Gasperini pins hopes on Dybala and Malen for Roma's derby clash with Lazio

AS Roma earned over 1 million dollars from FIFA's Club Benefits Programme during the 2026 World Cup, ranking sixth among Serie A sides in total club payments. The FIFA scheme, run jointly with the European Football Clubs association, distributed 355 million dollars (300 million euros) to compensate clubs for releasing players to international duty. Each club received a minimum of approximately 5,000 dollars per day (4,300 euros) for every player loaned to their national federation. Roma fielded five players across the tournament held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico: Evan N'Dicka, Zeki Çelik, Neil El Aynaoui, Manu Koné, and Donyell Malen. These five accumulated 211 days of competition, generating 1.055 million dollars for the club. Milan topped Serie A's earnings with over 2.3 million dollars from ten players, followed by Atalanta (1.6 million from eight players) and Inter (1.55 million from seven). Juventus collected 1.2 million and Bologna 1 million. Among individual Roma players, Koné was the most valuable, earning 280,000 dollars for the club—second only to Lautaro Martinez of Inter and Nico Paz of Como, who each generated 285,000 dollars.

Inter, Milan, Juventus and Roma launched their summer training camps on Monday, 13 July as Serie A's leading sides begin preparations ahead of the new season. Many players remain committed to international duty at major tournaments, though several have returned to their clubs ready to start preseason. The four giants are among the first to commence their respective ritiri, or structured training retreats, with friendlies scheduled to build match fitness and tactical cohesion. Roma joins the elite quartet in kicking off summer work, with Gian Piero Gasperini's squad assembling for the intensive preparation phase. The timing reflects the staggered return of internationals, as some personnel are only recently emerging from extended competition calendars. These camps serve as the foundation for competitive readiness before the Serie A campaign resumes. Preseason schedules typically span several weeks and include a mix of internal drills, controlled matches and friendly fixtures against lower-division or regional opponents. The early start by these five major clubs underscores the demands of modern elite football, where conditioning and collective understanding must be rebuilt efficiently during the summer window.

Mario Balotelli has named AS Roma among the contenders for next season's Serie A title, alongside Napoli and Inter. Speaking to Sportmediaset, the former Milan striker said: "Napoli and Inter are the favourites, but I want to add a surprise: Roma will also fight for the Scudetto." Balotelli, now based in Saudi Arabia, predicted that Gian Piero Gasperini's side will be in the mix for the championship despite not being among the usual elite. Roma have not yet completed any significant transfer business ahead of their squad gathering tomorrow. The pursuit of Greenwood has fallen away, while the club continues to work on signing a backup to Malen, with Tresoldi identified as a target, and also Garnacho. The Giallorossi are preparing to restart their season following a challenging campaign. Balotelli's endorsement represents external confidence in Roma's prospects, though the club's transfer activity will be crucial to whether they can genuinely mount a title challenge.

AS Roma holds the record for the most World Cup-winning editions involving at least one player from its squad, with nine tournaments claimed. Spain's elimination of Argentina denied Lautaro Martínez the chance to win a second World Cup and Inter the opportunity to match Roma's tally. Inter remains second with eight World Cup wins from its players, followed by Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Juventus on seven each. Roma's World Cup history spans nearly a century. The first Roma players to win the tournament were three Italians at the 1934 home World Cup: Attilio Ferraris IV, Enrique Guaita, and Guido Masetti. Masetti returned to lift the trophy again in 1938 without appearing on the pitch in either tournament, alongside Eraldo Monzeglio, Aldo Donati, and Pietro Serantoni. After a lengthy drought, Bruno Conti's triumph in 1982 reignited the run. Rudi Voeller and Thomas Berthold won in 1990. The longest unbroken streak followed: five consecutive World Cup victories featuring Roma players. Aldair won in 1994, Vincent Candela in 1998, Cafú in 2002, and Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi, and Simone Perrotta in 2006. Most recently, Paulo Dybala won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, converting a penalty in Argentina's victory over France. No other club matches Roma's count.

