Gasperini grants Roma four days' rest, cancels training session

Roman radio stations hosted debate on Roma's transfer strategy, with commentary focused on a potential January move for a midfielder. Piero Torri, speaking on Manà Manà Sport, raised questions about the timing and readiness of Kvernadze as a target. "I don't know if Kvernadze is the right player for January," Torri said. "You have to understand if Gasperini wants a ready-made player, or if he's happy with a gamble. The player seems interesting, seems like a Gasperini type—but is he ready? I don't know what fee Frosinone will ask for now, I think €20–25 million. If you move quickly, the price can't rise much further. But you'll also need to see what Uefa tells Roma in mid-November, and where Roma sits in December." Lorenzo Pes, also on air, defended Roma's recent decision to allow a young midfielder to leave, citing the strength of the club's academy. "Every so often you have to make a choice on young players," Pes said on Tele Radio Stereo. "The coach probably felt protected at midfield by those he had. Romano wanted to play and would have been the fifth midfielder here. You could have loaned him out, but this opportunity came up and in the end you made that choice. When you have an academy as productive as this one, it's inevitable you lose sight of someone occasionally. Keeping control over all the young players becomes difficult." The discussion underscored the dual pressures Roma faces: balancing academy development against first-team needs, and timing potential moves to suit both sporting and financial circumstance.

Nahuel Molina has become one of Gasperini's most dangerous players in Roma's opening Serie A fixtures, proving to be a decisive summer acquisition for €13 million. The Argentine has demonstrated his impact through aggressive ball recovery in advanced positions—notably helping create Manu Koné's opening goal—and his consistent threat from distance. After five league matches, Molina ranks among Serie A's best for chances created (2.9 per 90 minutes, behind only Dybala and Wesley in giallorosso), ball recoveries (5.04 per 90), and possessions won in the opponent's third (0.78 per 90), according to Sofascore data. Roma have finally secured a right-sided threat matching Gasperini's tactical demands, addressing a weakness from last season when the club saw only sporadic contributions from a combination of Zeki Çelik and Kostas Tsimikas on that flank. Alongside other key acquisitions—Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala and Leonardo Balerdi—Molina is reshaping the team's profile. Some observers outside Rome had already suggested he represented a downgrade compared to Çelik, but offensive and defensive statistics offer no room for interpretation. Molina's record through early September demonstrates substantial improvement across all phases: key passes, dribbling, expected assists, ball recoveries and possessions won in the advanced third all favour the Argentine over his predecessor.

Roma are already eyeing moves in the January transfer window, with sporting director Tony D'Amico closely tracking two promising Serie A prospects: Giorgi Kvernadze of Frosinone and Darryl Bakola of Sassuolo. No formal approaches or negotiations have been opened, but both players have entered the club's radar as potential additions within head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's system. Kvernadze, 23, is a left-winger from Georgia with a right foot, standing 188 centimetres tall and contracted to Frosinone until 2028. His season has already attracted major clubs' attention, with three Serie A goals, two Coppa Italia goals and two assists. He plays predominantly from the left flank but drifts infield, combining superior physical build for an offensive winger with acceleration, stamina and goal-attacking threat. Frosinone value him at close to €25 million—a steep asking price relative to his current market standing and one likely to fluctuate with his form across the season. Bakola, born in 2007, represents a longer-term investment. He arrived at Sassuolo from Olympique Marseille in February 2026 and operates as a right-sided midfielder with strong attacking ambitions. He can play as a box-to-box midfielder, playmaker or central midfielder, combining close ball control, vertical passing and ability to evade pressure through dribbling and direction changes. He has been likened to Roma midfielder Manu Koné structurally, though the French player remains notably more complete and developed. For now, Roma's interest amounts to observation only. January remains distant and no official contact has been made with Frosinone or Sassuolo.

Nahuel Molina has become one of Gasperini's most dangerous players in Roma's opening Serie A fixtures, proving to be a decisive summer acquisition for €13 million. The Argentine has demonstrated his impact through aggressive ball recovery in advanced positions—notably helping create Manu Koné's opening goal—and his consistent threat from distance. After five league matches, Molina ranks among Serie A's best for chances created (2.9 per 90 minutes, behind only Dybala and Wesley in giallorosso), ball recoveries (5.04 per 90), and possessions won in the opponent's third (0.78 per 90), according to Sofascore data. Roma have finally secured a right-sided threat matching Gasperini's tactical demands, addressing a weakness from last season when the club saw only sporadic contributions from a combination of Zeki Çelik and Kostas Tsimikas on that flank. Alongside other key acquisitions—Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala and Leonardo Balerdi—Molina is reshaping the team's profile. Some observers outside Rome had already suggested he represented a downgrade compared to Çelik, but offensive and defensive statistics offer no room for interpretation. Molina's record through early September demonstrates substantial improvement across all phases: key passes, dribbling, expected assists, ball recoveries and possessions won in the advanced third all favour the Argentine over his predecessor.

