Gasperini hunts goals as Roma fall 20 short of his Atalanta standard

Alejandro Garnacho's career has taken an unexpected turn after two high-profile moves failed to reignite his form. The Argentine winger, now 22, joined Chelsea from Manchester United for £40 million but has struggled to convince at Stamford Bridge, making 43 appearances with 8 goals and 4 assists last season and frequently substituted or left out of the starting XI. His trajectory represents a paradox: the fearlessness that once defined him—nurtured watching Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United and Lionel Messi in the national team setup—has seemingly transformed into insecurity on the pitch. Garnacho's career has been shadowed by off-field controversies and public disputes with management, most notably a row with manager Ruben Amorim following a Europa League final defeat to Tottenham two seasons ago. At Manchester United, he recorded 11 goals and 10 assists, yet tabloid focus remained fixed on his conduct rather than his statistics. Now marginalized at Chelsea despite his potential, a change of environment appears necessary. A move to Roma under manager Gian Piero Gasperini could provide the fresh start he needs—particularly with Paulo Dybala, whom Garnacho idolized as a child and wore his Argentina shirt with pride, now at the Giallorossi. Reuniting with Dybala's guidance at Roma might help the young winger rediscover his focus and resolve the contradiction that has defined his recent years.

Bryan Cristante reflected on his eight-year tenure at AS Roma in an extensive interview with Sportweek for La Gazzetta dello Sport, speaking candidly about his deep connection to the club and city. The midfielder has made 364 appearances for Roma and highlighted three standout moments: the Conference League final victory over Feyenoord, the Europa League final defeat to Sevilla on penalties, and this season's final match at Verona that secured Champions League qualification. "Roma is a city of which you fall in love immediately, from the first day," Cristante said. "Where you turn, you're struck by its beauty. The stadium gives you something extra: the charge of the Romanisti fans, the anthem to the notes of Venditti's song gives you goosebumps." Cristante acknowledged the unique pressures of playing in the capital, noting that the club's passionate fanbase creates an intensity that can swing rapidly between exultation and despair. He emphasized the importance of maintaining equilibrium and resetting quickly after matches, describing himself as a worker committed to fulfilling the coach's demands. On José Mourinho, Cristante credited him with instilling concrete mentality and a winning hunger across two successful campaigns. Regarding Gian Piero Gasperini, with whom he previously worked at Atalanta, Cristante stated: "Coach Gasperini is strong, there's little doubt about it. I knew from experience that you simply have to follow him, because he's someone who has done well everywhere, and he's proven it even in the first year in a demanding place like this."

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 wants Roma and is currently awaiting the club's next move. The Club Brugge striker has been identified by the giallorossi as a potential deputy to Donyell Malen and is convinced by Gian Piero Gasperini's project, having already spoken with Niccolò Pisilli. Roma's pursuit of Tresoldi operates independently of any potential departure by Artem Dovbyk, who remains without a new club at present. The giallorossi could proceed with the signing even without selling the Ukrainian forward, though Tresoldi's valuation is high, ranging between €25–30 million. Despite considerable interest from other clubs, Tresoldi is focused solely on Roma's movements in the transfer market. An acceleration in negotiations is expected in the coming week.

Roma have stepped up their effort to sign Nicolò Tresoldi from Club Brugge, targeting the 21-year-old as a backup option to Donyell Malen. The italo-German forward, born in Cagliari but developed in Germany, is a long-standing target for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and the club's hierarchy. To outpace rival interest—notably from Atlético Madrid—Roma are preparing to push through a deal before formally completing Artem Dovbyk's departure, with sporting director Tony D'Amico working to soften Brugge's demands of approximately 30 million euros by proposing a loan with a purchase option. Tresoldi's personal preference could prove decisive: the forward has made clear his sole desire is to join Roma. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, he has already expressed this preference to Roma midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Official contacts between the clubs are set to intensify from the coming week, aided by the fact that Tresoldi shares the same agents as Can Uzun, the Eintracht Frankfurt playmaker long tracked by Roma. Roma aim to deliver their first summer signing to Gasperini as quickly as possible, allowing him to integrate the young talent into his tactical framework from the start of pre-season.

Roma are pushing to sign Nicolò Tresoldi as understudy to Donyell Malen, with an acceleration in negotiations expected this week. The 21-year-old Italian-German striker, born in Cagliari but developed in Germany, has been tracked by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Roma for months. Tresoldi has already discussed a move with Niccolò Pisilli, signalling his preference for Roma over rivals including Atlético Madrid. Roma hope to land the class of 2004 prospect without waiting for Artem Dovbyk's departure, attempting to lower Bruges' €30 million valuation by proposing a loan with a purchase option. Gasperini sees Tresoldi as an early reinforcement to integrate new signings into the squad. Tresoldi shares the same agents as Uzun, the Eintracht Frankfurt attacking midfielder also monitored by Roma, which may facilitate discussions.

