Inter eye Ndicka as Plan B if Bastoni departs for Real Madrid

Roma are making a new push to sign Jamie Gittens from Chelsea as sporting director D'Amico works to complete Gasperini's attacking options following the collapse of the Leweling deal. The Leweling move fell through after the player rejected Roma following an agreement with Stuttgart. Roma are structuring a proposal around a loan deal worth €5 million with a right of purchase set at approximately €55 million, bringing the overall package to €60 million. Chelsea have consistently demanded an outright transfer, but the comprehensive package being tabled could shift the dynamic in these final hours of the transfer window. Roma are still seeking the green light from the English club.

Roma are making a fresh attempt to sign Chelsea winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens on the final night of the transfer window. The key development is Chelsea's reported willingness to consider a loan formula that Roma has been pursuing throughout the summer. The deal would see Bynoe-Gittens arrive on a paid loan worth approximately €5 million, with a right of purchase set at around €55 million. This structure would allow Roma to bring in the player immediately without bearing the full upfront cost of the transfer fee. Bynoe-Gittens, born in 2004, has been one of Roma's priority targets in the latter stages of the window as they continue hunting for an attacking winger. The Gittens track remains very much alive heading into the final hours of the market, with Roma keeping several options open. The club had previously worked on bringing him in but had not secured Chelsea's backing for the loan-with-purchase-option structure until now. With the window entering its closing stages and the Leweling prospect reportedly fading, Roma are waiting to see whether Chelsea will finally grant the approval necessary to complete one of the summer's major objectives. The €5 million loan fee and €55 million purchase option represent a compromise that could unlock the deal in the dying moments of the transfer period.

Jamie Leweling has declined to open the door to a Roma move despite intensive negotiations on 31 August, leaving the giallorossi's hopes of completing a deal in tatters. Roma and Stuttgart had reportedly reached an agreement, but the German winger refused to give the club the go-ahead, catching general manager D'Amico off-guard at a moment when Roma believed the operation was on the brink of completion. The collapse of the Leweling pursuit also freezes the parallel track: Luiz Henrique, the Brazilian forward for whom Roma already held agreements with both Zenit and the player himself, remains in limbo while the club pivoted to prioritise the Stuttgart negotiations. Roma had restructured their approach after an initial loan-with-obligation-to-buy proposal was rejected. The club tabled a fresh offer worth €30 million plus €5 million in bonuses, coupled with a contract through to 2031, but Leweling has resisted commitment to his future. The 22-year-old is weighing competing interest from Premier League clubs—Everton and Liverpool among them—while a stay at Stuttgart remains an option he has not ruled out. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini was waiting for Roma to deliver an attacking winger, and Leweling had climbed the priority list over Henrique in what was shaping as a crucial final push of the window. Sources Gianluca Di Marzio and Fabrizio Romano reported that Roma held fresh discussions with Stuttgart throughout 31 August in an attempt to bridge the gap on structure and financial terms, following the rejection of an earlier giallorossi proposal in preceding days. The two clubs had moved into what was described as a very hot phase of negotiation. Roma's sporting director D'Amico had been convinced the Leweling deal could be closed, with a response expected either by evening on 31 August or by the morning of 1 September at the latest. Sky Sport Germany's Dennis Bayer confirmed Leweling had asked for time to reflect on his future and had not yet communicated his decision. With Leweling's rejection, the Henrique option—which offers Roma a ready-made agreement with both club and player—returns to the table as a fallback. The article makes clear the Leweling operation is now destined to collapse entirely.