Radio commentators in Rome have offered contrasting assessments of Rodrigo Mora's early impact at the club, with debate centring on his game-time and development compared to fellow midfielder Matías Soulé. Chiara Ciotti argued on Radio Romanista that Soulé is preferred because he has established an understanding with Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, and that sharing space with Mora complicates the dynamic. Stefano Impallomeni called for patience with the Portuguese player, saying: "Mora has important qualities, but you have to be patient. I hope he can show us what he can do. I was very intrigued by him, especially with his tight play. He still needs to build himself up and consolidate himself. Away from goal I'm not sure if he can become like Papu Gómez." Davide Fidanza suggested Mora requires further development and positioning closer to goal. He drew a parallel with Niccolò Pisilli, whose growth over three years has been substantial, and noted a physical difference in that trajectory. Fidanza added: "Mora lives on instinct, he has important plays, but sporadic ones. Soulé is tactically more complete—he may make fewer technical touches but he communicates more fluidly with his teammates and is much more decisive during the match."

Abel Balbo, the former Roma striker, has praised the club's attacking prowess in an interview with Il Messaggero, backing them to challenge for the Serie A title this season. Balbo said Roma are "beautiful to watch, entertaining and getting results" and predicted "an extraordinary campaign", though he acknowledged Inter remain the stronger squad overall. "Roma is the only one that can compete for the title," he said. Balbo reserved special praise for Dybala and Malen's partnership. On Malen specifically, he said: "He is a simple and effective player and the most difficult thing in football is to play with simplicity and he does it better than anyone. He's quick, he knows how to move, he attacks spaces, he sees goal easily. He is outstanding. He scores goals the way great strikers do." Balbo highlighted Malen's versatility: "He scores in every way. With great play or as he did against Torino by shooting from the ground. The striker is like that — he doesn't care how he puts the ball in the net as long as he scores and reaches the objective." When asked if Malen could surpass the 36-goal record held by Higuain and Immobile, Balbo said: "It's difficult to maintain that goal average but if others have managed it why can't he? I wish it for him because if he does it means Roma would get close to or even actually win the title." On Dybala, Balbo added: "Paulo is a champion and he always improves. This year he is doing extraordinary work, with him on the pitch the team flows better. He is magic and fantasy." Balbo also noted the importance of Roma's Argentine contingent, saying they bring "character and quality" and a "winning mentality that they transmit to the group."

Marten de Roon has arrived at Roma as Gasperini's trusted tactical lieutenant, and the international break is proving a crucial period for the midfielder to regain full match fitness. The Dutch midfielder joined on the final day of the transfer window after nine seasons at Atalanta, where he became Gasperini's go-to figure on the pitch. De Roon came to the capital with little playing time under his belt from his previous spell at Atalanta, and Gasperini has managed his minutes carefully in the opening weeks of the season to allow him to build back to peak condition. The technical staff regard him as a player of absolute quality—Gasperini described him as far from a "worn-out shoe"—and de Roon will alternate with Bryan Cristante in midfield as Roma face seven matches in eighteen days during October. De Roon has quickly made an impression since arriving at Trigoria, becoming a point of reference for the club's younger players thanks to his understanding of dressing-room dynamics. His game is built on relentless running, winning duels, launching counterattacks and making effective late runs into the penalty box. He averages 11 kilometres covered per match, providing a substantial contribution of experience that guarantees stability and tactical continuity to the team from the resumption of the league campaign onwards. The midfielder's playing style and accumulated know-how represent added value of the highest order for Gasperini's project.

Marten De Roon has played 361 matches under Gian Piero Gasperini — more than any other player in the world — and the midfielder's integration at Roma will be defined not by tactical learning but by physical fitness. De Roon arrived at Trigoria without having played minutes in the early part of the season under his previous manager, prompting Gasperini to use him cautiously. The international break, however, offers a chance to rebuild his athletic condition to match the high-intensity football Gasperini demands, with his role in the squad rotation set to increase substantially from October onward. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the plan is to alternate De Roon primarily with Bryan Cristante, forming a midfield pairing with either Manu Koné or Niccolò Pisilli. Rather than a rigid hierarchy, Gasperini will deploy flexible combinations that allow tactical adjustment and energy management without sacrificing balance. At 35, De Roon represents an investment in the present, not the future — unlike younger squad members such as Mora, Castro, or Koulierakis. He brings experience, reading of the game, personality, and an almost automatic understanding of what Gasperini demands on the pitch. For a coach seeking to "play in twenty" — using a deep squad across many matches — having such a player provides a shortcut. De Roon does not need to learn the system; he simply needs to regain his legs to execute it. He has already built a strong relationship with his Dutch compatriot Donyell Malen, and his prior knowledge of Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante has made his entry into the dressing room feel natural. By observation, he appears to have been at Roma far longer than a few weeks. The fixture list after the break is designed to accelerate his integration. Between Serie A and Champions League, Roma face a congested schedule that will make it impossible to demand everything constantly from Cristante, Koné, and other midfielders. In Europe, De Roon's extensive international experience under Gasperini — understanding rhythm, moment management, and composure in high-stakes matches — will prove invaluable. From October onward, he could finally become the certainty Roma needs.

