Hermoso close to Roma contract extension as talks progress

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.

Roma sporting director Tony D'Amico is already working on January moves, with the winter window opening early on 28 December and the aim of adding two attacking players. The club's priority is to strengthen the attack while keeping to the owners' sustainable line, with wage demands not exceeding 4 million euros a season, and while monitoring a UEFA ruling expected between late November and early December. The top name on the list remains Endrick, who has been pursued for months and returned to the spotlight after comments at the Brazil national team camp, where the forward stressed his need for more playing time. He has played only 141 minutes so far across La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid, including a goal and an assist against Roma. Talks between officials ahead of the European fixture reportedly included Roberto Carlos for the Madrid side, and the player is keen to leave, although José Mourinho prefers to keep him. Milan, who are in the Premier League in the article's wording, and Sporting CP, coached by former Roma boss Paulo Fonseca, are also reportedly moving for the 2006-born striker. Beyond the Brazilian, Trigoria's list includes several wide attacking options and left-sided players. Jamie Gittens of Chelsea is among them; he was a summer target who slipped away in the final hours of the window and is currently out of Xabi Alonso's plans. Other names include van Bommel of PSV Eindhoven and Leweling, whose move to Roma was reportedly close before repeated second thoughts. For the left flank, Balde of Barcelona has been offered, although that lead is currently frozen. In Germany, Stuttgart would reportedly demand no less than 30 million for Kvernadze, a player being tracked but not seen as a January priority. Gasperini expects two signings up front and is willing to give up a backup for Wesley in the summer by blocking the sale of Rensch, who remains as the fourth winger in the squad. Training resumes at Trigoria this afternoon, with Paulo Dybala among those most eagerly awaited as he shakes off a knock and aims for the trip to Parma. Mile Svilar has a medical check to have the protective boot removed from his right foot after a fifth-finger injury that forced him to miss the last match and a national team call-up. His availability for Parma remains in doubt, with a definitive verdict due in the coming days. Ticket sales for the Tardini trip are temporarily suspended pending decisions from the authorities.

No transfer meeting has yet taken place between the ownership, sporting director Tony D'Amico and head coach Gasperini, and there is only a whisper that next week could be the right moment, with no confirmation. Il Corriere della Sera's Davide Stoppini reports that Gasperini has had no direct contact with Dan Friedkin since last April, during the chaos surrounding Ranieri, not even an exchange after the Champions League qualification. Contact with Ryan Friedkin since May has changed little. Corbin Friedkin, the youngest brother, was recently seen at the Olimpico for the match against Real Madrid. In late July the club appointed CEO John Galantic, who in practice acts as a filter but does not have wide operational authority. For all deals above 2 million euros, which is practically all of them, he needs the approval of the Friedkins. The article describes this as a paradox: the club has moved further away from Gasperini than last year, when a degree of relationship between the coach and Ryan Friedkin had formed, as seen last January. Doubts may understandably arise among those involved, and nobody knows exactly how to proceed. Roma's transfer department has not stood still and has opened talks on several fronts, but these are exploratory contacts. Logic suggests that if the ownership gave the go-ahead at the end of August for an investment, Leweling or Luiz Henrique, it will make the same decision for January. However, these remain assumptions, and even inside Trigoria only hypotheses are being discussed. January is not a straightforward month.

Mario Hermoso is close to signing a new two-year contract at Roma, with the club having opened talks to tie down the Spanish centre-back. His current deal runs until 30 June 2027, a date the club reached by exercising an option to extend the agreement last May. Talks have been under way since last month, and the parties are working on an extension of one or two years, possibly with a salary adjustment that would be lower than his current wage, a sign of the strong and mutual desire to keep working together. The move marks a dramatic turnaround. On 31 January 2025, Roma loaned Hermoso to Bayer Leverkusen after just thirteen appearances and one goal, a spell that was hampered by a difficult settling-in period. His return to Trigoria and his meeting with Gian Piero Gasperini have completely reversed his fortunes. The Grugliasco-born coach has turned him into an aggressive defender who is comfortable building play from the back and valuable in the penalty area too. Hermoso has played 1,049 minutes so far this season across Serie A and the Champions League, and only Wesley has been used more by Roma. He has scored three goals in total, two in Serie A and one in Europe. Having established himself as an automatic first choice, Hermoso is now considered an indispensable part of the defence, and keeping him would provide continuity for a back line that has found in the Spaniard a crucial point of reference.

