Italy coach leaves ten players at base camp, excluding Inter midfielder and Roma defender for Turkey clash

Santiago Castro has won the 'goal of the month' award for October with his strike against Genoa, a single but spectacular effort. The Argentine broke his duck against the Rossoblu with a delicate touch under the ball inside the penalty area, beating Riccardo Orsolini, who had scored against Lecce with an overhead kick. Despite limited playing time, Castro has been called up to Argentina by Scaloni and will be available for the friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica. He has started only two matches in the giallorossi shirt, but his opportunities should come after the November international break, with seven fixtures scheduled in just under a month.

Roma are reportedly monitoring Atlético Madrid winger Ademola Lookman as his playing time at the Spanish club has steadily dwindled, with the Nigerian emerging as a possible alternative to Endrick, who remains at the top of the Giallorossi wish list for January. Repubblica.it reported the story today. Roma are said to be searching for an attacking winger who can add pace, quality and unpredictability to the attack. Lookman played a key role in some of the best seasons of his career under Gian Piero Gasperini at Atalanta, and the report links him directly to the Roma coach. He has made 15 appearances across La Liga and the Champions League this season, scoring two goals and providing one assist. Those figures are modest for a player who, in his first months in Madrid, had shown he could be an important figure for Diego Simeone. The clearest sign of his struggles came in Atlético's most recent league match against Barcelona. Lookman sat on the bench for the full 90 minutes of the 2-1 defeat and was not called on even as the game was still in progress. It was the first time this season that he had not found a place in a match. Meanwhile, Álex Baena is gaining ground on the left flank in Simeone's pecking order. Simeone, however, has recently reiterated his confidence in Lookman, highlighting his qualities in one-on-one situations. No transfer requests from the player have been reported, nor has Atlético shown any willingness to let him go. Lookman's career at Atalanta is the key reference point. He became one of the most incisive forwards in European football there, using his ability to start on the left, cut inside and attack the goal with speed and great efficiency. The peak of his time in Bergamo remains the hat-trick he scored in the 2024 Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, which gave La Dea a historic trophy. The relationship with Gasperini has not always been smooth. In February 2025, after Lookman missed a penalty against Bruges in the Champions League, Gasperini criticised his decision to take the kick harshly, prompting a public reply from the player. That episode, the report says, does not erase the work the two did together or Lookman's remarkable growth under the coach. From a technical standpoint, the report says Lookman would fit many of Gasperini's requirements. He is a right-footed attacking winger, quick, skilful in dribbling and capable of creating numerical superiority from the left flank, exactly the kind of player the coach has been asking for over recent months to complete the attacking unit. Compared with Endrick, Lookman would bring greater experience and a deep understanding of the coach's systems. The financial terms of any deal still need to be assessed. Lookman is tied to Atlético Madrid, and Roma must respect precise financial constraints, favouring formulas for January that keep the immediate outlay down. A loan could be a route worth exploring, but there is currently no indication that the Spanish club would accept that solution. For now, Roma are monitoring developments, and the report describes Lookman as a name that could gain weight if the situation in Madrid changes. Gasperini knows the Nigerian's value well and how to get the most from his qualities.

Rodrigo Mora has become a fixed presence for Gian Piero Gasperini after just two months, scoring four Serie A goals in nine appearances. Roma paid 25 million euros for the Portugal international, with a further 25 million to Porto possible. Mora is already part of the Portugal national team set-up. While Tommaso Baldanzi struggles to find space at Genoa under Daniele De Rossi, Mora is a regular starter for Gasperini. He ended a difficult start to the season with three goals in a row, against Genoa, Udinese and Sassuolo. He had never scored in three consecutive matches at Porto. His four league goals are double the two the former number 35 scored in 54 matches over two years. He has also registered two assists, against Real Madrid and Manchester United. The young playmaker's form matters for Roma's wider plans. Gasperini is enjoying a pairing of very young attacking midfielders. Rodrigo, born in 2007, works well alongside Matías Soulé, born in 2003. Paulo Dybala returns from the trip to Parma, but Mora will also find his place in Gasperini's system. Before the end of the year, Roma play seven matches in under a month, so the squad will need every option. The article stresses that the squad has room for everyone. Rodrigo's rise has changed the early-season picture, and his goals and assists have given Gasperini a clear reason to build his attack around him alongside Soulé and Dybala.