Gasperini's mixed fortunes: Koné returns to training, but Pellegrini remains sidelined

Roma lost 3–0 to Brighton in a friendly at the Falmer Stadium but came away reassured over Mario Hermoso's fitness after the Spanish defender suffered an ankle problem early in the second half. Following a collision with a Brighton player, Hermoso remained on the ground in pain with a left ankle issue. Gasperini opted to substitute him as a precautionary measure, and Hermoso walked off the pitch unaided before taking a seat on the bench to watch the remainder of the match. According to reports, Hermoso's condition does not give cause for serious concern. The withdrawal was purely protective rather than a response to a significant injury, allowing the Roma coaching staff to err on the side of caution with a key defensive player. Gasperini is expected to have Hermoso available for Roma's next friendly fixture, a match against Borussia Dortmund.

Roma are working on a move for Endrick as they strengthen their attack, positioning themselves well in the race for the Brazilian forward. The club has been operating behind the scenes on the operation for several weeks. However, much depends on the player's willingness. Endrick arrived at Real Madrid's pre-season retreat determined to fight for his place under Mourinho despite competition in the attacking department. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, his entourage is pushing for a new loan experience away from the Bernabéu, particularly given his positive spell at Lyon and precedents such as Nico Paz. Endrick himself is not yet convinced about leaving Madrid, a situation that works against Roma's pursuit. The competition for his signature is intense, but sporting director D'Amico continues working to position Roma at the front of the queue should a loan opportunity open up. Gasperini and the club regard Endrick as the ideal profile for his characteristics, age, and quality already demonstrated at the highest level.

Roma are pursuing Rodrigo Mora, a 2007-born left winger from Porto, as they search for the final piece of their summer transfer puzzle. Director Tony D'Amico has targeted the technically gifted Mora after failed approaches for Greenwood and Summerville, plus wider interest in Nusa and Fofana. Roma have roughly two weeks to complete the deal before their Serie A season opens against Fiorentina. Mora, at 168 centimetres tall, uses his low centre of gravity to excel in tight spaces and in the final third. His former Porto coach praised his ability to play between the lines and his willingness to work hard in defence: "Rodrigo is a player who excels in playing between the lines, in the final pass and in dribbling in the opponent's half. He is a brave young man, who does not feel the weight of playing at such a high level. He works hard always and accepts the responsibility of sacrificing himself in the defensive phase when we do not have the ball." Naturally a number ten, Mora can operate across multiple attacking roles on either flank. D'Amico aims to wrap up the transfer quickly to give Gasperini the attacking winger the club has pursued for a year. Mora represents a prospect with significant growth potential rather than a finished product, offering what Roma see as a strong technical and financial investment for the future.

Roma's attacking department has been decimated ahead of the 2026–27 season, with coach Gian Piero Gasperini now overseeing just five senior forwards for the role — down from ten options at the end of January. The remaining quartet consists of Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, and Robinio Vaz, with young prospect Arena also available. The collapse mirrors Gasperini's repeated public calls for investment in attack. Speaking exactly a year ago on 4 August 2025 at the English national team's St. George Park facility in Burton Upon Trent, Gasperini outlined his philosophy: "It concerns all clubs that spend large sums on attackers. The offensive department is the most sought after and most expensive. Teams with strong attacking players are more competitive." That same summer, Roma pursued Fabio Silva and Jadon Sancho without success, settling on a loan move for Romain Bailey as a last-minute solution. By the end of 2025, Roma had assembled eight attacking options — Dybala, Artem Dovbyk, Evan Ferguson, Bailey, Soulé, Baldanzi, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Lorenzo Pellegrini — to fill three positions in Gasperini's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. The winter transfer window swelled that number to ten through the departures of Bailey and Baldanzi and the arrivals of Malen, Vaz, Bryan Zaragoza, and Lorenzo Venturino. However, only Malen performed consistently. With just twenty days until the league campaign begins, Roma faces a critical shortage. The club is reportedly making another approach for Nusa and preparing a move for Fofana to bolster the depleted ranks.

