Gasperini wants two wide players and hopes Pellegrini will renew contract
Press Conference·18 July 2026·23h ago

Gasperini wants two wide players and hopes Pellegrini will renew contract

Source: Il Messaggero – Roma

Gian Piero Gasperini held a press conference at Trigoria to address Roma's transfer priorities and squad planning ahead of the new season. The head coach confirmed that Zeki Çelik's departure will be replaced and stressed the need for reinforcements on the flanks. "We have Soulé and Dybala and nothing else as wide players—I expect two players in that role," Gasperini said. He also acknowledged that the club's transfer activity has been slow to gain momentum, partly due to lengthy decision-making processes, though he expressed optimism that the appointment of Ryan Friedkin could help accelerate operations.

Gasperini elaborated on Roma's ambitions, emphasizing stabilization in the upper reaches of the league rather than an immediate title push. "It would be nice to establish ourselves in those high positions of the table," he explained. "Then, by my experience, if you manage to stay high with good solidity, the moment comes when you also aim for that. Now the immediate objective is to stabilize ourselves as high as possible, improve on an objective the squad has deserved while perhaps also going a bit beyond its own expectations." On Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract situation, Gasperini expressed hope for a renewal but acknowledged delays stemming from the player's ongoing injury recovery.

Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini have already renewed their contracts. Gasperini defended Roma's squad depth in midfield, stating: "There are no hierarchies—I have four players, all strong and reliable. We will have many matches to play." He also touched on Financial Fair Play constraints, noting that changes to the regulations over recent months have required flexibility in planning.

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Testo Originale / Source Text

La nuova stagione della Roma ha già acceso i motori, ma la partenza è tutt’altro che priva di ostacoli. Dal mercato, finora, Gian Piero Gasperini non ha ricevuto le risposte attese. Alle 14 il tecnico ha preso la parola in conferenza stampa da Trigoria. Il tecnico non ha nascosto le proprie…

Read the full article in Italian at Il Messaggero – Roma.

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