Gasperini wants two attacking reinforcements, with Endrick on the list

Roma's January transfer window risks becoming one of the pivotal moments of their season, with the club's challenge being to identify the players Gian Piero Gasperini genuinely needs without repeating the improvised mid-season dealings of the past. The summer window closed with at least two unresolved issues, perhaps three: a full-back, preferably left-footed, an attacking winger capable of giving bursts of pace and depth, and, despite the club's own assessments, a fifth central midfielder. The central midfield is probably the most underestimated concern. Manu Koné, Bryan Cristante, Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli form a reliable unit in quality terms, but four players for two places, considering the Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia, is a fairly thin resource. Roma's recent admission that a forward-thinking winger of real pace is the priority, recognising a gap that already emerged at the end of the summer market, was described as an important acknowledgement, since it means the club and the coach have identified a precise need. The question now is whether they can meet it without simply buying someone. January is not July. There are no summer training camps, no preparation weeks and no time to teach Gasperini's football from scratch, a system that demands reading of the game, physical condition, timing and a willingness to sacrifice. Anyone who arrives must be ready almost immediately, because the risk of signing a player who only understands the system by March is far from remote. The experience of Zaragoza and Venturino, signed in a hurry last year and sold just as quickly this summer, should have taught the club something. Those deals were meant to add attacking options but produced a contribution below expectations. What is needed is not necessarily another Grenier, a player brought in to fill a line on the team sheet without really changing the team's possibilities. Better one right signing than three alternatives destined to remain just that, especially as Roma have shown they already have a competitive structure and need to be completed rather than rebuilt. The problem is that this time the calendar will not even allow the luxury of waiting. From 2 to 31 January, Roma will play nine matches across Serie A, the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. The first three come in just eight days: Frosinone on 2 January, Venezia on 5 January and Milan on 9 January. Then comes Verona in the cup, Atalanta, the decisive European fixtures against AEK Athens and Lille, Udinese and Monza. The sequence could steer three competitions at once, making it essential to reach the restart after Christmas with all available resources. The market opens on 1 January, but D'Amico believes the work must be substantially completed well before then. Waiting until the final days to save money could leave Gasperini without reinforcements just as points start to matter more. Equally, rushing through profiles that are not fully convincing simply to present them at Trigoria in the first days of the month would be just as dangerous. That is the balance to strike: being in a hurry without being rushed. Gasperini has shown he can develop a squad built around his ideas, but also that not every player is automatically suited to his style, so January's business must be built on shared choices rather than last-minute opportunities. Roma have already lost too much time in the past trying to correct the mistakes of the previous market. This time they must do something different: complete what works. A reinforcement arriving on 3 January can change a season; the same player arriving on 31 January could find a Roma that has already played nine decisive matches. And certain opportunities, once missed, cannot be recovered with a signing.

Radio Manà Manà pundit Filippo Biafora has questioned whether Endrick would play every match under Gian Piero Gasperini. Biafora said: "The question for Endrick is only one: he must play a lot. I wonder whether with Gasperini he would play every match. I'm not sure. He would certainly get more game time than he does today at Real Madrid. I believe the coach from Grugliasco would see him on the centre-right." Biafora's view came in a round of opinions from Rome's radio stations. Piero Torri of Radio Manà Manà (90.9) said: "We need to ask a series of questions about Endrick. I consider him a striker. In my opinion he is not the player Roma are looking for in terms of characteristics." Lorenzo Pes of Teleradiostereo (92.7) turned the focus to Paulo Dybala's deployment. Pes said: "The way Dybala is being managed intrigues me. The best setup could be the one seen against Real Madrid, with Soulé on the right and Paulo on the left. With Dybala, Malen performs at his best, but the attacking output has not decreased." He added: "The best player at the start of this season is Hermoso."

Ryan Friedkin may travel to Rome in the coming days for a transfer summit with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, but his arrival is still uncertain, according to Il Corriere dello Sport. His brother Corbin could instead be the one to arrive at Trigoria. The last time Ryan Friedkin and Gasperini met was at Hensol, in Wales, during the club's training camp, where the pair spent a few days together before going their separate ways. The January transfer window is approaching, and Gasperini continues to ask for a constant presence from the club's ownership, with Galantic alone not being enough. Gasperini expects two signings in attack. Endrick, Gittens and Leweling are on the list, and Betis forward Rodrigo Riquelme has also resurfaced as an option to strengthen the attacking unit. The Spaniard was previously sought by Ghisolfi in 2024, and he could now come back into consideration to bolster the forward line.

