Galatasaray enters race for Diao as Roma pursue winger options

Roma have begun serious pursuit of Alejandro Garnacho after Chelsea made the Argentine winger available for transfer. The club have already made an initial enquiry, with the main obstacle centring on the structure of any deal. Chelsea are unwilling to entertain a straight loan or loan with purchase option, insisting on a permanent sale to guarantee revenue. Garnacho carries a valuation of approximately €40 million, with 10% of any fee due to Manchester United. Further talks between Roma and Chelsea are expected after the weekend. The 20-year-old has also attracted interest from Napoli and Como, creating competitive pressure on the Rome club. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini hopes to welcome at least one new signing by the first week of pre-season training. The budget earmarked for fellow winger Mason Greenwood could potentially be redirected towards Garnacho, though no new arrivals are anticipated before 13 July.

Roma are working to finalize contract renewals with key players before the start of pre-season training on 13 July, with the club aiming to have all agreements settled by Monday to ensure squad stability. Zeki Çelik is close to completing a three-year extension worth approximately 3 million per season under the Growth Decree, though he will miss the opening days of pre-season due to international commitments. Paulo Dybala has also agreed to fresh terms, expected to arrive in Rome within the next day or two to sign a new one-year deal with an option for a second season, extending his fifth year at the club. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation remains the most complicated. Despite mutual willingness from both the player and the club to continue their partnership, agreement on contract length and wages has not yet been reached. The club is pushing to accelerate negotiations and find common ground in the coming days, with the priority of ensuring Pellegrini arrives at the Monday training camp with his contractual position settled and the wider environment operating without uncertainty.

Bryan Reynolds is set to leave Westerlo and join Rennes in a move worth approximately 5 million euros. AS Roma will pocket around 1 million euros from the transfer thanks to a 25 per cent sell-on clause retained when the American defender was previously sold to the Belgian club. Roma have continued to generate revenue through player sales and future resale percentages as part of their squad restructuring. The Reynolds deal adds to recent transactions involving players no longer central to the club's project. The capital club negotiated the sell-on clause at the time of Reynolds' departure to Westerlo, ensuring a financial stake in any subsequent transfer. The transfer to the French top flight is now complete, with Westerlo receiving the bulk of the 5 million-euro fee. Roma's 25 per cent cut will deliver approximately 1 million euros to the club's coffers.

Radio commentators have weighed in on Roma's transfer activity ahead of the January window, with particular focus on midfielder Manu Koné and attacking targets. Marcacci told Radio Radio that Moreira is a player perfectly aligned with Gasperini's tactical approach, though his market value has risen following World Cup exposure. He also mentioned alternatives including Nusa, Garnacho, and Tresoldi, while noting that Mason Greenwood's wages are beyond reach for Italian clubs despite his Champions League absence with Fenerbahçe. Koné's situation appears more complex. According to Pes on TeleradioStereo, the midfielder's valuation has climbed from 40 million to 50 million euros, with Premier League clubs regarded as the likeliest destination. Pes stated: "The ambition of Koné seems clear: he wants to try something else." Ranieri, former manager, had previously indicated Gasperini was open to Koné's departure to finance attacking reinforcements, though the coach later cited available options including Malen and Wesley. Fidanza and Ciotti both expressed reluctance at losing Koné but acknowledged that if a sale occurs, it should not fall below 50 million euros and should strengthen the squad elsewhere. Ciotti suggested Koné might become a starter in the semi-final following his recent France performance, while Soulé's future depends on Gasperini's technical preference for alternative attacking profiles.

Roma are working to strengthen their attack for Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of the new season, with Tony D'Amico shifting focus after the Mason Greenwood path closed. Alejandro Garnacho, the Chelsea winger, has emerged as a primary target and is a profile that interests the club significantly, though negotiations are complex. Chelsea are insisting on a permanent sale and have ruled out the loan formula Roma would prefer at this stage. Gasperini has explicitly requested reinforcements and his tactical setup calls for the arrival of two wingers and a deputy to Donyell Malen. The sale of Artem Dovbyk remains a key step to free up resources and squad space. Should the Ukrainian striker depart, Roma have already secured the approval of Nicolò Tresoldi from Bruges, who is ready to join the Giallorossi. Meanwhile, the club is completing a technical staff overhaul with new additions beyond already-announced arrivals Pilati (fitness coach), Del Vescovo (head of medical) and Sbravati (technical collaborator). Leonardo Carletti will join as match analyst and Mario De Tora as osteopath. Fan enthusiasm is running high: just two days after the subscription campaign opened, 16,000 supporters have already renewed their season ticket.

Paulo Dybala's 2025–26 campaign at AS Roma was defined by injury, uncertainty, and an unlikely climax. The Argentine winger suffered a left hamstring tear on 16 March 2025, requiring surgery in spring, and remained unavailable under Claudio Ranieri. Under new head coach Gian Piero Gasperini—who had managed Dybala at Palermo—he returned quickly. After appearing in the first three matches, Dybala went down again on 21 September, then returned for Roma's October fixture against Fiorentina, which left the champions at the top of the table. He marked a personal milestone with his 200th career goal in a home defeat to Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League, but suffered a setback when he missed a penalty in Roma's 1–0 loss to Milan on an early November visit to the San Siro. A more severe blow came on 25 January during the return clash with Milan; what appeared a minor injury became a long ordeal, leading to a second surgery on 6 March and minimal hope of playing before the season ended. Renewal talks stalled as Roma's form collapsed, falling out of the cups and away from Champions League contention by April. Public discontent mounted among supporters, some turning on the player himself. Yet Roma won six of their final seven league matches. Dybala returned for the last four games and, partnered with Donyell Malen, shouldered the attack. With victory at Parma, he signalled his willingness to renew. A 2-0 Champions League qualification confirmed, and on the final day against Verona, he provided an assist for Malen—his contract now expired and renewal imminent.