Gasperini draws a line: Roma must make sacrifices, but the leaders stay

Roma continue to pursue transfer targets ahead of their squad assembly, which begins tomorrow without new arrivals. Head coach Gasperini hopes to welcome fresh faces in the coming week. Tresoldi has agreed personal terms with Roma and is waiting for the club to move, though Roma must act quickly to fend off rival interest from other clubs. Moreira and Garnacho remain on the radar as alternative targets. The pursuit of Arsenal winger Martinelli, however, is effectively off the table. According to SportItalia, Martinelli is not a concrete objective at present. The Brazilian would only consider leaving Arsenal for a significantly higher salary than what Roma could offer. Although the winger has been offered to Roma and appeals to the club, landing him appears practically impossible in the current market conditions. Roma's transfer strategy thus hinges on accelerating negotiations for Tresoldi while maintaining interest in other attacking options. The window remains active, with Gasperini's squad building set to intensify in the week ahead.

Nicolò Tresoldi, Bruges striker, has signalled his willingness to join Roma, where he would bolster the attack alongside Donyell Malen. Roma are in negotiations with Bruges to lower their asking price, targeting a deal around €25 million. Manu Koné remains a target for Premier League clubs, with Liverpool rekindling their interest after an earlier probe and Manchester United weighing a concrete bid. The French midfielder favours a move to England, but Roma regard him as central to their project. Only an offer near €50 million would convince the club to negotiate. Roma have also announced the consensual termination of Federico Guidi's contract as Primavera coach. The club thanked Guidi for his work developing youth academy players; during his tenure he won a Coppa Italia Primavera, an Italian Primavera Super Cup, and reached the 2024 Scudetto final. Commentary on Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract situation suggests renewal is imminent, with pundit Aspri stating: "I have certainty on Dybala and Celik and also on Lorenzo Pellegrini: I'm putting this card on the table today, there are no problems on this agreement, it just needs fine-tuning. Within today this contract must be announced." Former player Pruzzo offered contrasting views, suggesting Roma would not be overly concerned should Pellegrini leave.

Roma are accelerating their transfer activity ahead of the start of their preseason retreat tomorrow. The club continues to pursue reinforcements tailored to Gian Piero Gasperini's system, with Alexandre Greenwood no longer an option. Alejandro Garnacho remains the priority target for Roma's offensive department, with the club studying a deal structured similarly to the Donyell Malen transfer. Gasperini is untroubled by Garnacho's situation at Manchester United—his contract enters its final year—a lesson learned from Roma's pursuit of Lookman. Roma are also evaluating offers for Diego Moreira from Strasbourg, with the shared ownership structure involving Chelsea potentially working in their favour. Martinelli is unlikely to join, as the Arsenal forward shows no inclination to leave London. On the outbound front, Matías Soulé has attracted substantial Premier League interest, with multiple English clubs making enquiries about the Argentine winger. Roma are holding firm at their €35 million valuation. Manu Koné, the French midfielder, has also drawn attention from elite English sides; after Manchester United's early interest, Liverpool have reignited their pursuit. Roma's recruitment operation is in full swing as the summer window gathers pace.

Gianluca Mancini is making the most of the final weekend of rest before Roma's pre-season begins on Monday 13 July at Trigoria under Gian Piero Gasperini. The defender from Pontedera has been keeping fit by cycling, a passion he has pursued alongside former professional cyclist Marco Cipollini. Cycling and swimming were among Mancini's earliest sporting loves before he chose to pursue football. Mancini is widely recognised as a leader within the squad and a reflection of the supporters' values on the pitch. His contract runs until 2027, and a new deal is now within touching distance. Though Inter had linked with the Roma defender in recent weeks, both player and club are clear in their intention to continue together. The target is an extension through to 2029. Mancini will report to Trigoria with the rest of the Roma squad to begin preparations for the 2026–27 season under Gasperini's direction.

Roma are actively working on two primary attacking targets to strengthen their forward line under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Diego Moreira and Alejandro Garnacho are the club's main priorities, with Tresoldi also under consideration but with lower urgency. The Giallorossi have prepared a €35 million offer as they move forward on these recruitment avenues. Attacking reinforcement is the priority area Gasperini has identified for the squad. Alongside the transfer activity, Roma expect imminent announcements regarding contract renewals for Zeki Çelik, Paulo Dybala, and Gianluca Mancini. Lorenzo Pellegrini's renewal situation will require further time to resolve. On the outgoing side, Manchester United may move for Manu Koné, while Genoa continues to monitor Artem Dovbyk's availability.

Bryan Cristante, 31, has made 364 appearances for Roma over eight years and reflected on the emotional intensity of playing for the Giallorossi in an interview with Sportweek. Born in Friuli and raised in Milan, Cristante has fully embraced Roman culture and the demands of the capital. He highlighted three standout moments in his Roma career: the two Coppa finals—the Conference League victory against Feyenoord and the Europa League defeat to Sevilla on penalties—plus the final day of this season at Verona when the club secured Champions League football, a competition the entire organisation had missed for too long. Cristante emphasised the unique pressure of playing in Rome, where success and failure exist in sharp contrast. "At Roma you pass too quickly from exaltation to depression, one day you're a champion and the next you're hopeless," he noted. He credited the squad's resilience this season in resetting after each match and moving focus to the next fixture, preventing a single poor result from derailing the campaign. As captain alongside Lorenzo Pellegrini and Gianluca Mancini, Cristante takes pride in transmitting a sense of belonging to younger players at a club so deeply connected to its supporters. On his coaches, Cristante praised José Mourinho for bringing concrete winning mentality and charisma, under whom Roma won a cup and lost another on penalties. Gian Piero Gasperini, under whom Cristante previously played at Atalanta, he described as exceptionally strong. When asked what makes him indispensable to every manager, Cristante replied: "I'm a worker. I like going out on the pitch, working every day, and always being on top of things, doing what the coach asks of me. Since I was a boy I've always given everything."

