Gasperini hails Roma's summer signings but warns squad remains incomplete; club paying FFP price alone in Italy

Roma are close to finalizing the arrival of Jayden Oosterwolde and pursuing Jamie Gittens as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini targets two new signings before the window closes. Gasperini confirmed in his press conference: "We can add two players, but only if they are suitable profiles and if we can reach them on the conditions we can afford." The Oosterwolde transfer is in its final stages after the clubs began preparing documentation on the evening of 22 August. Roma will pay €1 million for a loan with a fee, then €15 million if Oosterwolde records 20 appearances of at least 45 minutes, at which point the initial right to buy becomes an obligation. The 1.89 cm-tall Dutch defender is currently sidelined with a muscular injury; his recovery is estimated for early October. If all goes smoothly, he should be available for Gasperini after the first international break of the season. Originally a wing-back, Oosterwolde's physicality and positioning sense have often seen him deployed as a centre-back—either as a third defender or a fixed outside defender—offering Gasperini valuable tactical flexibility. The Gittens pursuit requires further negotiation with Chelsea. The Blues publicly rejected Roma's opening offer on 22 August, though the article suggests this is part of standard transfer posturing aimed at moving Roma away from their initial loan proposal. Chelsea will make their Premier League debut on Monday evening in the London derby against Fulham, making negotiations unlikely to progress over the coming 48 hours while attention turns to the pitch. Roma plan to offer €5 million for a loan with a fee and aim to secure a sell-on right—not an obligation—set above €50 million, reflecting the significant investment Chelsea made in Gittens a year ago.

Gian Piero Gasperini declared himself "very satisfied" with Roma's completed signings at his pre-match press conference on 22 August, but the coach's public words mask deeper frustration with how the transfer window has unfolded. While Gasperini has praised the club's reactivity within a market still open, not everything has gone as he originally envisioned. Roma pursued Greenwood and then Summerville—ready-made attackers capable of immediate impact—before ultimately landing on Rodrigo Mora, a 19-year-old talent of immense potential but one around whom immediate decisiveness cannot be demanded. Gasperini had hoped that Roma's Champions League qualification would push the ownership towards more ambitious horizons, including willingness to pursue players commanding higher wages and therefore better prepared for immediate contribution. That did not materialize. The arrival of chief executive John Galantic, implementing the ownership's principles, has reinforced that direction. The contrast is stark: fielding Greenwood is one proposition; operating without him another. The failed pursuit of Moreira—who instead joined AC Milan, a direct competitor—further illustrates the limits of this summer's ambition. Two further additions remain expected: Oosterwolde and a winger described as "mythological," according to reporting cited here. Yet the gap between Gasperini's initial expectations and the reality of the window—constrained by ownership philosophy rather than sudden circumstance—colours the technical director's satisfaction with caution.

On the eve of Roma's season opener against Fiorentina, the transfer market continues to dominate the agenda at the club. Jayden Oosterwolde is set to arrive from Fenerbahçe, but head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has made clear his frustration with the handling of incoming transfers, calling on the board for a final push to complete the squad. Gasperini began the summer window with ambitions to recruit experienced, established players capable of competing in the Champions League. However, constraints imposed by wage limits and UEFA Financial Fair Play forced a shift toward younger, more sustainable profiles. "If we had signed Summerville, we wouldn't have been able to do anything else," Gasperini explained at his press conference, commenting also on the arrival of Rodrigo Mora: "It's an important investment with long-term prospects for the club, but it cannot be compared to Vaz." To consider the squad truly competitive and able to sustain a triple fixture schedule, Gasperini is still waiting for two additions. Beyond Oosterwolde, who will serve as Wesley's deputy, the coach is seeking a wide forward capable of providing pace and incisiveness. The club's line remains cautious: any move in the attacking department will materialise only if an opportunity of genuine quality presents itself.

