Gasperini and Friedkin align on Roma's transfer strategy: continuity over revolution

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini seized a rest day for Roma to visit the coast at Santa Severa, where he enjoyed a fish lunch with sporting director Tony D'Amico and the club's coaching staff. Mattia Scala, Roma's Primavera coach, was also present at the gathering. The group's meal was documented by local restaurant Isola del Pescatore, which shared photographs of the occasion on social media. The outing came during a scheduled day off for the squad and allowed Gasperini and his backroom team to unwind away from the training ground. The relaxed setting provided a rare opportunity for the coaching staff to spend time together outside the intensity of match preparation and tactical work.

Gian Piero Gasperini used Roma's scheduled rest day to unwind at a beachfront restaurant in Santa Severa, north of Rome, alongside his technical staff and new sporting director Tony D'Amico. The outing came after the opening phase of pre-season training at Trigoria, offering the coach and his team a few hours away from the intensity of preparation work. Gasperini took charge of Roma ahead of the 2025–26 season and has been overseeing early summer training sessions at the club's Trigoria base. The relaxation break preceded a return to focus on tactical development and the club's ongoing transfer business, with the pursuit of a summer signing entering its decisive phase.

AS Roma's Curva Sud has announced plans for the club's 99th anniversary celebrations, calling supporters to gather at Piazza San Silvestro on the night of 21 July at 22:30. The ultras group issued guidance for the event, requesting families attend while discouraging the use of firecrackers and bombons. "The appointment for AS Roma's 99 years is now at our doorstep," the message stated. "Roma is ours. Let us demonstrate it once more. Forward Romanisti!" The Curva Sud appealed for civility during the night of celebration, particularly regarding the use of smoke bombs and torches, urging supporters to keep the streets clean as the procession passes through the capital. The 22 July date marks the official date of Roma's founding, making the 21 July evening gathering a traditional moment for fans to honour the club's colours and history throughout Rome.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is set to sign a new contract with AS Roma within the coming days, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini awaiting the midfielder's signature. The outline terms have been agreed and only final administrative details remain before completion. The new deal will run until June 2028 and carry an annual salary of €2.5 million. It will also include an automatic renewal option to extend the agreement through to 2029, following the same stability framework Roma previously applied in Gianluca Mancini's renewal. The extension moves will definitively end speculation over Pellegrini's future and remove any possibility of his departure from the club.

AS Roma is close to finalizing a new contract with Lorenzo Pellegrini after the midfielder rejected approaches from Juventus and Besiktas. The club's hierarchy expressed strong confidence in sealing the extension within the coming week, ending speculation over his future at the club. The broad terms of the agreement have been settled, with only final administrative details remaining before signatures. Pellegrini will receive a new deal running until June 2028 on wages of €2.5 million per year. The contract will include an automatic renewal option to extend the agreement through to 2029, mirroring the approach Roma adopted for Gianluca Mancini's recent renewal.

Roma's 2026–27 season officially began with a 6–0 friendly win over the Primavera under Mattia Scala, played in four 20-minute periods. Paulo Dybala and Artem Dovbyk scored twice each, with Matías Soulé and Bryan Cristante also on the scoresheet under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Crysencio Summerville is emerging as Roma's primary summer transfer target. The club has reached a tentative agreement with the Dutch winger but must negotiate with West Ham, who rejected an initial offer of €40 million plus €5 million in bonuses. Roma are preparing a counter-bid and are considering paying the €53 million release clause in Summerville's contract. The player has reportedly reduced his wage demands, with Roma offering €4 million annually plus bonuses to seal the deal. Meanwhile, director D'Amico continues working to secure contract renewals for Gasperini's squad. Gianluca Mancini, Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante have all signed new deals, but Lorenzo Pellegrini's renewal remains unsigned. Roma supporters have displayed a banner at Trigoria urging the club to complete Pellegrini's contract: "Making a mistake can happen, repeating it means negligence. Let's hold Lorenzo tight." The message echoes concerns over Zeki Çelik's summer departure to Juventus. Elsewhere, Manu Koné has attracted interest from Manchester United and other top European clubs following strong displays at the World Cup; Roma will not consider offers below €50–60 million, having rejected Atlético Madrid's €43 million bid in June.

Spain and Argentina face off in the World Cup final, with the Spanish seeking their second world title after 2010 and Argentina pursuing a fourth star and back-to-back victories. Ahead of Roma's training session against the Primavera this morning, the club's players declared their allegiances. The majority of the Roma squad will support Argentina and Messi. Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé lead the Argentine contingent, joined by Bryan Cristante, Daniele Ghilardi, Niccolò Pisilli, Mile Svilar, Artem Dovbyk, Devyne Rensch, and Gianluca Mancini. Mancini also sent a message to his former Roma teammate Leandro Paredes: "Vamos Leandro". On Spain's side, Jan Ziółkowski, Hermoso, and Angeliño will be backing the Spanish, with one additional Roma player from the Spanish camp also expressing support for las furias rojas.

Argentina and Spain will contest the 2026 World Cup final on 19 July at 21:00, with the European champions facing the champions of South America in a match laden with historical significance. The fixture pits Lionel Scaloni's Argentina against Luis de la Fuente's Spain, and will see a generational duel between Lionel Messi and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal. AS Roma surveyed its squad on their preference for the final through a social media video. The vote was decisive: Argentina emerged as the favourite 8-2. Among Roma's players, Bryan Cristante, Matías Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Mile Svilar all backed Argentina, reflecting the giallorossi's leaning toward the South American side ahead of the showpiece.

AS Roma asked its squad members to reveal which team they will support in tonight's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, kicking off at 21:00 in New York. The club's social media campaign featured responses from Bryan Cristante, Jan Ziółkowski, Matías Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Niccolò Pisilli, Mile Svilar, and Gianluca Mancini among others. Mancini, the club's number 23, backed his former teammate Leandro Paredes with the message: "Vamos Leandro!" The Argentina contingent within Roma's squad showed their colours during the exercise, with both Dybala and Soulé participating in the video responses. The engagement reflects the global reach of Roma's playing staff, with strong connections to both European and South American football. The campaign concluded with Argentina ultimately prevailing among the respondents, though the article emphasises that the pitch will ultimately decide the true winner of the match.