Fiorentina target Dovbyk as potential Kean replacement

Cristante is in Roma's squad for the trip to Napoli, according to the squad list published by Il Messaggero. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini is short in the final third, with Pellegrini, Dybala, Svilar and Koné all sidelined. He has only Mora and Soulé behind Malen, and is considering playing Cristante further forward. The squad list names Balerdi, Ghilardi, Hermoso, Koulierakis, Lulli, Mancini, Molina, N'Dicka, Rensch and Wesley in defence; Cristante, De Roon, Mora and Pisilli in midfield; and Malen, Soulé and Castro in attack. Camara and Di Nunzio are also listed. The situation is serious enough that Roma are expected to act in the January transfer window. The club must spend to give Gasperini at least two reinforcements between attack and the flanks. Gittens and Leweling remain on the list, and the club has not ruled out the complicated pursuit of Endrick. A new left-back name has emerged: Alejandro Balde of Barcelona, who is finding few minutes under Flick and has been offered by Jorge Mendes. His name joins that of Oosterwolde. Sky Sport reports that Roma are close to the final details of a contract renewal for Lulli, which would run to 2031. The deal has not yet been officially announced, and the last points must be settled before it is formalised. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport at the Amsterdam stop of the EA7 World Legends Padel Tour, Stekelenburg was asked about Svilar. He said: "If I had to put him in the top five... no, not yet. After all, there are Courtois, Neuer and others. But he is a young lad and he is doing an excellent job. He just has to keep growing." Asked to choose between Højlund and Malen if he were a sporting director, Graziani said: "Malen without thinking twice. Hojlund I like a lot, and sometimes he looks to me like a 'little Lukaku' the way he leads the attack and the physical battles he takes on, and he has a great sense of goal; but Malen is my ideal striker, for the way he attacks space, for his dribbling, for the acceleration he has in the last twenty metres and because he can roam across the whole attacking front."

Endrick's agent has said the Brazilian wants to stay at Real Madrid, but that his future depends on how much he plays. Michael Yormack, president of Roc Nation, the agency that manages the Brazilian's interests, spoke to SportsBoom. AS Roma continue to monitor the talented 2006-born forward, who they reportedly pursued in the summer and who could be targeted again in January if José Mourinho gives the green light. Endrick came on three minutes from the end against Leipzig, and his limited minutes remain an issue Real Madrid must address. Roma's interest is therefore tied to whether the player is willing to leave a club where opportunities are scarce, and to the stance of Mourinho, who would need to approve any move. Yormack said: "Endrick loves Madrid, he loves the team and his teammates, but in the end you have to think about the career, which is short and which Endrick wants to make the most of." He added: "I believe we will have to see how things go from now until the end of the year, before the next transfer window. He is a super talented young player who wants to play. I went to visit him a few weeks ago in Madrid, we had a good chat, he is impatient to play, so we will see what happens."

A column revisits the players Roma linked with last summer and how they have fared since, with the author noting that a winger Gasperini wanted is expected to arrive in January. The piece argues that some of those former targets are now tied down to new contracts and out of reach, making a return unlikely. Jamie Leweling was the most recent name to be discussed before he reportedly pulled back at the end of August, after a couple of weeks of uncertainty that affected his start to the season at Stuttgart, currently fourteenth. He has made only 2 starts in 6 Bundesliga matches, but has regained the trust of Sebastian Hoeness after the international break. In the Champions League he has started 2 of 3 games and scored in the last round at Atlético Madrid. His performances hover around the level of acceptable. Crysencio Summerville chose the Saudi route on 21 July, leaving Roma to sign for 17.3 million euros a season including bonuses. He had been one of Gasperini's favourites. He has 3 goals and 3 assists for Al Hilal in the Saudi league, and was sent off in his only appearance in the Champions League Elite. The author argues Middle Eastern football is not a good yardstick for judging players who choose money over the centre of the sporting world. Endrick has had a limited start to 2026-27. He came on in the last half hour against Roma for Real Madrid under Mourinho and started once, last weekend against Sevilla, before returning to the bench midweek in the Champions League. In total he has played 75 minutes in the league across 2 appearances and 35 minutes in Europe across 2 appearances. Mason Greenwood, rehabilitated at Marseille, has joined Fenerbahçe on a deal worth 11.5 million euros net, including bonuses. He has 4 goals and 2 assists in 8 Süper Lig games, and in the Champions League he scored 1 goal against Slavia Prague and set up 1 against Roma. The author says his quality is not in question, but his choice is. Malik Fofana, whose price was 35 million euros with wages of 3.5 million euros a season including bonuses, has yet to start for Sunderland and has no goals or assists in 120 minutes. The author judges the praise that surrounded him when Roma enquired to have been unjustified. Antonio Nusa is a regular starter at Leipzig, with 9 appearances of 80 minutes each, 6 of 6 in the Bundesliga with 3 goals and 3 assists, and 3 of 3 in the Champions League. The author finds it surprising that English and Spanish clubs have not invested, given the reported 55-60 million euro asking price, while noting he has been inconsistent, with 5 appearances of 12 minutes each. Alejandro Garnacho is struggling to regain form. Emery has described the physical gap with his teammates as still too wide. He has played 35 minutes in 3 Premier League matches and 33 minutes in 2 Champions League games. Gabriel Martinelli was offered to both Roma and Napoli in July and August at around 7 million euros a season plus bonuses. Both clubs considered him without committing. Al Hilal then offered 23 million euros a year. He has 5 goals in 5 league matches and 2 appearances in the Champions League Elite, and the author has no regrets about the figures involved.