Roma's recruitment this summer has been solid without delivering the transformational signing head coach Gasperini believed would unlock scudetto ambitions. The club secured a Champions League return and approaches its centenary in a position of genuine hope, yet the window carries an air of incompleteness. Gasperini had nursed real title dreams and was convinced that one or two top-tier additions could lift Roma out of the dreamlike state that has gripped the club since 2001. Players such as Greenwood, Summerville, Nusa and Fofana were mooted—names that offered greater guarantees than the squad possessed—but none arrived. Roma instead finds itself in a crowded midfield battle alongside Como, Milan, Juventus and Atalanta, unable to close the gap with Inter and Milan. The squad is measurably stronger than last year's. The article cites positional switches: Castro replaces Dovbyk, Molina comes in for Çelik, and Mora arrives for Bailey. Gasperini acknowledged both D'Amico's serious work in the transfer market and the communication difficulties with the Friedkin ownership. Crucially, Roma held firm by not selling any major players, but equally failed to move on the fringe figures who might have opened the door to genuine transformation. The absence of a headline signing—the kind of arrival that might force police to station units at Rome's airports—leaves the club without that superhero figure to lean on during difficult moments. Gasperini knows the squad is not title-contenders material, perhaps not even Champions League material despite finishing third last season. The coach had hoped the previous miracle result might unlock previously blocked spending channels, constrained by UEFA regulations that have clouded Roma's waters for years. That reckoning will arrive in the coming months. Much depends on Paulo Dybala's form, on the promises Mora delivers and on Donyell Malen's consistency. Ten days remain before the season begins. Until then, the sense of wanting but being unable to act lingers unresolved.

Gian Piero Gasperini defended Roma's transfer approach at his pre-match press conference on 22 August, two days before the Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico. The coach confirmed that UEFA financial regulations have forced a strategic shift in the market, compounding constraints that stem from years of previous spending. "The profile is only that of UEFA; there are no other possibilities," Gasperini said. "There are situations that UEFA imposes and from which our ownership, even wanting to, cannot escape. I thought that after six months or with arrival in the Champions League the situation would be resolved, but it is not so." Gasperini emphasised that Roma remain the only Italian club currently under UEFA supervision. "Roma has already had two deferrals and probably cannot have any more," he noted. "Now the reckoning has arrived, but we will do well anyway." Despite those constraints, he expressed satisfaction with arrivals in the window. Álex Molina replaced Zeki Çelik after winning the World Cup two months earlier; Christos Koulierakis joined as a defensive profile the squad lacked; and Rodrigo Mora arrived as a young long-term investment. Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson departed, replaced by Mateo Castro. El Shaarawy, Bryan Zaragoza, Angeliño and Kostas Tsimikas also left. Gasperini stated: "All the players who arrived have strongly wanted to come to Roma. They have also reduced their salaries—and under this aspect I believe very positive work has been done. There are still ten days of the market left and we hope to complete everything." On the left wing position that Roma had pursued, Gasperini offered flexibility: "Only if he can be added value, otherwise I am not going to load myself with players just for the sake of it." Numerically, two squad slots remain available from a full complement of 23. He praised Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante for accepting significant wage cuts. On Dybala's fitness prospects, Gasperini said: "I am certain, because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He completed a pre-season perhaps for the first time without injuries." Dybala suffered two serious injuries last season—one requiring meniscus surgery that sidelined him for three and a half months. Gasperini stated that further squad exits may follow only if they represent tactical switches rather than pure departures. "If there are other exits it is only for changes, to switch," he said. "In this moment there is nothing certain." The window closes in ten days. Roma finished last season on 73 points and third place in Serie A, but Gasperini stressed the slate resets: "Every year you start from zero. What was done was very positive and satisfactory for all, but when the season starts everyone begins at 0 points and the 73 points from last year must be played again."

Gian Piero Gasperini held a pre-match press conference two days before Roma's fixture against Fiorentina, addressing the transfer market and the squad's readiness for the 2026–27 season. The coach confirmed Roma's squad remains numerically incomplete, with the ability to field 23 players in a matchday squad. Gasperini stressed the need for two more signings but said they would only arrive if they met Roma's financial constraints. "Numerically yes, because we have the possibility to present 23 players in the squad," he said when asked about incompleteness. Gasperini acknowledged the difficulty of signing established players due to wage-bill restrictions imposed by UEFA. He revealed that Roma is uniquely constrained in Italy by Financial Fair Play rules stemming from previous years and that the club cannot accept further deferrals. "There are technical parameters that cannot be explained. You can have the society's trust that they are fairly complex and that force a society under UEFA control like Roma, the only one in Italy at this moment, to comply," he explained. He praised players including Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante for accepting contract reductions to help the club navigate these limits. Gasperini described this as "a creative market, but very positive," noting that had Roma signed Summerville, other acquisitions would not have been possible. On Rodrigo Mora, Gasperini backed the young forward as an important investment for the future, noting the player scored 10 goals for Porto two years ago and possesses all the qualities to emerge. When asked whether a left-winger was essential or optional, Gasperini replied that any arrival must add genuine value: "Only if it can be an added value, otherwise I won't burden myself with players just to have them. Whoever arrives is strongly wanted and strongly wants to play at Roma." Regarding Paulo Dybala's condition, Gasperini said he is "not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong," having completed a full pre-season without injury for the first time in recent years. At 32, Dybala has improved other qualities even if his raw pace and shot power have naturally diminished, Gasperini suggested. "I am sure he can do a season with more appearances than in recent years," the coach said. Gasperini confirmed that further squad exits may occur but only as part of deliberate swaps rather than enforced departures: Wesley arrived for Zeki Çelik's exit, and Castro was brought in as Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk departed. Roma's focus now turns to the opening fixture against Fiorentina, a side Gasperini described as heavily rebuilt on the transfer market. He acknowledged uncertainty ahead of the first match, partly due to players returning from World Cup duty with different conditioning and recent arrivals like Mora and Molina still settling in.

