Frattesi not a Roma target, Pedullà clarifies amid Inter exit speculation

Roma will not return to Rome after their Serie A trip to Udine, instead travelling straight on to Manchester for their Champions League fixture against Manchester United on 3 November. Roma face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00. Angelo Mangiante, speaking on Mana Mana Sport, reported that the squad will train in Udine on Sunday morning, before leaving from Trieste airport for Manchester in the afternoon, in order to ease the travel burden of an intense week of league and Champions League matches. The transfer market is also on the agenda. Roma are looking to broaden the options available to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, and Carlos Forbs, a Portuguese attacking winger born in 2002 who plays for Brugge, is reportedly among the profiles being monitored. Roma have reportedly sent scouts to San Siro to watch Forbs in the match against Inter and assess the player closely. Competition is strong, however, with Tottenham and Manchester United, along with other Premier League clubs, also reportedly interested. Brugge set a valuation of around 30 million euros in the summer, a figure that could still form the basis of any negotiation. Gasperini was also remembered in a tribute to the late journalist Mario Sconcerti, at the second edition of the award dedicated to him, held at the Salone d'Onore of the CONI in Rome and aimed at younger generations. Gasperini sent a video message to the students present, highlighting the value of Sconcerti's professional legacy: "A warning about what his profession was, his capacity. It is a lesson that will stay with you in your future profession." Following Roma's recent match against Cagliari, Marcacci spoke on Radio Radio: "Mora was good: full credit to him, for taking advantage of the defender's mistake from Cagliari. We will remember Mora's goal at the end of the season, because it came at a moment when Cagliari had more energy in the tank. Gasp's rebukes started from the first minutes: he sensed the match would be difficult, and Roma suffered against Cagliari. Mancini struggled and leaves too much space behind him. A note of credit for the crowd, who were involved; the team needed that push." Pedrelli, on Radio Bruno Roma, added: "With Lulli and Pisilli the future is already here. I wish Mora and Ghilardi more space. Well done also to Gollini. What a Roma this is, who keep trying until the end. No one excluded."

Giallorossi.net has proposed Lille midfielder Ngal'ayel Mukau as a possible target for AS Roma, presenting him as a powerful, dynamic option who could offer some of the qualities of Manu Koné, the midfielder Gian Piero Gasperini already has at the club. The piece is part of its "Consigli per gli acquisti" (Transfer Advice) series, which this time widens the search beyond an offensive winger and a left-sided wing-back to a central midfielder who can win duels, recover possession and break lines with the ball at his feet. Mukau was born in Antwerp on 3 November 2004. He is 21, stands 1.86 metres tall and is a natural left-footed player. He mainly operates as a central midfielder or defensive midfielder but has the profile of a true box-to-box player. Lille signed him from KV Mechelen in the summer of 2024 for around €5 million. He has already gained experience in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, and he came to wider attention in Europe's top competition in November 2024, scoring a decisive brace in Lille's win at Bologna. The article identifies volume of play as his first quality. He covers a lot of ground, is aggressive in winning the ball back and has the build and athleticism to hold his own in midfield battles. He is not only a ball-winner, though: once he regains possession he tends to carry it forward and look immediately for a vertical pass. The author argues that this mix of physicality and the ability to advance with the ball is what makes him interesting for Roma. The comparison with Koné, however, needs careful handling. Mukau is currently less explosive and less effective in one-on-one situations than the Frenchman, who has a particular ability to resist pressure and escape challenges by carrying the ball. The Lille player is more direct, but he has height, intensity, a left foot and plenty of room to improve. The article stresses that Mukau is not a talent to be left waiting for years. He has already faced high-level European matches, and in the 2026-27 Champions League he has made three appearances so far, two of them as a starter. He still has much to improve in attacking output: goals and assists are not his natural currency, and he needs to be more decisive in the final thirty metres and speed up some decisions when pressed. Even so, at 21 the author believes he already has an athletic and tactical base on which Gasperini could work a great deal. Mukau's contract with Lille runs until June 2028. Transfermarkt currently values him at around €15 million, while other models put his value between €15 million and €19 million. Earlier in the year, in the face of interest from several Premier League clubs, valuations of at least €20 million had circulated in France. The article says a deal would not be an economic bargain, but it would not be out of scale for a Roma side aiming to consolidate its place in the Champions League. It also notes that Lille have historically been willing to develop and sell their talents when the right offer arrives. The author concludes that Mukau is not yet Manu Koné and it would be wrong to sell him as such, but the profile is appealing: 21 years old, 1.86 metres, left-footed, physical, intense, good at winning the ball back, vertical in possession and already experienced in the Champions League. Whether alongside Koné or as an alternative who keeps strength and dynamism in Roma's midfield, the article argues he is one of the profiles worth pursuing before his price rises further.

Roma are monitoring Portuguese winger Carlos Forbs, currently at Club Brugge, as sporting director Tony D'Amico looks to add another wide option to the squad. According to the specialist portal TransferFeed, Roma sent scouts to San Siro to watch Brugge's match against Inter. The club are looking to strengthen Gian Piero Gasperini's squad after a strong start to the season, with the aim of extending the rotations into the final part of the campaign. Forbs, born in 2002, is not the only club interested. Several Premier League sides are also tracking the player, including Tottenham and Manchester United. In August, Brugge reportedly valued Forbs at around €30 million, a figure that is not expected to differ greatly from their current asking price.