Mario Hermoso is close to signing a contract extension at Roma, with negotiations underway and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pushing to finalise the agreement. According to La Repubblica, as reported by TeleRadioStereo, the deal would add two more years with an option. The centre-back's current contract expires at the end of the season. Hermoso has enjoyed a strong run in Rome, scoring 8 goals in 49 appearances for the club, three of them in the current campaign. Gasperini was influential in keeping him at the club in the first place. Hermoso joined as a free agent in 2024 after his time at Atlético Madrid, but he struggled to win regular minutes in his first few months. He was loaned to Bayer Leverkusen in January, and a shoulder injury prevented the German side from buying him outright, so he returned to Roma. Hermoso was reportedly on the chopping block in the summer of 2025, until Gasperini took a liking to him. The coach made him a linchpin of the side, as his skill set and dynamism suited his style well. The Real Madrid product also spent time at Espanyol earlier in his career and has five caps for Spain, although he has not been called up since 2019. Gasperini likes good ball handlers and sound athletes in every position, and especially in the 'braccetti' role. Hermoso's goalscoring is a bonus that has served the team well, as they can bring almost the whole side into the final third when they are firing. The extension is seen as a no-brainer, as the financial sums are not expected to be a problem.

Several Roma-focused radio pundits discussed the club's January transfer options, the Endrick situation and the form of Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé in the latest edition of the On Air roundup from Rome's radio stations. Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport suggested that Endrick would not join Roma permanently, because he hopes to establish himself at Real Madrid, but that a loan of 18 months could be a good solution. He said Roma could then invest in Kvernadze, who is already performing well in Italy and costs relatively little, as he has a 4 million euro release clause. Piacentini said Frosinone would like to renew his contract, but if he already has an agreement with another club he will not renew. "If it were Roma, you turn up with 10-12 million in January and you take both of them," Piacentini said. He added: "On Pellegrini, and perhaps also on Dybala, you cannot rely, and that is why you need two." Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista said Endrick could arrive on loan, and that Roma could keep control of the player unless that control were well paid for and taken back by Real Madrid, as happened with Nico Paz. He gave an example in which Roma would take him on loan and buy him at 60 million if they valued him, with Real Madrid having to pay 80 million to take him back. Asked whether such a deal was feasible, Lo Monaco said: "At this moment there is nothing." He stated that Endrick's agents know Roma's intentions perfectly well, that there were contacts before the Roma-Real match, and that the giallorossi had reiterated their interest. He said he understood the player would not go to Milan. "If he leaves Real, I can give a percentage: 60-70% that he ends up at Roma," Lo Monaco said. Sandro Sabatini of Radio Radio named Malen, Cristante and, as a surprise, Dybala as the three most important players at Roma, saying Dybala had been phenomenal in the matches he played even though he is currently injured. He said he had thought Soulé was not on Dybala's level, but that Soulé had taken advantage of Dybala's absence and grown enormously. "The club tried to sell him all summer without succeeding, first because Soulé and Dybala cannot play together," Sabatini said. He added: "When Dybala is there, Soulé suffers a psychological inferiority. Soulé plays very well when Dybala is unavailable." Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio named Hermoso, Soulé and Malen as the three most important players so far, and said Marten de Roon had been a fundamental signing, while noting that Rodrigo Mora is showing he deserves a starting place in certain matches. He said he did not know whether the club had a trick up its sleeve to sign a striker who could start. "With these players you can go all the way, but avoiding injuries will be decisive," Pruzzo said. Ilario Di Giovambattista of Radio Radio said that with Malen Roma had made one of the best deals of the last 30 years, having paid 25 million, a figure that now looks ridiculous. He said Malen had become the most decisive striker, more so than Lautaro, and that Roma had made an extraordinary signing. David Rossi of Rete Sport and Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo discussed the club's situation off the pitch. Pes said Gasperini had had no contact with the Friedkins in recent months, but that Galantic had been named CEO for precisely this purpose. He said Roma would face the consequences of the UEFA ruling and the settlement agreement, and that by the end of November the club would know what it faced, which would shape the January market. Alessio Nardo of Tele Radio Stereo said it was not known how much the Friedkins would allow the club to invest and that January was usually a month for loans. He added that the January market must be attacked with clear ideas about what the squad needs to challenge Inter, "until the last matchday of the league."