Radio Manà Manà pundit Filippo Biafora has questioned whether Endrick would play every match under Gian Piero Gasperini. Biafora said: "The question for Endrick is only one: he must play a lot. I wonder whether with Gasperini he would play every match. I'm not sure. He would certainly get more game time than he does today at Real Madrid. I believe the coach from Grugliasco would see him on the centre-right." Biafora's view came in a round of opinions from Rome's radio stations. Piero Torri of Radio Manà Manà (90.9) said: "We need to ask a series of questions about Endrick. I consider him a striker. In my opinion he is not the player Roma are looking for in terms of characteristics." Lorenzo Pes of Teleradiostereo (92.7) turned the focus to Paulo Dybala's deployment. Pes said: "The way Dybala is being managed intrigues me. The best setup could be the one seen against Real Madrid, with Soulé on the right and Paulo on the left. With Dybala, Malen performs at his best, but the attacking output has not decreased." He added: "The best player at the start of this season is Hermoso."

Paulo Dybala remains Gasperini's strongest player at Roma, but the numbers show a side that is becoming less dependent on the Argentine. Without Dybala, Roma scored 23 goals in 7 matches, while with him they have scored 16 in 8. His absence has helped the rise of Matías Soulé, who has become a technical reference point, and of Rodrigo Mora, who already has 4 Serie A goals. With Dybala back, rotations will now be used to preserve him without slowing the progress of the two young players. According to Corriere dello Sport, a plane could be ready to leave Houston for Rome carrying either Ryan Friedkin or his brother Corbin. The November break is seen as the ideal moment for a transfer meeting with D'Amico and Gasperini, who are tasked with planning moves for January. Roma want to complete a squad still considered short, and they are still searching above all for the attacking winger requested by the coach. Roma return to training at Trigoria this afternoon, with attention focused on Dybala and Svilar. Dybala has overcome a calf injury and is targeting the match against Parma, although his return to group training will be gradual. Svilar will undergo fresh checks in the coming hours, which should clear him to return to action. Mancini is also moving towards recovery, while Rensch still has to shake off an adductor injury. Pellegrini faces a longer layoff and is expected only at the start of 2027. Il Guardian has devoted considerable space to Roma and the two Capital clubs, both still unbeaten after eleven matchdays. The English paper highlights the figures of Gasperini's side, who have scored 31 goals in 11 matches, and praises Rodrigo Mora, who has scored in three consecutive matches and has now been called up to the national team. The open question concerns Dybala's next return, with Mora and Soulé finding more and more room alongside Malen.

Gian Piero Gasperini has made clear that Roma need targeted signings in the next transfer window to keep pace in the title race, but the club's ownership has yet to give any explicit signal on backing him. The head coach wants at least one attacking winger and one midfielder to push for the top of the table in the second half of the season. Roma's ambition to fight for the title sits uneasily with the need to plan the January market well in advance. The squad has gaps in certain areas, namely wide players and midfield, and the January window is complex and does not allow for delays. Gasperini believes firmly in the team's potential but feels the need for timely support from the board. How much room the club has will depend on its financial dynamics and the limits imposed by Financial Fair Play rules. The case of Donyell Malen, whose move was blocked in January and later fell through after the change of coach to Emery, shows how difficult it is to add new players without shared and structured planning. Direct contact between Gasperini and Dan Friedkin has been limited so far. Day-to-day dealings have run mainly through CEO John Souloukou and sporting director Tony D'Amico. Roma have not stood still, having opened talks over several profiles, including Logkey, Leweling and Luiz Betabçur. However, the lack of formal guarantees on budgets risks causing friction. Gasperini has been clear that the club needs at least one attacking winger and one midfielder to aim high. The line has been drawn, and the owners' response in the coming weeks will be decisive in showing Roma's real ambitions for the second half of the season.