Gian Piero Gasperini expressed satisfaction with Roma's start to the season after a 4–0 victory over Lecce, telling Sky Sport that the squad has been substantially strengthened and now possesses the depth to maintain performance even when key players are unavailable. "The squad's condition is spectacular," Gasperini said. "It was evident we had top-level players. It was important to put players of equal strength alongside them. This is an extraordinary group in terms of values, who give everything and are attached to Roma. The team plays with passion, a fundamental aspect." Gasperini highlighted the continuity Roma achieved from last season's third-place finish in Serie A, which gave the group confidence and familiarity. "Compared to last year we have greater understanding," he explained. "We played a season together and did so in a crescendo, in confidence in finding the way to score. These are advantages for the second year. We are stronger and more solid mentally. We approach every match. This is a group of very healthy lads, with values." He emphasised that the recent departures and injuries have not dented the team's ambition: when Evan N'Dicka became unavailable during the warm-up before the Lecce match, the squad did not drop its level. On individual performances, Gasperini drew a comparison between Donyell Malen and Gonzalo Higuaín. "It can stand. Perhaps Malen has less stature. But for control, acceleration, and shooting, it's a comparison that fits," he said. He also praised Paulo Dybala's continuity and Matías Soulé's display, noting that Rodrigo Mora had scored his first goal for the club. Gasperini confirmed that Marten de Roon has arrived to bolster the midfield, and that Santiago Castro and Rodrigo provide attacking solutions. He expressed hope that Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch would soon be available to add further options. The manager reflected on his previous experience of leading strong forwards, including Milito at Genoa: "Malen has the ability to control, shoot and accelerate over a few metres that burns you. We made a fine gamble and I'd say it's working well." When asked about the transfer market closing on 1 September, Gasperini said: "I don't know anything, I haven't spoken to D'Amico, I need to call him." On the title race, he tempered expectations: "Inter have a straight stretch of advantage, then there are squads equipping themselves notably, even more than us in some respects, including Como, no longer to be considered a surprise, and then the usual big teams. We must look at our own road and path."

Roma demolished Lecce 4–0 at the Stadio Via del Mare in the second round of Serie A fixtures, recording a second consecutive four-goal victory after their thrashing of Fiorentina. Donyell Malen scored twice in the opening minutes to settle the match, then contributed across defence and attack throughout. Rodrigo Mora, introduced in the second half, marked his Roma debut with a goal and created a masterclass in technique that left the opposition helpless. Gianluca Mancini commanded the centre-back position with a towering defensive and attacking display, setting up Mora's goal with a crucial assist. Daniele Ghilardi, forced into action when Evan N'Dicka suffered an injury during warm-up, delivered a convincing performance at the back. Manu Koné dominated the midfield, contesting and winning every contested ball in the centre of the park, while Bryan Cristante offered essential support and recovery. Wesley provided the assist for Malen's second goal from right-back, though the quality of his delivery was inconsistent. Paulo Dybala understood the match was already decided and managed his involvement accordingly, reaching a high level throughout but ceding the spotlight to teammates; he spurned a simple goalscoring chance after receiving a fine assist from Mora. Matías Soulé netted a goal but could have finished with greater accuracy. Gian Piero Gasperini's side produced football resembling Atalanta's celebrated vintage, entirely dominating their opponent and dismantling them through a relentless goalscoring barrage. Gasperini received an 8 rating for a tactical performance that suggests the 2026–27 season holds genuine promise.

Roma hammered Lecce 4–0 to extend their perfect start to the 2026-27 season, dismantling their opponents with such force and speed that the match was settled within 25 minutes. Donyell Malen scored twice to top the Serie A scorers' chart on five goals in two games, adding his first brace in giallorosso following his debut for Fiorentina. Paulo Dybala played a quieter but pivotal role, orchestrating from midfield; Rodrigo Mora sealed the rout with his first Serie A goal. The performance laid bare Roma's trademark efficiency under Gasperini: pressing from every angle, dominating the second ball with aggression and verticality, and conceding nothing at the back. What sets this Roma apart is the orchestration. The attack flows joy, bringing defenders into play from the back line while never losing shape. Gianluca Mancini delivered a flawless defensive display, while Daniele Ghilardi, drafted in at the final second of the warm-up after Evan N'Dicka's injury, proved alert and solid across the full 90 minutes. The second 4–0 scoreline in consecutive matches — paired with the second clean sheet running — underlines Roma's early-season dominance. Malen's finishing masterclass combined precise first touch, explosive body movement to create space, and immediate shot selection. Mora's goal meant little for the scoreline but symbolised the entire mood: a Roma team that attacks with freedom and celebrates with abandon. The numbers contextualise the ambition. Only once in the previous nine seasons had Roma scored more than four goals across their opening two fixtures — in 2021–22. Roma have now matched that record and surpassed it in spectacle.