Roma is on the verge of signing Crysencio Summerville from West Ham, with negotiations entering their closing phase. The club has submitted a fresh offer of 47 million euros plus bonuses and demanded a definitive response from West Ham by end of day, following weeks of talks. Summerville has already agreed personal terms on a contract worth 4.2 million euros plus bonuses, and sources report the remaining gap between Roma's bid and West Ham's asking price is not considered prohibitive. Aston Villa and Al Hilal have been cited as potential rival bidders, prompting Roma to accelerate its push. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini views Summerville as the ideal fit to complete his attacking trident alongside Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala. The Dutch winger, who plays on the left with his right foot, offers creativity and double-digit goal output suited to Gasperini's system. Summerville would become Roma's most expensive signing in history, surpassing the transfer fees paid for Patrik Schick, Tammy Abraham, and Artem Dovbyk. A private agreement between Summerville and West Ham stipulates that in the event of the Hammers' relegation from the Premier League, the player could depart for 45 million pounds. The deal is reported to be worth 47 million euros fixed plus 4–5 million in bonuses, bringing the total close to the 45 million pounds outlined in the gentlemen's agreement. Gasperini has been seeking this profile for fourteen months and aims to secure two wingers overall, with potential loan solutions explored later in the transfer window.

Paulo Dybala marked Argentina's 1–0 loss to Spain in a World Cup final by honouring Lionel Messi with a heartfelt social media post. The Roma forward shared a photograph of Messi after one of his two goals against England, accompanied by a white heart emoji in celebration of the 10's greatness. Dybala and Messi won the World Cup together in 2022. Despite this latest final ending in defeat for the Argentina squad, the Roma attacker moved quickly to acknowledge his former teammate's stature in the sport. The simple gesture underscored their shared history and Messi's standing as one of football's all-time greats.

Crysencio Summerville is on the verge of joining Roma. The club is awaiting West Ham's final approval, with Roma's latest offer of €47 million plus bonuses bringing the two clubs significantly closer to a deal. Gasperini has long sought a left-winger, and the Dutch forward can also operate on the right flank—a versatility he demonstrated at the World Cup, where he scored two goals in four matches. Born on 30 October 2001, the same day Daniele De Rossi made his Roma debut against Anderlecht, Summerville has already agreed terms with the Giallorossi. His football heroes are Ronaldinho and fellow Dutchman Seedorf, who shares Surinamese heritage. At Roma he will reunite with his friend and international teammate Donyell Malen, with whom he has already spoken in recent days. Summerville rose through Feyenoord's youth academy and was part of the generation that won the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in England. His professional career has been turbulent: a 2018 incident involving a fight at the club led to loan moves and psychological support before Alan Pardew offered him a fresh start in England in 2021. At Leeds, he registered 23 goals in 75 appearances across the Premier League and Championship. He joined West Ham in 2024 and is now set to arrive in Serie A following Roma's interest dating back to January.

Roma is on the verge of signing Crysencio Summerville from West Ham, with negotiations entering their closing phase. The club has submitted a fresh offer of 47 million euros plus bonuses and demanded a definitive response from West Ham by end of day, following weeks of talks. Summerville has already agreed personal terms on a contract worth 4.2 million euros plus bonuses, and sources report the remaining gap between Roma's bid and West Ham's asking price is not considered prohibitive. Aston Villa and Al Hilal have been cited as potential rival bidders, prompting Roma to accelerate its push. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini views Summerville as the ideal fit to complete his attacking trident alongside Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala. The Dutch winger, who plays on the left with his right foot, offers creativity and double-digit goal output suited to Gasperini's system. Summerville would become Roma's most expensive signing in history, surpassing the transfer fees paid for Patrik Schick, Tammy Abraham, and Artem Dovbyk. A private agreement between Summerville and West Ham stipulates that in the event of the Hammers' relegation from the Premier League, the player could depart for 45 million pounds. The deal is reported to be worth 47 million euros fixed plus 4–5 million in bonuses, bringing the total close to the 45 million pounds outlined in the gentlemen's agreement. Gasperini has been seeking this profile for fourteen months and aims to secure two wingers overall, with potential loan solutions explored later in the transfer window.