Marten de Roon has arrived at Roma as Gian Piero Gasperini's most trusted lieutenant. The 35-year-old Dutch midfielder transferred to the club on the final day of the summer window after nine seasons at Atalanta, where he became Gasperini's preferred embodiment of his football — a tireless engine and tempo-setter. De Roon did not play a minute for Atalanta under Maurizio Sarri, which explains why Gasperini has used him sparingly since arrival. Now, with the international break providing crucial recovery time, de Roon is settling into the rhythms of Roma and preparing to make his mark on the supporters. For Gasperini, de Roon represents a tactical guarantee: an experienced, complete midfielder capable of rotating with Bryan Cristante as Roma face a congested schedule from October onwards — seven matches in eighteen days. De Roon's game rests on incessant running (averaging 11 kilometres per match), winning duels, launching counter-attacks and timely box incursions that occasionally yield goals. He has already earned the respect of his teammates and younger players, who regard him as a reference point. His knowledge of Gasperini's requirements and the dressing-room dynamics, forged over nearly a decade together, positions him as a guarantee of tactical equilibrium. De Roon has already made 43 appearances for Roma — third-most on the club's appearance list behind Paulo Dybala (53) and ahead of Nahuel Molina (37), Donyell Malen and Mario Hermoso (31 each). His experience will be essential as Roma prepare to face Real Madrid at the Stadio Olimpico on 14 October.

Nahuel Molina has become one of Gasperini's most dangerous players in Roma's opening Serie A fixtures, proving to be a decisive summer acquisition for €13 million. The Argentine has demonstrated his impact through aggressive ball recovery in advanced positions—notably helping create Manu Koné's opening goal—and his consistent threat from distance. After five league matches, Molina ranks among Serie A's best for chances created (2.9 per 90 minutes, behind only Dybala and Wesley in giallorosso), ball recoveries (5.04 per 90), and possessions won in the opponent's third (0.78 per 90), according to Sofascore data. Roma have finally secured a right-sided threat matching Gasperini's tactical demands, addressing a weakness from last season when the club saw only sporadic contributions from a combination of Zeki Çelik and Kostas Tsimikas on that flank. Alongside other key acquisitions—Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala and Leonardo Balerdi—Molina is reshaping the team's profile. Some observers outside Rome had already suggested he represented a downgrade compared to Çelik, but offensive and defensive statistics offer no room for interpretation. Molina's record through early September demonstrates substantial improvement across all phases: key passes, dribbling, expected assists, ball recoveries and possessions won in the advanced third all favour the Argentine over his predecessor.

Roma's squad has increased in value by approximately €150 million over the past year, driven by Gian Piero Gasperini's management since his appointment. The club has returned to the Champions League after a seven-year absence, and the upturn extends beyond the pitch into the club's finances. Gasperini, who built a successful nine-year project at Atalanta, is repeating that model at Roma, with improvements visible across every department of the squad. Mile Svilar arrived on a free transfer and remains unchanged in value as an integral goalkeeper, while Evan N'Dicka, also a free signing, is now valued at €35 million. Mario Hermoso has been transformed from a surplus player into a defensive cornerstone worth €15 million. Gianluca Mancini's value has climbed to €25 million, and Leonardo Balerdi, a recent arrival, has already proven his calibre and reclaimed his place in Argentina's squad. Wesley, signed last summer for €25 million, has attracted a €40 million offer from Chelsea that Roma rejected. Young prospect Emanuele Lulli exemplifies the club's emerging talents whose economic value is rising. Niccolò Pisilli, a Roma academy product who rejected potential summer moves, now commands €30 million. Manu Koné, the headline signing of the summer window, remained at the capital despite interest and is valued at €60 million according to Transfermarkt. Donyell Malen's worth has jumped from the €25 million Roma spent in January plus €2 million in loan fees to a current valuation of €50 million. With numerous young players in the squad—including Konstantinos Koulierakis, Rodrigo Mora, Daniele Ghilardi, and Matías Soulé—these valuations are expected to grow further if on-field performance remains strong.

Antonio Carlos Zago, a member of Roma's 2001 Serie A title-winning squad, believes the current team can compete for the championship this season. Speaking to Il Messaggero, Zago reflected on Roma's recent performance against Inter, saying: 'I watched the match on Saturday, Roma had a good first half but when you lose concentration against a side like Inter you pay the price at the end.' He acknowledged the gap between that legendary squad and the present group but remains optimistic about their prospects. 'The Scudetto dream is possible,' Zago said. 'Inter is the only rival. Roma have a great defensive unit. The attack is strong too, they can compete until the final day.' Zago praised Wesley, Roma's Brazilian defender, as one of the world's best full-backs, noting that Real Madrid and Manchester City had also pursued him. 'There is little to say—for me he is one of the strongest full-backs in the world,' Zago remarked, adding that despite scoring less frequently, Wesley's overall performances remain excellent. On head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, Zago was emphatic: 'If he is not the strongest of the last ten years, he is certainly in the top three. In Serie A he is the best. The team must follow him and can aim for great results.'