Paulo Dybala remains Gasperini's strongest player at Roma, but the numbers show a side that is becoming less dependent on the Argentine. Without Dybala, Roma scored 23 goals in 7 matches, while with him they have scored 16 in 8. His absence has helped the rise of Matías Soulé, who has become a technical reference point, and of Rodrigo Mora, who already has 4 Serie A goals. With Dybala back, rotations will now be used to preserve him without slowing the progress of the two young players. According to Corriere dello Sport, a plane could be ready to leave Houston for Rome carrying either Ryan Friedkin or his brother Corbin. The November break is seen as the ideal moment for a transfer meeting with D'Amico and Gasperini, who are tasked with planning moves for January. Roma want to complete a squad still considered short, and they are still searching above all for the attacking winger requested by the coach. Roma return to training at Trigoria this afternoon, with attention focused on Dybala and Svilar. Dybala has overcome a calf injury and is targeting the match against Parma, although his return to group training will be gradual. Svilar will undergo fresh checks in the coming hours, which should clear him to return to action. Mancini is also moving towards recovery, while Rensch still has to shake off an adductor injury. Pellegrini faces a longer layoff and is expected only at the start of 2027. Il Guardian has devoted considerable space to Roma and the two Capital clubs, both still unbeaten after eleven matchdays. The English paper highlights the figures of Gasperini's side, who have scored 31 goals in 11 matches, and praises Rodrigo Mora, who has scored in three consecutive matches and has now been called up to the national team. The open question concerns Dybala's next return, with Mora and Soulé finding more and more room alongside Malen.

Roma's priorities have shifted: a backup for Wesley is no longer a priority, and the club are now focused on strengthening their attack ahead of the winter window. The January market opens early this year, on 28 December, between Christmas and New Year, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is reportedly hoping for at least two signings, both in attacking roles. The forward line is short of numbers, and reinforcing it is the absolute priority. Lorenzo Pellegrini will not return until 2027, while Paulo Dybala remains a question mark over his physical condition. Gasperini wants two attacking players. Compared with the summer, the priorities have changed. In the final days of the summer window Roma had also looked at a backup for Wesley, but that is no longer a priority. The coach is willing to keep his group of four wide players, largely thanks to the emergence of Lulli. The 2007-born player has quickly become a fixed point for the Giallorossi and sits ahead of Rensch in the pecking order on the right, often putting pressure on Molina. Balde was recently offered for that role, with his agent the same as Mora's, but all talks are currently frozen. Part of the reason is that a proper transfer summit has yet to take place, and part is that Roma will hunt for forwards to strengthen the attacking unit. Endrick is at the top of the list, but Gittens, van Bommel and Leweling are also under close watch. Kvernadze is considered more difficult to land.

Gian Piero Gasperini regards Paulo Dybala as Roma's strongest player, saying: "Paulo è la chiave per puntare più in alto" — Paulo is the key to aiming higher. The coach added that at 32 the Argentine is in the prime of his maturity and is among the very best, if not the best, in Serie A today. Yet Dybala's involvement has been shrinking. He has made 6 Serie A appearances out of 11 this season, against 22 last season and 24 two seasons ago. The minutes tell the same story. Dybala played 1,417 Serie A minutes in 2024-25 (the equivalent of 15.7 matches), 1,354 minutes last season (15 matches), and 492 minutes so far this season (5.4 matches). Writing in Il Messaggero, Stefano Carina notes that for the first time in four years Roma no longer depend on the Joya in attack. Without Paulo, the team have scored 23 goals in 7 matches, including cup games, against 16 in 8 with him. Dybala's last goal came on 18 January. The absence has given more room to Rodrigo Mora. The Portuguese plays regularly on the left, with Matías Soulé on the right. He first came on as a substitute against Real and Genoa, and has now started against Manchester and Sassuolo. He already has 4 Serie A goals. Carina says the comparison with Dybala is both unfair and unavoidable, but the numbers can cut both ways. In just six matches Dybala has become the league's top player for expected assists (3.42), second for big chances created (8) and third for key passes (4).