Roma's summer recruits have been involved in 36.5% of the club's goals this season, with 15 of the team's 41 strikes involving one of them. Gian Piero Gasperini has relied heavily on seven players who were not part of the squad in the last match of the previous campaign: Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Leonardo Balerdi, Rodrigo Mora, Emanuele Lulli, Santiago Castro and Konstantinos Koulierakis. Lulli came up from the Primavera. Molina has been the most-used player, with 751 minutes, one goal and two assists. He is followed by De Roon (732 minutes), Balerdi (639), Mora (595), Lulli (546), Castro (370) and Koulierakis (225). Gasperini has given minutes to every summer arrival, including the Primavera graduate, showing confidence in the quality of the new players. Mora has been the most productive, with four goals and two assists. His recent form, with a sharp improvement in the latest matches, has eased doubts about the investment made in the summer, reported at €25 million plus 50% of a future resale, for a valuation of €50 million. Across all competitions, the new players have taken part in 15 of Roma's 41 goals. By comparison, at the same stage of last season, Massara's summer signings from that campaign had contributed to just three goals: Wesley with one goal, Ferguson with one assist and Tsimikas with one assist.

Radio Radio Mattino pundit Carina has named Bryan Cristante, Donyell Malen and Matías Soulé as Roma's three most important players at present, while adding that Lulli has been a very pleasant surprise so far this season. Speaking on the same station, Giuseppe Pruzzo said Marten de Roon has been a fundamental signing in midfield. Carina said: "At this moment the three most important players at Roma are Cristante, Malen and Soulé, although Lulli has been a very pleasant surprise at the start of this season. With Dybala's return there will be a switch back of Soulé to the left, which is the side where he performs a little less well." He added: "I still think it is always better to have many players available, because after the international break there will again be a cycle with many closely spaced fixtures." Pruzzo said: "De Roon has been a fundamental signing in midfield. I cannot say whether Roma have an ace up their sleeve regarding a signing who could start in this team at certain moments. If they don't, we will try to go all the way with this squad. At some point in the season, the injury situation will be decisive, especially if Roma are still in the running in the Champions League." The comments come as Roma prepare for a demanding run of fixtures, with Champions League football in the mix this season. Pruzzo's remarks point to the importance of squad depth as the campaign develops.