Gian Piero Gasperini defended Roma's transfer approach at his pre-match press conference on 22 August, two days before the Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico. The coach confirmed that UEFA financial regulations have forced a strategic shift in the market, compounding constraints that stem from years of previous spending. "The profile is only that of UEFA; there are no other possibilities," Gasperini said. "There are situations that UEFA imposes and from which our ownership, even wanting to, cannot escape. I thought that after six months or with arrival in the Champions League the situation would be resolved, but it is not so." Gasperini emphasised that Roma remain the only Italian club currently under UEFA supervision. "Roma has already had two deferrals and probably cannot have any more," he noted. "Now the reckoning has arrived, but we will do well anyway." Despite those constraints, he expressed satisfaction with arrivals in the window. Álex Molina replaced Zeki Çelik after winning the World Cup two months earlier; Christos Koulierakis joined as a defensive profile the squad lacked; and Rodrigo Mora arrived as a young long-term investment. Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson departed, replaced by Mateo Castro. El Shaarawy, Bryan Zaragoza, Angeliño and Kostas Tsimikas also left. Gasperini stated: "All the players who arrived have strongly wanted to come to Roma. They have also reduced their salaries—and under this aspect I believe very positive work has been done. There are still ten days of the market left and we hope to complete everything." On the left wing position that Roma had pursued, Gasperini offered flexibility: "Only if he can be added value, otherwise I am not going to load myself with players just for the sake of it." Numerically, two squad slots remain available from a full complement of 23. He praised Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante for accepting significant wage cuts. On Dybala's fitness prospects, Gasperini said: "I am certain, because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He completed a pre-season perhaps for the first time without injuries." Dybala suffered two serious injuries last season—one requiring meniscus surgery that sidelined him for three and a half months. Gasperini stated that further squad exits may follow only if they represent tactical switches rather than pure departures. "If there are other exits it is only for changes, to switch," he said. "In this moment there is nothing certain." The window closes in ten days. Roma finished last season on 73 points and third place in Serie A, but Gasperini stressed the slate resets: "Every year you start from zero. What was done was very positive and satisfactory for all, but when the season starts everyone begins at 0 points and the 73 points from last year must be played again."

Gian Piero Gasperini held a pre-match press conference two days before Roma's fixture against Fiorentina, addressing the transfer market and the squad's readiness for the 2026–27 season. The coach confirmed Roma's squad remains numerically incomplete, with the ability to field 23 players in a matchday squad. Gasperini stressed the need for two more signings but said they would only arrive if they met Roma's financial constraints. "Numerically yes, because we have the possibility to present 23 players in the squad," he said when asked about incompleteness. Gasperini acknowledged the difficulty of signing established players due to wage-bill restrictions imposed by UEFA. He revealed that Roma is uniquely constrained in Italy by Financial Fair Play rules stemming from previous years and that the club cannot accept further deferrals. "There are technical parameters that cannot be explained. You can have the society's trust that they are fairly complex and that force a society under UEFA control like Roma, the only one in Italy at this moment, to comply," he explained. He praised players including Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante for accepting contract reductions to help the club navigate these limits. Gasperini described this as "a creative market, but very positive," noting that had Roma signed Summerville, other acquisitions would not have been possible. On Rodrigo Mora, Gasperini backed the young forward as an important investment for the future, noting the player scored 10 goals for Porto two years ago and possesses all the qualities to emerge. When asked whether a left-winger was essential or optional, Gasperini replied that any arrival must add genuine value: "Only if it can be an added value, otherwise I won't burden myself with players just to have them. Whoever arrives is strongly wanted and strongly wants to play at Roma." Regarding Paulo Dybala's condition, Gasperini said he is "not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong," having completed a full pre-season without injury for the first time in recent years. At 32, Dybala has improved other qualities even if his raw pace and shot power have naturally diminished, Gasperini suggested. "I am sure he can do a season with more appearances than in recent years," the coach said. Gasperini confirmed that further squad exits may occur but only as part of deliberate swaps rather than enforced departures: Wesley arrived for Zeki Çelik's exit, and Castro was brought in as Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk departed. Roma's focus now turns to the opening fixture against Fiorentina, a side Gasperini described as heavily rebuilt on the transfer market. He acknowledged uncertainty ahead of the first match, partly due to players returning from World Cup duty with different conditioning and recent arrivals like Mora and Molina still settling in.

