings will be available. Paulo Dybala will be present after renewing his contract for another year, with the club to decide whether to activate an extension through 2028. Absent from the squad will be Lorenzo Pellegrini and Zeki Çelik, both still unsigned. Çelik is close to agreeing fresh terms and will take a break following World Cup duty, while Pellegrini awaits resolution on his deal. Negotiations around Pellegrini's contract remain ongoing, with optimism filtering through despite a gap of approximately 500,000 euros between the club's offer and his demands. The two sides have moved past disagreements over contract length, now settling on a two-year deal with an option for a third. Pellegrini would not have trained tomorrow regardless: a recurrence of an injury sustained during training before May's derby continues to trouble him.

Nine players assembled during Gian Piero Gasperini's first season at Roma have combined for 100 appearances across Serie A and cup competitions but have failed to establish themselves as regular contributors. Pierluigi Gollini featured only once, against Panathinaikos in January's final Europa League group stage match. Angeliño made brief appearances against Celtic and Panathinaikos before a March return to the Olimpico against Lecce, where he saw limited action in the run-in. Robinio Vaz, signed for 20 million euros plus 5 million in bonuses in January alongside Donyell Malen, scored his sole Roma goal against Lecce but has proven too raw for immediate impact as deputy striker. Bryan Zaragoza arrived on loan from Bayern Munich in January and impressed on his second appearance, starting against Napoli and providing an assist for Malen's opening goal from the seventh minute, yet proved costly when he came on in Roma's Europa League elimination against Bologna in extra time. Lorenzo Venturino, an 18-year-old winger on loan from Genoa, saw limited use due to his age. Evan Ferguson, signed on loan with a purchase option from Brighton, closed the season with 40 combined appearances across both strikers; the 20-year-old's campaign ended in January after injury and limited backing from Gasperini. Artem Dovbyk meanwhile struggled to meet the technical demands of the role and reappeared late in the season with only two minutes in the final two matches.

Roma is reportedly exploring a possible transfer axis with Bologna as the summer window accelerates. The Giallorossi have made contact regarding three players: Argentine striker Castro, Scottish midfielder Ferguson (Bologna's captain), and defender Ghilardi. Castro, who has also attracted interest from Nottingham Forest, is valued at approximately 40 million euros by Bologna. Ferguson, recently eliminated from the World Cup despite strong individual performances, has drawn attention from Rangers and Atalanta; Bologna is seeking at least 20 million euros plus bonuses for the midfielder. Head coach Gasperini's squad-building plans remain the priority for the Friedkin Group, with Greenwood continuing as the primary transfer target. Roma has informed Bologna that defender Kumbulla—returning from a loan spell at Majorca—is available for transfer, while Bologna has expressed interest in Ghilardi, particularly given the expected departure of Lucumì. The club views Freuler, available on a free transfer from 1 July, as below their level of priority. Details of any formal offers or agreements remain unclear. The 30 June deadline is slowing activity across the market but does not appear to concern Roma's ownership, who remain focused on delivering a competitive squad across all competitions.

Robinio Vaz, the French forward who joined Roma from Marseille in January for €25 million, faces an uncertain future at the club. His status remains suspended as Roma evaluates his position within the squad, with two potential paths emerging: a loan move to a club where he would play regularly, or remaining at Trigoria as a third-choice striker behind other attacking options. With Artem Dovbyk departing and Ferguson returning to Brighton, Roma is undertaking a significant restyling of its attacking department under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The club plans to recruit forwards suited to Gasperini's tactical approach, including a reserve striker in addition to attacking midfielders. Vaz, born in 2007, showed modest progress during his first months but has gradually fallen to the periphery of the project. Roma's current assessment of the young forward remains suspended in judgment. If a suitable opportunity emerges where Vaz would be guaranteed substantial playing time, Roma may consider loaning him out. However, the alternative scenario—where he continues his development at the club's training ground as the third attacking option—remains equally possible. His future will likely depend on Roma's incoming signings and the young player's capacity to force his way back into Gasperini's plans.