Crysencio Summerville is poised to join Roma in a club-record transfer worth nearly €47 million plus commissions from West Ham, with the deal expected to be completed within hours. The Dutch winger, born in 2001, will sign a contract worth approximately €4 million per season. The transfer, conducted by Tony D'Amico, was unlocked by a release clause in Summerville's West Ham contract. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has been seeking a high-quality, explosive winger since his arrival, and Summerville fits the profile he identified from day one. The signing represents Roma's most significant outlay in the club's history and aligns with the wage structure recently agreed by the squad. Gasperini will hope Summerville can complement fellow winger Donyell Malen and follow a similar trajectory of development to that experienced by another player under the Grugliasco-born coach.

Paulo Dybala spearheaded Roma's pre-season momentum with a brace and two assists in a 6–0 victory over the Primavera at Trigoria under coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The Argentine playmaker set up goals for Matías Soulé and Artem Dovbyk, who netted twice to open and close the friendly. Bryan Cristante also scored. Wesley, the Brazilian defender, emerged as one of the brightest performers, shaking off an injury sustained before the World Cup, while the squad operated with limited depth after El Aynaoui and Koné are not due back for several weeks. Gasperini was forced to borrow young midfielder Bah on loan from Mattia Scala due to midfield shortages. The match unfolded in four twenty-minute periods and only truly came alive after Dybala and Wesley entered the pitch. Mario Hermoso took a hard knock below the right knee but departed with ice—nothing serious, and the Spanish defender already appears match-ready. Angeliño, however, continues to lack sharpness; the left-back showed the same form as last season with limited drive and fitness still to regain. Gasperini has monitored his progress since the start of the training camp, though his full condition appears distant, signalling that reinforcements may be required in that area of the pitch. Outgoing players including Kumbulla and Pagano remained absent from the friendly.

AS Roma earned over 1 million dollars from FIFA's Club Benefits Programme during the 2026 World Cup, ranking sixth among Serie A sides in total club payments. The FIFA scheme, run jointly with the European Football Clubs association, distributed 355 million dollars (300 million euros) to compensate clubs for releasing players to international duty. Each club received a minimum of approximately 5,000 dollars per day (4,300 euros) for every player loaned to their national federation. Roma fielded five players across the tournament held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico: Evan N'Dicka, Zeki Çelik, Neil El Aynaoui, Manu Koné, and Donyell Malen. These five accumulated 211 days of competition, generating 1.055 million dollars for the club. Milan topped Serie A's earnings with over 2.3 million dollars from ten players, followed by Atalanta (1.6 million from eight players) and Inter (1.55 million from seven). Juventus collected 1.2 million and Bologna 1 million. Among individual Roma players, Koné was the most valuable, earning 280,000 dollars for the club—second only to Lautaro Martinez of Inter and Nico Paz of Como, who each generated 285,000 dollars.

Roma started serious preparation for the 2026–27 season on Monday with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini naming a 17-man squad for initial training at Trigoria. Paulo Dybala featured in the group and marked his contract renewal with a short interview on Roma's official channels. Wesley returned to training immediately following the injury that forced him to miss the World Cup, training alongside teammates in the new kit that showcases the restored classic crest. Gasperini was accompanied by sporting director Tony D'Amico. The initial squad includes four goalkeepers—Svilar, Gollini, De Marzi, and Vasquez—and seven defenders: Angeliño, Ghilardi, Hermoso, Mancini, Rensch, Wesley, and Ziolkowski. Çelik will join on 18 August after completing his holiday following his contract renewal, while N'Dicka is due to arrive on 22 August. Only Pisilli and Cristante are currently available in midfield, with El Aynaoui expected on 30 August and Koné's arrival date to be confirmed pending the end of the World Cup. The attacking line features Dybala, Dovbyk, Soulé, and Vaz, with Dybala the only forward certain to remain at the club long-term. The squad is staying overnight at Fulvio Bernardini training centre and will undergo a double session today—training at 08:00 and 18:00. Roma have also opened ticket sales for their first official pre-season match at Cannes on 26 July at Pierre de Coubertin stadium, with visiting supporters' tickets priced at €15 each through AS Cannes' official website.