Roma find themselves in unexpected stasis on the transfer market one month before their Serie A opener against Fiorentina, hampered by slow planning, a complex summer constrained by Settlement Agreement rules, and difficulty delivering the reinforcements Gian Piero Gasperini has requested. As of late July, Roma had completed zero signings and just one minor departure, leaving six players from last season's squad still to be replaced: El Shaarawy, Ferguson, Tsimikas, Celik, Venturino, and Zaragoza. The club also has several players ready to depart—Salah-Eddine, Kumbulla, and Dovbyk among them—while others including Soulé and Koné remain uncertain. Contract complications surround Dybala, and Pellegrini's position requires clarification. Delays stem from structural issues worsened by Tony D'Amico's late arrival as sporting director, who became operational only in the final ten days of June following a dispute with Atalanta, compounded by World Cup scheduling and Settlement Agreement restrictions. Gasperini intends to compete at the highest level while preserving the squad's core and adding only a few elite signings. Roma pursued Mason Greenwood and Luis Summerville at length, becoming committed to the Dutch player beyond their budgeted limits before the deal collapsed entirely.

Roma are pursuing Summerville to fill the most glaring weakness in Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical system. The club has identified a right-footed attacking winger—capable of playing as a trequartista or winger on the left—as the top priority for the new season, with sporting director D'Amico now working alongside Gasperini to address the gap. The void has persisted for seasons. Throughout August, the club sought a loan deal for a right-footed attacking option without success, pursuing targets including Fabio Silva (who remained at his club with one year remaining on his contract) and Jadon Sancho via videoconference. January brought only unsuccessful temporary deals for Bryan Zaragoza and Lorenzo Venturino, alongside the unproven centre-forward gamble of Robinio Vaz, signed for €25 million. Summerville's arrival would finally remedy what has been an obvious deficiency in Roma's attacking setup under Gasperini.

Roma returned to Italy on the afternoon of 8 August following a 3–0 friendly defeat to Brighton during their ten-day training camp in Wales and England. The squad travelled by coach to London before boarding a direct flight to Fiumicino. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini granted his players two full days of rest before resuming work. Training resumes on Tuesday at the Fulvio Bernardini centre in Trigoria, where Lorenzo Pellegrini will rejoin the group. Gasperini also expects to have Nahuel Molina on the pitch the same day. The Argentine right-back is set to arrive in Rome in the coming days to undergo medical tests ahead of signing his contract with Roma.

Gian Piero Gasperini is evaluating the possibility of organising a second training camp away from Trigoria during the first international break of the season, which will last three weeks this year. The Roma head coach identified multiple areas to refine following the summer tour of Wales and England, where he was able to integrate only new arrival Konstantinos Koulierakis into his system while awaiting the arrival of Nahuel Molina in the capital. The squad resumes work at Trigoria on Tuesday to prepare for a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August, the final warm-up before the Serie A season opener against Fiorentina on Monday 24 August. The proposed September retreat holds particular strategic importance for Lorenzo Pellegrini, Roma's recently renewed captain. Pellegrini missed the summer training camp for the second consecutive year due to ongoing physical issues and is expected to return between late September and early October. A second pre-season block would allow him to build the necessary fitness to reach full condition. Gasperini's wider focus extends beyond squad integration, with the strategic use of the extended international break providing an opportunity to fine-tune preparations ahead of the campaign's crucial opening weeks.

Roma's head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is considering arranging a preparation camp outside the club's Trigoria training ground during September's international break. The idea emerged after Roma's recent tour of Wales and England, during which Gasperini welcomed only Koulierakis while awaiting Molina's arrival in the capital. From Tuesday, Roma will intensify preparations ahead of a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August and their league opener against Fiorentina on 24 August. Gasperini's focus extends beyond the transfer window to squad conditioning. This season marks the first time the Serie A campaign will feature a three-week pause in late September and early October. During that window, Lorenzo Pellegrini is expected to return to full availability after completing his recovery. The captain renewed his contract recently but requires additional time to reach peak fitness, with Gasperini stating after Brighton's pre-season match against Roma that 'it will take another month'. Pellegrini skipped the summer retreat for the second consecutive year, and a mid-season training camp could accelerate his return to full form.