Gasperini pushes for Greenwood as Roma target English winger in summer rebuild

Roma completed the signing of Marten de Roon from Atalanta late in the summer transfer window in a deal that closed quickly, driven by the midfielder's existing relationship with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini from their time together in Bergamo. De Roon's departure from Atalanta came after disappointment with how his spell at the club ended. Upon returning from the World Cup, the Dutchman expected a warm reception as club captain but instead found that new sporting director Cristiano Guintoli was reshaping the squad. He received no explanation of his role and Guintoli attempted to move him to Bologna in a cash-plus-swap arrangement involving Jonathan Rowe, shocking De Roon into requesting his contract be terminated. Gasperini then contacted him, and the Roma manager subsequently spoke to Atalanta president Luca Percassi about a transfer. The club proved willing to complete a deal, though De Roon asked for time to bid farewell properly to Bergamo, where his wife and daughters still live. He was not granted that opportunity. Gasperini wanted him available for Roma's match against Lecce, and De Roon complied despite his preference for a more respectful departure from Atalanta.

Gianluca Petrachi, Torino's sporting director, confirmed that Gasperini has expressed interest in Cacciamani ahead of Torino's match against Roma on 14 September. Speaking to DAZN before kickoff, Petrachi revealed that Roma made a significant offer for the midfielder, but Torino rejected it. "Yes, he is a player Roma like. I believe Gasperini has his eye on him," Petrachi said. "We had the idea of not selling him unless there were very important requests. An important one arrived but did not make us waver. We are happy to have him with us. I hope that today too he can give his contribution, even from the bench." Petrachi also reflected on his time at Roma, where he served as sporting director before joining Torino. He described the period as significant despite challenges. "Roma has been an intense year for me. I left good relationships there," he said. "There were particular circumstances, but I had an important year and Roma gave me a lot also emotionally. Even when I left, I felt the trust. Football lives on these situations and they must be faced." On Torino's transfer window, Petrachi expressed satisfaction with the squad's integration. "Players have arrived for the idea the coach has in mind, and many of them have settled well. At the moment we are happy," he noted. He also provided an update on midfielder Simeone's fitness: "He is training with the squad. We are here to understand if he can make it. He had a back problem, it is not a muscle issue. We are seeing how he manages his first movements."

Torino sporting director Petrachi addressed Roma's reported interest in midfielder Cacciamani ahead of the Serie A matchday 4 fixture between the clubs on 14 September. Petrachi confirmed that Gasperini has identified Cacciamani as a target and that an important offer from Roma arrived, but said Torino rejected it: "He is a player that Roma like, Gasperini has set his sights on him. We did not want to sell him unless a very important offer arrived, which it did but did not make us waver. Today he starts on the bench, but the coach makes his choices based on the match." Petrachi also addressed his own history with Roma, where he served as sporting director. He described his time at the club as intense and said he left good relationships despite unnamed difficulties. "Roma gave me a lot, also from an emotional point of view, even when I left," he said. He acknowledged the nature of football and its demands: "Football is lived through these situations and they must be faced. Today I am at Torino, so forza Toro." On Torino's transfer window, Petrachi said two functional signings had arrived to match the coach's vision, though integration remained incomplete for some players. He also addressed the absence of Simeone, saying the player was dealing with a back spasm rather than a simple muscle strain, and that Torino were assessing his availability for the match.