Nicolò Tresoldi, Bruges striker, has signalled his willingness to join Roma, where he would bolster the attack alongside Donyell Malen. Roma are in negotiations with Bruges to lower their asking price, targeting a deal around €25 million. Manu Koné remains a target for Premier League clubs, with Liverpool rekindling their interest after an earlier probe and Manchester United weighing a concrete bid. The French midfielder favours a move to England, but Roma regard him as central to their project. Only an offer near €50 million would convince the club to negotiate. Roma have also announced the consensual termination of Federico Guidi's contract as Primavera coach. The club thanked Guidi for his work developing youth academy players; during his tenure he won a Coppa Italia Primavera, an Italian Primavera Super Cup, and reached the 2024 Scudetto final. Commentary on Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract situation suggests renewal is imminent, with pundit Aspri stating: "I have certainty on Dybala and Celik and also on Lorenzo Pellegrini: I'm putting this card on the table today, there are no problems on this agreement, it just needs fine-tuning. Within today this contract must be announced." Former player Pruzzo offered contrasting views, suggesting Roma would not be overly concerned should Pellegrini leave.

Roma's pre-season gathering at Trigoria begins tomorrow, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini arriving in the morning to oversee operations. Players who featured in the World Cup—Çelik, Malen, Salah-Eddine, El Aynaoui, and N'Dicka—will receive extended leave, while Paulo Dybala is expected to be present. The official squad list will be announced tomorrow morning rather than in advance, delayed until Dybala's contract renewal is formally confirmed. All players are scheduled to report before midday for medical examinations, followed by a training session in the afternoon as the new season officially gets under way. Ryan Friedkin is anticipated to arrive in Rome in the coming days. D'Amico will be present for the start of pre-season, but Lorenzo Pellegrini remains absent after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension.

Paulo Dybala is set to remain at Roma and renew his contract with the Serie A club as Gian Piero Gasperini prepares for his second season in charge. The club's preseason will begin tomorrow at Trigoria, with the Argentina international among the key players the head coach can call upon. Speculation about a potential return to his homeland has been quelled, with the Boca Juniors option ruled out despite reported pressure from his friend Paredes. Dybala posted on social media shortly after returning to Rome, writing a farewell to Argentina: "My country, my land, my family." The message signals his commitment to Roma, with the club expected to announce the formal renewal of his contract in due course. The 30-year-old has become a pivotal figure in Gasperini's project, and his continued presence bolsters the attacking options available to the manager for the forthcoming campaign.

Nicolò Tresoldi, Bruges striker, has signalled his willingness to join Roma, where he would bolster the attack alongside Donyell Malen. Roma are in negotiations with Bruges to lower their asking price, targeting a deal around €25 million. Manu Koné remains a target for Premier League clubs, with Liverpool rekindling their interest after an earlier probe and Manchester United weighing a concrete bid. The French midfielder favours a move to England, but Roma regard him as central to their project. Only an offer near €50 million would convince the club to negotiate. Roma have also announced the consensual termination of Federico Guidi's contract as Primavera coach. The club thanked Guidi for his work developing youth academy players; during his tenure he won a Coppa Italia Primavera, an Italian Primavera Super Cup, and reached the 2024 Scudetto final. Commentary on Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract situation suggests renewal is imminent, with pundit Aspri stating: "I have certainty on Dybala and Celik and also on Lorenzo Pellegrini: I'm putting this card on the table today, there are no problems on this agreement, it just needs fine-tuning. Within today this contract must be announced." Former player Pruzzo offered contrasting views, suggesting Roma would not be overly concerned should Pellegrini leave.

Roma's pre-season gathering at Trigoria begins tomorrow, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini arriving in the morning to oversee operations. Players who featured in the World Cup—Çelik, Malen, Salah-Eddine, El Aynaoui, and N'Dicka—will receive extended leave, while Paulo Dybala is expected to be present. The official squad list will be announced tomorrow morning rather than in advance, delayed until Dybala's contract renewal is formally confirmed. All players are scheduled to report before midday for medical examinations, followed by a training session in the afternoon as the new season officially gets under way. Ryan Friedkin is anticipated to arrive in Rome in the coming days. D'Amico will be present for the start of pre-season, but Lorenzo Pellegrini remains absent after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension.

Radio commentators have offered contrasting views on Lorenzo Pellegrini's absence from Roma's training camp. Aspri stated the midfielder's non-appearance is purely physical rather than a sign of trouble, saying: "The absence of Lorenzo at the gathering I don't see as an alarm; they're telling us the absence is mainly for the physical aspect, he's not yet well and this would not have allowed him to be there even with a contract." Aspri expressed certainty over contract renewals for Dybala, Çelik, and Pellegrini, claiming they require only "special adjustments" and that the project could become fundamental for the 30-year-old captain. Pruzzo offered a starkly different perspective, suggesting Roma would not be troubled if Pellegrini moved elsewhere. "If Roma found itself in another situation with Pellegrini they wouldn't tear their hair out," Pruzzo said. "If he were to change air, Roma wouldn't mind too much—that's my impression. I don't believe the new Roma should be rebuilt around Pellegrini." Bernabai raised concerns about contract delay timelines, noting that as of mid-July neither Çelik nor Dybala had signed, and questioned whether Dybala would be available the following day. Gasperini's focus remains on securing three attacking signings and addressing unresolved contract matters before the competitive season begins.