Gian Piero Gasperini addressed Roma's transfer strategy and squad preparation two days before the Fiorentina fixture, emphasising that while the squad is more competitive, UEFA financial controls have forced creative market decisions. Gasperini confirmed the club can still add two players numerically to the 23-strong squad sheet, but only if conditions can be met within budget limits. "The profile is only that of the UEFA regulations, there are no other possibilities," Gasperini said. "There are situations that UEFA imposes and from which even our ownership, much as they would like, cannot escape. If we had done Summerville we could not have done anything else. There are technical parameters that cannot be explained—you must have trust in the society that they are complex enough and force a club under UEFA control like Roma, unique in Italy right now, to comply." Gasperini revealed that reaching the Champions League last season had not resolved Roma's financial strictures as initially expected. "I thought that after six months or with arrival in the Champions the situation would be resolved, it is not so and this forces this type of market," he said. Roma remains the only Italian club subject to UEFA Financial Fair Play monitoring following accumulated deficits from previous years and has already received two deferrals; no further extension is available. Despite these constraints, Gasperini backed the recruitment approach, particularly the arrivals of Rodrigo Mora from Porto—described as "a very important investment, especially in perspective"—and the swap dealing that saw Zeki Çelik depart for Molina, and Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk exit for Castro. He also praised the contract reductions undertaken by Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini, as well as renewals by Bryan Cristante and others. On the left-wing position, Gasperini stated he will only pursue a signing if it adds genuine value: "Numerically the discussion is what I said before—two players can be added. But only if they can be reached under the conditions we can have. If the market offers this it will be so, otherwise we stay as we are." Regarding Dybala, Gasperini expressed confidence the 32-year-old will achieve more appearances this season. "I am sure of this because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He had a preparation that perhaps for a long time he could not complete, without injuries. Last year in my view he was very unlucky. I remember two injuries, kicking the penalty in Milan and the free kick against Turin. Two borderline cases—in one it cost him a meniscus and he was out three and a half months. Muscularly he seems much more toned. Perhaps he no longer has the speed and power of shot from when he was young, but he has improved other qualities. At 32 years old today you are in the prime of technical and physical maturity. I think he will have a great season." Gasperini will take stock of any remaining recruitment possibilities before facing Fiorentina, a heavily renovated side. He acknowledged uncertainty in his starting formation for the opening match, citing the integration of recently arrived players Mora and Molina alongside squad members returning from World Cup duty with different fitness levels. On the season's ambitions, Gasperini declined to discuss the Scudetto prospect, saying: "We must look at our own path, we are trying to do the best possible for our possibilities. I am convinced we will do well. To speak of a final result I do not know, it will also depend on the opponents."