Roma's focus for the January transfer window has settled on a single target: an attacking winger, ideally left-footed, who is already capable of making a difference at the highest level. The club's primary objective is Real Madrid's Endrick. The Brazilian and Gian Piero Gasperini reportedly admired each other before ever working together, and that admiration grew during the Champions League match between Roma and Real Madrid, when the coach valued the forward's versatility and his physical and technical qualities up close. Endrick was reportedly impressed by Roma's attacking style, which the report suggests would give him more enjoyment than the bench in Madrid. The transfer is constrained by two conditions. Roma can only pursue a deal along the lines of the Malen operation, meaning a loan with an obligation and a right of redemption linked to Champions League qualification, and nothing more. The player must also be of international standard, young but already able to make a difference at high levels, rather than an inexperienced prospect in the mould of Vaz or Venturino. The main obstacle is Real Madrid coach Mourinho, who has said he does not want to sell Endrick. Endrick himself spoke this morning and opened the door to a sale, and his entourage has been pushing for a move away from Spain for some time. Relations between the player and Roma have remained unchanged since the failed summer attempt, and a meeting was held after the Champions League game at the Olimpico to reaffirm their mutual desire to get together in January. The report says Endrick's mood is worsening by the day. Ancelotti has made clear he must play more or risk losing his place in the Brazil squad, which the article describes as a crime for a Brazilian. A loan has therefore returned to the conversation. Endrick could also return to Real Madrid in June, where Vinicius is reportedly running out of months. Roma would not be caught unprepared: a target is already marked for the summer in Kvernadze of Frosinone. The Georgian is much loved by Gasperini and could be available for less in the summer thanks to a reported 4 million euro clause with a high resale percentage. Frosinone currently do not intend to sell him unless they receive crazy offers, but the situation would change in June. The plan, the article says, is clear: Endrick now for the title race, Kvernadze tomorrow. The alternative to the Brazilian could be Gittens, but the fact that the Englishman has never actually played for Chelsea raises legitimate questions. Gasperini had recently expressed a desire to invest in midfield, but that possibility has faded as the days pass. Roma do not want to disrupt a department that has functioned well even during a real emergency, and the club is counting on Pellegrini's return in January. On the left side of defence, Lulli's emergence does not create any urgency, and loan opportunities will be taken if they arise. Oosterwoolde will not arrive, as his physical condition is not convincing, while Balde of Barcelona is of interest.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

Roma have secured one of the most promising talents in their youth sector, with left-back Lorenzo Dattilo, born in 2010, signing a three-year contract with the Giallorossi. The move sees the club beat the competition from several European sides, above all Atletico Madrid. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Spanish club were ready to invest in the 16-year-old during the summer transfer window, but Dattilo had always made clear he wanted to continue his journey in the capital. The signing closes speculation over his future and confirms the mutual trust between the player and Roma. Dattilo is considered one of the most interesting prospects in the Roma academy. Last summer he was crowned European champion with Italy's Under-17 side, starting despite being under age, a prestigious result that drew the attention of many international scouts. This season the young full-back has already moved up to the Under-18 team, while continuing to shine with Roma's Under-17s, where he has scored one goal and provided one assist in the league. The new three-year contract is therefore an important recognition of his development and another sign of the club's intention to nurture its talent. Roma avoid the risk of losing another gem from their academy, resisting the interest of a prestigious club such as Atletico Madrid. Dattilo remains at Trigoria, where he can continue his development in the yellow and red. Source: Gianluca Di Marzio

Former Roma midfielder Edoardo Bove has praised Gian Piero Gasperini's side, saying the team "has great potential" and plays an almost suffocating, man-to-man style. Now at Watford, Bove said he had faced Gasperini in Italy and knew well the problems his football creates. Looking at his own future, he added: "Being in England makes me happy, it was a dream. But I don't hide that I have one eye on Italy." Francesco Totti has again spoken about a possible return to Roma and left the door open. "For me Roma is everything, but certain things are done in two, not alone," the former captain said, adding that he did not want to stir controversy. He also recognised the club's good form: "They are doing well, everything works and the team is very strong." Remembering Trigoria, he said: "It was my home. I arrived there at twelve and stayed for over thirty-five years." Roma face the final international break of 2026 with 13 players called up by their national teams. Soulé, Balerdi and Castro will join Argentina and Wesley will link up with Brazil. Italy have called up Pisilli and Ghilardi, while Mancini has been ruled out by a strain to his hip flexor. Malen will rejoin the Netherlands and Mora returns to the Portugal senior squad. Koulierakis, Lulli, Vásquez and De Marzi will also depart on international duty. Koné, by contrast, has been spared by France.