Juventus Complete Çelik Transfer as Roma Negotiations Stall

Roma are accelerating their search for attacking reinforcements in the closing stages of the transfer window, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pressing for additions on the left wing and ideally two new wide players overall. Director Tony D'Amico is evaluating multiple targets, with several possibilities still in play. The most advanced option is Luiz Henrique of Zenit. Roma have raised their offer to €5 million for a loan plus €30 million for a permanent deal, though the Brazilian is tempted by strong interest from Botafogo to return to South America. Alongside this pursuit, the club is tracking alternatives in the Bundesliga and Premier League. For Jamie Leweling of Stuttgart, a versatile player capable of covering multiple wide roles, Roma have tabled a proposal worth €40 million overall (€5 million loan, €35 million obligation to buy). Stuttgart value the player at €50–55 million, complicating negotiations. The path to Jamie Gittens of Chelsea also remains open—a profile Gasperini particularly appreciates—though everything hinges on whether Chelsea will entertain a loan arrangement. The pace and scope of Roma's manoeuvring will ultimately depend on departures, especially the situation surrounding Matías Soulé. Despite Gasperini's public backing, Soulé's agent is exploring last-minute options to secure him more playing time. Fulham have already moved, and Newcastle are now ready to table an official offer.

Robinio Vaz has accepted a transfer to Hull City after days of uncertainty, according to Fabrizio Romano. The young forward's decision came overnight following his omission from Gian Piero Gasperini's squad for Roma's trip to Lecce on 31 August. The exclusion reflected Roma's hope that Vaz would resolve the transfer in time. The move is structured as a loan worth €2 million with a non-obligatory buy option set at €30 million. Vaz is expected to complete the formalities and join his new club today. Gasperini had held back the forward from the squad specifically because the transfer remained possible, and Roma hoped for clarity within hours. The deal's completion now opens the path for Roma to recruit an attacking player to complete their forward line, as the manager has prioritised strengthening that area of the squad.

Roma are pursuing an attacking winger in the final hours of the summer transfer window, with Tony D'Amico overseeing a three-way contest between Luiz Henrique, Jamie Leweling and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has approved all three profiles, but the club must decide which deal offers the best chance of completion before the 1 September deadline. Luiz Henrique remains the closest to joining. Roma have constructed the operation with Zenit Saint Petersburg and reportedly reached an agreement with both the Russian club and the Brazilian player on a loan deal worth approximately €5 million with a purchase option set at €30 million. However, Botafogo are pressing hard to bring the player back to Brazil, though this scenario has not been confirmed as widely as other reconstructions of the talks. Roma continue to work in parallel on Jamie Leweling from Stuttgart. The club's initial proposal—approximately €5 million for the loan plus €35 million for a permanent transfer—was deemed insufficient. Stuttgart value the German international much higher, with demands reaching around €50 million. Leweling appeals for his versatility: he can play as an attacking winger but also operate as a full-back, addressing two squad needs. On Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Roma are keeping dialogue open with Chelsea in hope that in the final market hours the Blues may allow a loan with a purchase option potentially convertible to an obligation should certain conditions be met. This opening has not yet arrived, but Trigoria have not closed the door. Matías Soulé remains in the background. No Premier League offer substantial enough to trigger his departure has arrived yet, but the English market could still move in the final hours. Should a satisfactory proposal arrive and Soulé depart, the scenario would change again: Roma could pursue two attacking signings instead of one. Dybala, Malen, Castro, El Aynaoui and other squad members are unaffected by this late uncertainty.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has identified a striker and a left-back as the remaining pieces needed to complete the squad ahead of tomorrow's away fixture at Lecce. Gasperini said: "To complete the team we need a piece that closes that section. A left-back and a forward have remained. Lulli has filled in somewhat, I have always believed in him, he is giving important responses but we cannot load such large responsibilities on him. Last season we had Angeliño, Tsimikas, Çelik, Wesley and also Rensch." Gasperini has most of his squad available for the trip to Via del Mare, with Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch expected to return to group training next week. Leonardo Balerdi was officially confirmed as a new arrival this morning, joining fellow recent additions Konstantinos Koulierakis, Rodrigo Mora, Santiago Castro and Nahuel Molina among the squad.

Former Roma and Lecce player Gigi Garzya has warned that Roma must be ready for an opponent who gives nothing away when the sides meet on Monday. Speaking ahead of the match, Garzya praised Lecce's performance in their opening away win at Venezia, saying the team of Di Francesco "remained in the game with the right mentality and lucidity that weighed heavily in the final half-hour". He highlighted Olaf Gorter as a player who impressed with both quality and personality, and noted the arrival of Ilić as evidence of Lecce's focus on adding strength in the transfer market. On Roma's prospects under Gian Piero Gasperini in his second season, Garzya acknowledged the squad has been reinforced, though he described Zeki Çelik's departure as a "heavy" loss—while backing Nahuel Molina to compensate with his quality and competitive drive. He was effusive about midfielder Rodrigo Mora, saying: "Technically he has numbers that make him an important prospect; one characteristic struck me more than others: he is the type of player you do not see frequently in the various leagues, because his thinking arrives first, and consequently he then makes the ball travel in an unpredictable way for opponents. When people say he is a bit light physically, they forget that the most important characteristic is playing the ball always with some instant of anticipation for whoever controls it." On the defence, Garzya explained that Konstantinos Koulierakis represents a deliberate and necessary choice rather than mere cover: "This year, with the Champions League, you need at least six established defenders in the department, calculating also that the game starts from the back, there are so many matches and Gasperini's football is very demanding in every role. The choice was targeted; the Roma coach never approves a signing just to make up numbers." Regarding Roma's ambitions, Garzya urged caution: "It is too early to say and ultimately the transfer market may not be finished yet; let's also see what the others do by the close; certainly you must do everything to maintain Champions League qualification, because Roma must play this competition regularly. Then we'll see if appetite comes with eating."

The relationship between head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and sporting director Ricky Massara deteriorated throughout the 2025–26 season, marked by clashing views on transfer strategy, public criticism and mounting friction that became irreparable. Massara, who felt treated as an amateur despite his substantial track record, endured difficult months in silence, though tension grew steadily. The conflict began last summer during negotiations for Sancho and Fabio Silva, then escalated in late August when Massara said "Sancho at the moment remains a suggestion because I don't think there are the conditions or the motivations," while Gasperini later replied: "Sancho never refused Roma." The situation exploded in early September during a heated discussion at Fulvio Bernardini, where Gasperini accused Massara of being too slow in negotiations, dismissing the restrictions imposed by Financial Fair Play and inherited difficulties. Disputes over specific targets fuelled the rift further: Gasperini's veto on Raspadori, his preference for Malen over Zirkzee, and disagreements over Robinio Vaz. The breakdown continued from a distance after Massara moved to Juventus, with the director's pursuit of Zeki Çelik irritating Roma while Gasperini attempted to insert himself into the Juventus deal for Kessié. The definitive rupture came in spring, when Gasperini rejected Kerim Alajbegovic and made his position clear: having secured the departure of Ranieri, he wanted Massara gone as well to remain at Roma.