Roma's centre-backs have been a major source of goals this season, accounting for almost 25 per cent of the club's total across all competitions, despite some recent lapses in league and cup outings. Gasperini's defenders have scored 31 goals in twelve matches in all competitions, making them a decisive attacking weapon as well as a source of solidity. Leonardo Balerdi scored a decisive brace at the Maradona, while young Ghilardi has quickly established himself as a valid alternative and has been a starter in recent games. Ndicka, Mancini and Hermoso also feature in the rotation, with Hermoso sidelined only by a physical complaint. The injury picture remains important ahead of a congested run of fixtures, with Udinese and the Champions League coming up in quick succession. Mile Svilar is ready to return from his finger injury, but while he works to regain his best form, Pierluigi Gollini will keep goal for the trip to Friuli. Paulo Dybala has no chance of a quick return. The Argentine forward suffered a new setback caused by an oedema that revealed a calf lesion, forcing him to miss the Champions League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The medical staff do not want to take any risks, and have set his target for a return to action for the Serie A match against Sassuolo.

Former Roma player Zibi Boniek believes Lazio's strong start to the season is helping to keep Roma sharp, given the rivalry between the two Rome clubs. Roma and Lazio are both sitting high in the table after the opening stretch of the league season, something that has not happened for several years. Speaking to 'Rete Sport', Boniek said: "The stronger Lazio go, the more Roma will maintain their level of concentration to do just as well, given the city rivalry." The Polish former player, a Serie A champion with Roma, praised Lazio's head coach Gattuso: "I adore him, because he is a real person who doesn't hide and says what he thinks: he is a good coach. If he gets too many points he becomes unpleasant (laughs)." On Lazio's play, Boniek added: "Lazio play well. I saw them yesterday against Sassuolo. They are a very fast team that always goes vertical with lots of overlaps, and they don't play any tiki-taka." Turning to Roma, Boniek described a match that looked closed before a late goal from Mora, whom he said had shown little before. "The Portuguese is a player with good individual technique, but his physical structure had not helped him. I hope this goal can raise his level of self-esteem." He said Roma started well but slowed in the second half, believing they could hold on, and conceded to Maldini. The immediate response from the giallorossi, he said, shows that players on the bench can make a difference. He praised Ghilardi for a cross and an overlap, despite playing little. Boniek noted that the first-choice defensive trio is Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso, but said that former Verona player Balerdi is a player of real calibre. He asked whether Mancini might move to the bench for Balerdi, adding that he has almost become the first striker. He also said there is much of Mancini in Pisilli's second goal, with Mancini's pass setting up Lulli, whose cross found Niccolò. On the team selection, Boniek said: "Yesterday he was tricked by Fadera, but I am not sending anyone to the bench. Clearly if there are 20 players of equal level, you have to assess who is tired, but Gasperini does this very well. He then brought on Ghilardi, who passed a decisive ball to Mora." Finally, Boniek spoke about Soulé, a 2003-born player: "He is changing. When you train with a good coach, you improve. He is also more resilient now. Players grow at 26-27, let alone at his age. Yesterday I liked him very much."

Roma will not return to Rome after their Serie A trip to Udine, instead travelling straight on to Manchester for their Champions League fixture against Manchester United on 3 November. Roma face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00. Angelo Mangiante, speaking on Mana Mana Sport, reported that the squad will train in Udine on Sunday morning, before leaving from Trieste airport for Manchester in the afternoon, in order to ease the travel burden of an intense week of league and Champions League matches. The transfer market is also on the agenda. Roma are looking to broaden the options available to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, and Carlos Forbs, a Portuguese attacking winger born in 2002 who plays for Brugge, is reportedly among the profiles being monitored. Roma have reportedly sent scouts to San Siro to watch Forbs in the match against Inter and assess the player closely. Competition is strong, however, with Tottenham and Manchester United, along with other Premier League clubs, also reportedly interested. Brugge set a valuation of around 30 million euros in the summer, a figure that could still form the basis of any negotiation. Gasperini was also remembered in a tribute to the late journalist Mario Sconcerti, at the second edition of the award dedicated to him, held at the Salone d'Onore of the CONI in Rome and aimed at younger generations. Gasperini sent a video message to the students present, highlighting the value of Sconcerti's professional legacy: "A warning about what his profession was, his capacity. It is a lesson that will stay with you in your future profession." Following Roma's recent match against Cagliari, Marcacci spoke on Radio Radio: "Mora was good: full credit to him, for taking advantage of the defender's mistake from Cagliari. We will remember Mora's goal at the end of the season, because it came at a moment when Cagliari had more energy in the tank. Gasp's rebukes started from the first minutes: he sensed the match would be difficult, and Roma suffered against Cagliari. Mancini struggled and leaves too much space behind him. A note of credit for the crowd, who were involved; the team needed that push." Pedrelli, on Radio Bruno Roma, added: "With Lulli and Pisilli the future is already here. I wish Mora and Ghilardi more space. Well done also to Gollini. What a Roma this is, who keep trying until the end. No one excluded."