Gasperini criticises transfer window timing; De Rossi backs Roma boss

Roma have made their opening move for Porto winger Rodrigo Mora, submitting a proposal to the Portuguese club for a loan deal worth €5 million with a €45 million purchase option. The Serie A side hopes for a response from Porto in the coming days as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini seeks to strengthen his attacking options. Mora's future became a talking point after Roma's interest emerged, but Porto manager Francesco Farioli moved to dampen speculation in a press conference. Farioli stated: "Only one player has come to speak to me about the possibility of leaving. I know there's another who would like to depart, but Rodrigo is not part of either of those cases." The Porto boss added: "It's not the time to discuss individual situations, because we have a match tomorrow. I know the transfer market can be a source of distraction: some players might think about different destinations or their role here at Porto, but everyone can rest assured. Whoever stays will have their opportunities in all competitions." Porto opened their league campaign against Alverca, with Mora left on the bench despite being central to transfer speculation.

Roma suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Brighton at the end of their pre-season training camp, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini critical of the display. The defence was disorganised and repeatedly caught out, prompting Gasperini to consider wholesale changes at half-time. He identified a fundamental problem: the squad has not yet regained the intensity and competitive edge that brought them third place last season. "It's as if this team struggles to switch back on," Gasperini said, reflecting on a performance he labelled "dire". The coach acknowledged that his rebuild is progressing slower than hoped. Addressing the transfer market, Gasperini outlined the direction Roma will pursue under sporting director D'Amico: signings must be both young and elite. That blueprint already mirrors the club's recent activity—both completed moves and deals that fell through in recent weeks—indicating a clear strategic shift toward building a squad with immediate quality and long-term potential. Gasperini's comments signal his desire to accelerate recruitment, having expected to be further along in the summer window by this point. The Brighton result underscored his concern that the current group lacks cohesion and sharpness as the competitive season approaches.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has pledged his long-term future to AS Roma, commenting "for love" on social media as he begins outdoor training today following a late-May setback. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed the captain will be sidelined for at least another month as he works to regain full fitness after Roma's 3-0 defeat at Brighton. When asked whether Roma have strengthened their squad this summer, Gasperini deferred judgment. "I don't know, you tell me," he said. "Even counting up, I think there's still a need for something, but we all know that." The club continues to pursue left-winger targets, though negotiations for Leipzig's Nusa have stalled, and Lyon's Fofana represents another complicated avenue. Progress on Torino's Cacciamani for the midfield flank position has also failed to materialise, while Salah-Eddine remains unavailable after rejecting a move to Olympiacos. On possible departures, Gasperini declined to rule them out but redirected the question to new chief executive Galantic: "There is a new chief executive officer; you can ask him what Roma can or cannot do."