Paulo Dybala remains Gasperini's strongest player at Roma, but the numbers show a side that is becoming less dependent on the Argentine. Without Dybala, Roma scored 23 goals in 7 matches, while with him they have scored 16 in 8. His absence has helped the rise of Matías Soulé, who has become a technical reference point, and of Rodrigo Mora, who already has 4 Serie A goals. With Dybala back, rotations will now be used to preserve him without slowing the progress of the two young players. According to Corriere dello Sport, a plane could be ready to leave Houston for Rome carrying either Ryan Friedkin or his brother Corbin. The November break is seen as the ideal moment for a transfer meeting with D'Amico and Gasperini, who are tasked with planning moves for January. Roma want to complete a squad still considered short, and they are still searching above all for the attacking winger requested by the coach. Roma return to training at Trigoria this afternoon, with attention focused on Dybala and Svilar. Dybala has overcome a calf injury and is targeting the match against Parma, although his return to group training will be gradual. Svilar will undergo fresh checks in the coming hours, which should clear him to return to action. Mancini is also moving towards recovery, while Rensch still has to shake off an adductor injury. Pellegrini faces a longer layoff and is expected only at the start of 2027. Il Guardian has devoted considerable space to Roma and the two Capital clubs, both still unbeaten after eleven matchdays. The English paper highlights the figures of Gasperini's side, who have scored 31 goals in 11 matches, and praises Rodrigo Mora, who has scored in three consecutive matches and has now been called up to the national team. The open question concerns Dybala's next return, with Mora and Soulé finding more and more room alongside Malen.

Roma's priorities have shifted: a backup for Wesley is no longer a priority, and the club are now focused on strengthening their attack ahead of the winter window. The January market opens early this year, on 28 December, between Christmas and New Year, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is reportedly hoping for at least two signings, both in attacking roles. The forward line is short of numbers, and reinforcing it is the absolute priority. Lorenzo Pellegrini will not return until 2027, while Paulo Dybala remains a question mark over his physical condition. Gasperini wants two attacking players. Compared with the summer, the priorities have changed. In the final days of the summer window Roma had also looked at a backup for Wesley, but that is no longer a priority. The coach is willing to keep his group of four wide players, largely thanks to the emergence of Lulli. The 2007-born player has quickly become a fixed point for the Giallorossi and sits ahead of Rensch in the pecking order on the right, often putting pressure on Molina. Balde was recently offered for that role, with his agent the same as Mora's, but all talks are currently frozen. Part of the reason is that a proper transfer summit has yet to take place, and part is that Roma will hunt for forwards to strengthen the attacking unit. Endrick is at the top of the list, but Gittens, van Bommel and Leweling are also under close watch. Kvernadze is considered more difficult to land.

Former Roma player Stefano Desideri, speaking exclusively to Retesport, has backed Gian Piero Gasperini's side and said the gap to Inter is closing. He said he was proud to have worn the Roma shirt and described the current team as strong, with players focused and committed on the pitch. "Roma of Gasperini? A strong side, a joy to watch on the pitch. All the players are focused and on it, it's really a beautiful Roma." He added that he is enjoying watching the team after years of matches that were less enjoyable. Desideri drew comparisons with his own Roma side, which surprised opponents with a zonal press using one fewer forward and one extra midfielder, removing the markers of their opponents. He said the players then were willing to step forward, much as Gasperini's players are doing now. On the gap with Inter, he said something is always missing and that a few more players would help, but the club must find players capable of absorbing Gasperini's work, which he said is producing exceptional things. "We must keep trusting the coach," he said. He added: "I'm not afraid of anyone, I'm confident in this Roma. Lazio are the biggest surprise, Inter are a battleship but have levelled off a little, while the giallorossi have improved, so the gap is closing." On Lorenzo Pellegrini's fellow midfielder Niccolò Pisilli, Desideri said: "Good player, a complete midfielder who is good in the tackle and gets forward. He just needs to play as much as possible. A serious lad from Rome, I am proud of him." On European competition, he said the team lacks experience, with many players having little of it. He said that against Real Madrid the side played excellently with personality for 84 minutes, but then experience was lacking. "Managing the result is not part of this team's DNA." On Donyell Malen, Desideri compared him to Voller, describing him as a driving force for the team with different characteristics. "He has an execution speed that leaves defenders stranded, a fundamental quality. We have discovered a strong player." On Rodrigo Mora, he said: "A talent, he struggled at first. In recent outings we have seen him chasing opponents, he is entering the coach's mentality and it is perfect for him."