Paulo Dybala has returned to the Italian capital ahead of Roma's pre-season retreat, which begins in two days. The Argentine forward stopped short of confirming his contract renewal publicly, telling Il Romanista: "Rennoval? We cannot confirm it yet." However, the deal is all but complete, with only his signature remaining before official confirmation arrives in the coming days. Dybala will begin summer preparation at Trigoria after spending time in Argentina with his wife Oriana and daughter Gia. The 30-year-old's future at Roma is not in doubt despite his cautious remarks. He left a message for the giallorossi supporters ahead of his return to training, saying: "I will greet them when we see each other." His renewal comes as Matías Soulé, a fellow Roma attacking player, recently raised questions about his own future with the club.

Paulo Dybala has returned to Italy to prepare for the new season, arriving at Rome's Fiumicino airport in the evening alongside his wife Oriana and daughter Gia. The move comes less than two days before Roma's squad reconvenes at Trigoria. When asked about greeting supporters, Dybala said: "I tifosi li saluterò quando ci vedremo" (I will greet the fans when we see each other). The club is now awaiting the announcement of his contract renewal.

Paulo Dybala has returned to Rome following his holiday break, with the Argentine forward set to report for pre-season training on Monday at Trigoria as AS Roma begins preparations for the 2026–27 season. Upon arrival, Dybala kept his message to supporters brief, telling reporters: "I'll greet the fans when we see each other on Monday." Dybala's return marks another step toward the start of the new campaign under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The entire squad will convene at Trigoria on Monday to commence summer training. The 21-year-old's arrival also comes as contract renewal talks between Roma and Dybala's representatives have entered a decisive phase, with the club aiming to secure the playmaker's long-term future.

Roma await the return of their squad to Trigoria as transfer speculation intensifies around potential targets. Alejandro Garnacho, the Argentine forward, is absent from Chelsea's pre-season gathering under Xabi Alonso, fuelling continued reports linking him away from Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Pellegrini is edging closer to signing a new contract with the club, with negotiations progressing positively. Wesley continues his training programme as Roma prepare for the campaign ahead. The developments come as the giallorossi manage their off-season priorities across both playing squad recruitment and existing player retention. Pellegrini, a cornerstone of the club's midfield, represents a key piece of continuity in Gasperini's plans. On the women's side, Rossettini departed Roma Femminile, announcing her farewell on social media.

Alejandro Garnacho has given his approval to join Roma, according to reports, communicating the decision to his agents. However, the transfer remains contingent on structure: Chelsea seek a permanent deal valued at approximately €50 million, while Roma continue pushing for a loan arrangement. Garnacho has been excluded from Chelsea's training sessions and will not participate in the club's pre-season retreat under Xabi Alonso, signalling a complete breakdown with the Blues. Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract renewal has seen significant progress, though a final agreement remains unsigned. The gap between Roma's offer and Pellegrini's demands stands at around €500,000. The captain will miss Monday's training camp at Trigoria as he manages a recurrence of the injury sustained before the derby, following weeks of rehabilitation work. Roma's new season officially begins on Monday 13 July with the squad assembly at Trigoria under Gian Piero Gasperini's direction. New sporting director Tony D'Amico is expected to hold a press conference in coming days, detailing the club's market strategy. Commentator Paolo Marcacci stated on Radio Radio: "For Dybala it will be €2.5 million plus bonuses, easily reachable. On Pellegrini: I hope he emerges from uncertainty. It's a period of stalemate that doesn't help his career. I would keep Pellegrini, but these contractual doubts give more reason to those who want him away from Rome. Why does Koné cost only €50 million? We remember Tonali."

Lorenzo Pellegrini will not be present on Monday, 13 July for the start of Roma's pre-season at Trigoria. The number 7's absence stems from two factors: his contract situation, which remains under negotiation and not yet finalised, and an injury sustained late in the previous season that has not fully healed. Despite Pellegrini's absence from the opening day, Roma remain optimistic about the continuation of his future at the club. The contract talks are progressing well, with negotiations now down to the final details. Zeki Çelik is also in advanced discussions over a contract renewal. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing to build a Roma side capable of competing in the Champions League, with the strategy centred on retaining key experienced players to build on the foundations established in the previous campaign.