Roma's pundits on Rome's radio stations were largely positive about the club's recent results, but they were divided over Mora and the January market. Roberto Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio, said: 'Mora is absolutely not ready for this stage, and Roma must sign Lookman. Do a six-month loan.' He also said Castro does not play when Malen is fit and that Mora did not take advantage of his chance, adding that a striker is needed in January. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo was more worried: 'I said Mora had to play to get used to his teammates, but there is a Mora problem. Do you remember Bojan Krkic? I would not want him to suffer the same fate.' Corsi said Mora was an embarrassment in front of goal, had shot at a photographer and had got everything wrong on Sunday, including his passing. The debate followed a run of matches after the heavy defeat to Real Madrid. Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio said Roma were fortunate to face Genoa and Slovan Bratislava afterwards, as they could restore their mental focus, and that Roma had taken full advantage. He described Slovan as a side who do not belong in the Champions League, suggesting they were better suited to the Europa League or Conference League. Fabio Petruzzi of Rete Sport argued that Roma make their opponents look weak: 'Genoa were weak, Slovan are weak, they are all weak... even Real Madrid were weak until ten minutes from the end. I would start saying Roma are strong.' Alessio Nardo of Tele Radio Stereo said he could hardly recall a smaller side worse than Slovan Bratislava, adding that they could not keep the ball for more than three seconds. David Rossi of Rete Sport praised the defence under Gian Piero Gasperini: 'What impresses me is that the defenders have improved most with Gasperini. Ghilardi started two matches, against Lecce and against Slovan, and I remember him more for what he does in attack than in defence. Ghilardi is a starter now. Hermoso, we did not know who to pin it on, and now he is a leader. Balerdi arrived while Marseille fans were celebrating, and here he is dominant. N'Dicka has improved a lot... Roma have a back line that I believe is the strongest in Italy.' Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport noted that Roma had rotated five starters in defence over the last two matches while conceding no goals. He said the comparison between Malen and Castro and Ferguson and Dovbyk was harsh. Pes argued that Gasperini had not overused Pellegrini, who had started two matches, and said Pellegrini was prone to injury, which he had always been. Pellegrini is now 30, Pes said, and the problems are getting worse. Checco Oddo Casano said Roma should consider the futures of Dybala and Pellegrini in June, after seeing how many matches they had played. The radio hosts agreed that a striker is needed, and Pruzzo said he would name the player to be signed in January. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said he was supporting Manchester United against Como that evening, because a defeat for the English side would leave Roma with a final chance. He also said Roma had regrets about Fenerbahce and Real Madrid, where a result was possible, and warned that Roma could arrive at the third-last match ranked behind others in the table.

Malen and Castro have already outscored Dovbyk and Ferguson's entire Serie A campaign of last season, after just seven matchdays. The two current forwards have scored seven goals between them in Serie A this term, against one from Dovbyk and Ferguson across the whole of 2025-26. Roma have 16 points after seven rounds this season, compared with 15 at the same stage last year, so the points tally is almost identical. The difference lies in the attack. Roma have found the forwards they lacked a year ago, with the Dutchman and the Argentine both scoring and each able to make the difference when the other is missing. Last season, Ferguson and Dovbyk struggled to make an impact and to get shots away. Their combined Serie A tally that year was six goals, a figure Malen and Castro have already surpassed in only seven matches. The two strikers have also combined for nine goals in all competitions this season: eight from the Dutchman and one from the Argentine. Dovbyk and Ferguson were never really an option together, as they were too similar and too cumbersome to make a two-man attack work. Gasperini has preferred to play with a single striker, but that is not a written rule, and the head coach could now change his mind. With Dybala's physical condition a factor, Malen and Castro are in contention to start together from the first minute in the Champions League against Slovan. It would be a test of whether the pair can coexist. Their characteristics differ, but the quality is there. Castro has already shown he deserves a place, scoring a spectacular goal on his first start, and he does not want to be merely an alternative. Gasperini has recognised that. The Argentine has shown he can make an impact, and the big question now is whether Gasperini will field the two of them together against Slovan.

Santiago Castro starts as Roma's number nine for the first time in nearly a year, with Donyell Malen sidelined through suspension. The last Roma striker to hold that role as a starter was Artem Dovbyk in November against Udinese; Malen claimed the position in January. Castro has not scored since a Europa League match against Roma at the Olimpico, a performance that impressed both Gasperini and Francesco Totti, who recommended him to the coach. He has spent the last three matches on the bench, though in the period before the international break he came off the bench regularly and earned applause despite his goal drought. Castro's selection comes after a string of solid performances that earned him a call-up to his national team. The forward comes into the match having hit the woodwork twice against Atalanta. His task today is to end his dry spell while filling the gap left by Malen's absence. Last season, after three matches without a goal, he broke his duck against the same Atalanta side, then managed by Vieira. Castro arrived as the first signing of the most recent transfer window and also the most expensive. He carries heavy expectation to deliver immediately. Several Primavera players are in contention for a squad place. Panico, Arena, and Camara are hopeful of being called up, with the final selection to be confirmed this morning.