Gian Piero Gasperini defended Roma's transfer approach at his pre-match press conference on 22 August, two days before the Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico. The coach confirmed that UEFA financial regulations have forced a strategic shift in the market, compounding constraints that stem from years of previous spending. "The profile is only that of UEFA; there are no other possibilities," Gasperini said. "There are situations that UEFA imposes and from which our ownership, even wanting to, cannot escape. I thought that after six months or with arrival in the Champions League the situation would be resolved, but it is not so." Gasperini emphasised that Roma remain the only Italian club currently under UEFA supervision. "Roma has already had two deferrals and probably cannot have any more," he noted. "Now the reckoning has arrived, but we will do well anyway." Despite those constraints, he expressed satisfaction with arrivals in the window. Álex Molina replaced Zeki Çelik after winning the World Cup two months earlier; Christos Koulierakis joined as a defensive profile the squad lacked; and Rodrigo Mora arrived as a young long-term investment. Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson departed, replaced by Mateo Castro. El Shaarawy, Bryan Zaragoza, Angeliño and Kostas Tsimikas also left. Gasperini stated: "All the players who arrived have strongly wanted to come to Roma. They have also reduced their salaries—and under this aspect I believe very positive work has been done. There are still ten days of the market left and we hope to complete everything." On the left wing position that Roma had pursued, Gasperini offered flexibility: "Only if he can be added value, otherwise I am not going to load myself with players just for the sake of it." Numerically, two squad slots remain available from a full complement of 23. He praised Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante for accepting significant wage cuts. On Dybala's fitness prospects, Gasperini said: "I am certain, because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He completed a pre-season perhaps for the first time without injuries." Dybala suffered two serious injuries last season—one requiring meniscus surgery that sidelined him for three and a half months. Gasperini stated that further squad exits may follow only if they represent tactical switches rather than pure departures. "If there are other exits it is only for changes, to switch," he said. "In this moment there is nothing certain." The window closes in ten days. Roma finished last season on 73 points and third place in Serie A, but Gasperini stressed the slate resets: "Every year you start from zero. What was done was very positive and satisfactory for all, but when the season starts everyone begins at 0 points and the 73 points from last year must be played again."

Gian Piero Gasperini held a press conference on 22 August ahead of Roma's opening Serie A match against Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico in two days' time. The head coach confirmed that four new players have joined the club this summer: Molina, who won the World Cup and reached the final two months ago and can replace Ferguson; Castro, who reportedly travelled by train to join earlier; Koulierakis, a defender with characteristics the squad lacked; and Mora, a young forward. Gasperini said he remained very satisfied with the new arrivals, noting that "they all strongly wanted Roma, with Castro even leaving by train to arrive sooner." He confirmed that several players have departed—El Shaarawy, Venturino, Zaragoza, Angeliño and Tsimikas among them—and stated the club will reduce the squad while making it more competitive. The wage bill has been lowered by necessity, which Gasperini described as positive work by the club. Roma currently have 23 players registered, with two squad slots still available under UEFA rules, and Gasperini expressed hope of completing further business in the remaining ten days of the window. On Mora specifically, Gasperini said: "Mora is a very young lad who has already reached important numbers. Two years ago at Porto he reached ten goals. For the club it is a very important investment, especially in prospect—he has all the characteristics to emerge and do well." The coach acknowledged that investing in youth can be a necessary path, describing it as a positive element for the club's future.

Gian Piero Gasperini held a press conference at Trigoria on 22 August, two days before Roma's Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico, addressing the club's summer recruitment and the direction of the campaign ahead. Gasperini confirmed that Roma have completed several signings this summer while managing strict financial constraints. Alexis Molina has arrived as a replacement for Zeki Çelik; Mateo Castro came in following the departures of Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson; Koulierakis joined as a defensive reinforcement; and Rodrigo Mora has been signed as an investment for the future. El Shaarawy, Bryan Zaragoza, Angeliño and Kostas Tsimikas have all departed. Gasperini noted that new arrivals targeted young players willing to reduce their wages to join Roma. He highlighted the salary reductions accepted by Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante as evidence of the players' commitment. The club remains constrained by UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations—Roma are the only Italian club currently under UEFA monitoring—which has forced a shift from the original transfer strategy. Gasperini acknowledged that early plans to sign players like Summerville proved unsustainable within those parameters. On Mora, Gasperini said: "Rodrigo is a very young player but has already reached important levels. It is a very significant investment by the club, especially for the future. He is a player with all the characteristics to emerge and perform well." Regarding the left flank, where Roma pursued a specific profile, Gasperini stated: "Only if he can be added value, otherwise I won't load myself with players just for the sake of it. Whoever arrives is strongly wanted and wants to play for Roma." He confirmed that two squad slots remain available for up to four players, leaving the door open for further arrivals before the window closes in ten days. On Paulo Dybala's injury record, Gasperini expressed optimism: "I'm certain of it, because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He completed a preparation without injuries—something he hadn't managed for some time. Physically he looks much more toned." Last season Dybala suffered two significant injuries, including a meniscus problem that sidelined him for three and a half months. Gasperini will assess the squad's competitiveness against Fiorentina's challenge on the pitch. He stated that last season's 73 points and third-place finish will not carry over into 2026-27: "You restart from zero every year. The 73 points from last year must be replayed." With ten days of the transfer window remaining, Roma will look to complete their squad while operating under continued FFP restrictions.