Fofana waits and hopes as Chelsea blocks Gittens loan move

Franck Kessié remains without a club after failing to reach a full agreement with Juventus. The 1996-born Ivorian midfielder is also of interest to Roma, though the club must first offload Neil El Aynaoui before making a move for him. El Aynaoui, the Moroccan midfielder, is on the market but has attracted only loan offers so far from Crystal Palace and German clubs. Should Roma sell El Aynaoui permanently, they could pursue Kessié, though the operation would not be straightforward given the salary demands, signing bonus, and agent commissions involved. Both Juventus and Roma face the same financial obstacles in the Kessié saga. According to Corriere della Sera, the deal itself would be prohibitively expensive due to the costs involved. Roma's interest therefore hinges entirely on freeing up resources through an El Aynaoui departure.

Roma have secured the arrival of Argentine defender Balerdi on a loan deal with a conditional right of redemption tied to appearances, worth approximately €20 million in total. The transfer was accelerated by sporting director D'Amico in recent hours as the club continues to reshape its defence ahead of the summer window's closure in three days. Simultaneously, Jan Ziółkowski departed on a season-long loan to Monza, also with a redemption clause fixed at €18 million. Gasperini's squad continues to prioritise reinforcements in defence while keeping attention on the left-sided attacking position. The club may defer investment on the wing until January, given the development of Emanuele Lulli and the pressing need to strengthen the forward line. Roma maintain strong pressure on Chelsea to secure winger Gittens on a loan transfer, with the two clubs in continuous contact to finalise the deal. An alternative target, Fofana, is also under consideration following Lyon's elimination from the Champions League, though the French club's asking price remains substantial and they require immediate payment. Balerdi's move is a loan arrangement with the redemption option conditioned by the number of appearances the defender makes. The clubs are in constant communication to settle all terms of the operation. The article was reported by Lorenzo Pes for Il Tempo.

Roma have shifted their defensive focus and are close to signing Leonardo Balerdi from Marseille as a replacement for Jan Ziółkowski. The Argentine centre-back will join on a paid loan of €1 million with a right of purchase that becomes an obligation once a set number of appearances is reached. Balerdi is an aggressive defender suited to operating in a three-man defence, strong in pressing and building from the back. Director Tony D'Amico and coach Gian Piero Gasperini are familiar with the 24-year-old; both considered him during summer 2024 at Atalanta after facing him in a Europa League semi-final, though that move fell through when Marseille's asking price was too high. Ziółkowski is being loaned out to Monza with a purchase option set at €18 million. The club will now shift their transfer focus entirely to recruiting an offensive left-winger, with Gittens top of their wish list and Fofana remaining in contention for the position.

Roma have secured the arrival of Argentine defender Balerdi on a loan deal with a conditional right of redemption tied to appearances, worth approximately €20 million in total. The transfer was accelerated by sporting director D'Amico in recent hours as the club continues to reshape its defence ahead of the summer window's closure in three days. Simultaneously, Jan Ziółkowski departed on a season-long loan to Monza, also with a redemption clause fixed at €18 million. Gasperini's squad continues to prioritise reinforcements in defence while keeping attention on the left-sided attacking position. The club may defer investment on the wing until January, given the development of Emanuele Lulli and the pressing need to strengthen the forward line. Roma maintain strong pressure on Chelsea to secure winger Gittens on a loan transfer, with the two clubs in continuous contact to finalise the deal. An alternative target, Fofana, is also under consideration following Lyon's elimination from the Champions League, though the French club's asking price remains substantial and they require immediate payment. Balerdi's move is a loan arrangement with the redemption option conditioned by the number of appearances the defender makes. The clubs are in constant communication to settle all terms of the operation. The article was reported by Lorenzo Pes for Il Tempo.

Roma have shifted their defensive focus and are close to signing Leonardo Balerdi from Marseille as a replacement for Jan Ziółkowski. The Argentine centre-back will join on a paid loan of €1 million with a right of purchase that becomes an obligation once a set number of appearances is reached. Balerdi is an aggressive defender suited to operating in a three-man defence, strong in pressing and building from the back. Director Tony D'Amico and coach Gian Piero Gasperini are familiar with the 24-year-old; both considered him during summer 2024 at Atalanta after facing him in a Europa League semi-final, though that move fell through when Marseille's asking price was too high. Ziółkowski is being loaned out to Monza with a purchase option set at €18 million. The club will now shift their transfer focus entirely to recruiting an offensive left-winger, with Gittens top of their wish list and Fofana remaining in contention for the position.

Roma are poised to complete a defensive reshuffle with four days left in the transfer window. Jan Ziółkowski will join Monza on loan with a €18 million purchase option, clearing the way for Gonzalo Balerdi to arrive from Marseille. The 1999-born Argentine, who holds Italian citizenship and captains Marseille, will bring experience to Gasperini's back line and becomes the fifth Argentine in the squad. The deal moves forward after Adriel Oosterwolde's proposed transfer collapsed following his medical at Fenerbahce, to which he has returned. Gasperini still requires two further signings: a left-sided midfielder and a left winger, with the latter the priority. Negotiations with Chelsea over Atalanta's Mateo Gittens have continued, with an intermediary working to persuade the Blues to accept a costly loan with a conditional mandatory purchase totalling over €40 million. Bosnian midfielder Mohamed Fofana remains a target despite his desire to leave Lyon, though a deal for Franck Kessié is judged too expensive. Neil El Aynaoui's agent has fielded only loan offers from clubs in Germany and England. In outgoing moves, Robinio Vaz is close to joining Hull City on a loan worth €2 million with a €30 million purchase option.