Source: Forza Roma
Gian Piero Gasperini arrived at Roma in June with ambitions to sign elite attacking talent such as Mason Greenwood, Luis Summerville or Alexander Nusa, but faces the close of the transfer window having settled for younger, more sustainable prospects. Oosterwolde is expected to arrive in the coming days as one of two final signings, but the manager's publicly measured tone masks deeper disappointment at what proved achievable against his original vision for the squad.
The shift reflects the club's financial constraints under UEFA's settlement agreement with Roma. The constraint has not only limited inbound spending but appears to have narrowly governed outbound movement as well. On 21 July, Roma sent a private aircraft to Rotterdam to pursue Summerville, whose transfer would have cost €53 million in fees plus €4 million in annual wages including bonuses. When that move collapsed, Gasperini suggested the dynamics altered: "Perhaps if we had done Summerville we couldn't have done anything else. Or perhaps his contract was sustainable at that moment." The comment hints that Roma's operational budget suddenly contracted mid-window, forcing a change in strategy communicated by ownership during a meeting at a location in Wales.
The timing and scale of other moves support this reading. After Al Hilal's counter-offer prompted Roma to act quickly, the club signed Castro (€36 million plus €3 million add-ons), Koulierakis (€16.5 million plus €1.5 million) and Molina (€13 million plus €4 million—an unplanned expense given the earlier expectation Çelik would remain). A club source indicated that "Roma has already had two payment deferrals with UEFA and cannot have more. Now comes the reckoning." The new stance, communicated as ownership's direction, prioritizes younger profiles over established names, regardless of sporting ambition. Gasperini blamed the Financial Fair Play framework: "It is limiting; perhaps Roma is the only club in Italy that must pay this price." The tension between what he sought and what the transfer market delivered will shape his approach to the new season.
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AS Roma's summer transfer window has been shaped by financial constraints that forced head coach Gian Piero Gasperini to abandon his original strategy of signing established stars. Gasperini arrived in June targeting high-profile names such as Greenwood, Summerville and Nusa but has instead built a younger, more affordable squad within Roma's strict UEFA Settlement Agreement wage limits. A pivotal moment came on 21 July when Roma sent an aircraft to Rotterdam to pursue Summerville, whose deal would have cost €53 million plus €4 million in wages and bonuses—a package ultimately deemed unsustainable. The collapse of that pursuit, combined with unplanned signings forced by market pressure, shifted ownership strategy toward youth-focused profiles rather than elite talent. Gasperini has expressed measured but evident frustration, stating that Roma is uniquely constrained by Financial Fair Play restrictions among Italian clubs and faces a UEFA "reckoning" after already receiving two deferrals.
With ten days remaining in the window, Gasperini is pressing for two final signings—a striker and a winger—though ownership prefers completing just one versatile player. According to reports, Roma's director D'Amico presented the coach with loan options including Chelsea's Gittens, who has underperformed since his €56 million move from Borussia Dortmund, and Luis Henrique, capable of playing as both trequartista and winger. Fenerbahçe's Oosterwolde, also able to play left-back, has been offered on loan with an exit clause and is expected to arrive in coming days alongside one further incoming player before the window closes.
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Testo Originale / Source Text
“Mettiamola così: si aspettava di più. E questo sarà lo stato d'animo che Gasperini si porterà dietro anche a fine mercato, quando i due calciatori che mancano all'appello arriveranno a Trigoria (uno, Oosterwolde, già nelle prossime ore). Perché un conto e completare la rosa e in alcuni casi…”
Read the full article in Italian at Forza Roma.
Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing to integrate Oosterwolde into Roma's squad, with the versatile defender capable of playing as a fullback or centre-back. The Piedmont-born coach is ready to deploy his new tactical option across multiple positions in the back line.
Roma have completed the signing of left winger Jayden Oosterwolde from Parma on loan with a right of purchase valued at €15–16 million, with a contract running until 2031. The Dutch winger was among the final names on Roma's shortlist, which also included Luis Henrique, Cacciamani and Udogie. However, Luis Henrique will remain at Inter after the club's demands proved too steep; Roma would have taken him only on loan with a right to buy, but Inter stood firm in their refusal. With Oosterwolde's arrival, Roma's search for a left-sided option is now complete, and manager Gian Piero Gasperini has his new utility player. Oosterwolde is expected in the capital in the coming days.
Roma are working on a proposal to sign AC Milan winger Rafael Leão in the final days of the transfer window. The Portugal international is on the periphery of Milan's plans under new coach Amorim, and the club will sell him if a suitable offer arrives. Roma's proposal, according to Sportmediaset, centres on a loan deal worth €4 million with a conditional obligation to buy set at €41 million, totalling €45 million and narrowing the gap to the €50 million Milan demanded in recent weeks. Roma would cover 80 per cent of Leão's wages in the first season, allowing the club to exploit the benefits of the growth decree tax incentive.