Kessié-Juventus, ancora niente accordo. La Roma resta alla finestra: il punto

Roma will discover the fixture dates and kick-off times for the Champions League league-phase campaign today, with matches running from 8–10 September through 27 January. The club will host Real Madrid, Sporting Lisbona, Lille and Slovan Bratislava at the Olimpico. This marks Roma's return to the competition for the first time in over seven years after finishing third in Serie A last season. Ticket allocation will be severely limited: 40,000 supporters have already secured the European cup subscription package, leaving fewer than 20,000 seats available across other sections, with prices expected to be prohibitively expensive. UEFA will announce the fixture schedule today; Roma will publish ticket sale terms in the coming days. Season ticket holders for Serie A will have first refusal through the PNR system for friends and family.

Roma will discover the dates and times of their Champions League league-phase matches today, with the first fixture between 8–10 September and the final match on 27 January. Real Madrid, Sporting CP, Lille and Slovan Bratislava will visit the Olimpico across the campaign. Ticket availability will be severely limited. Some 40,000 supporters have already taken out cup competition season tickets, leaving fewer than 20,000 seats available across other sections—though prices are expected to be prohibitive. The club will announce sales procedures in the coming days following UEFA's release of the fixture schedule today. Series A season-ticket holders will receive first refusal on tickets through the PNR system for friends and relatives.

Andrija Vukoje has joined AS Roma's Primavera side on a contract until 2031. The Montenegrin midfielder, born in 2008, arrives from Inter's youth setup and will compete in the 2026-27 season under head coach Mattia Scala. Roma announced the signing on social media, stating: "Andrija Vukoje is giallorosso until 2031! Midfielder, class of 2008. Welcome to our Primavera."

Neil El Aynaoui's future at Roma remains uncertain as the transfer window enters its final phase. The midfielder is among the players Roma could offload in the coming days, but the terms being offered present a significant obstacle to a swift exit. Crystal Palace and several German clubs have shown interest, but all overtures so far have been structured around loan deals, possibly with a right of redemption attached. Roma will not accept those conditions. The club wants to sell El Aynaoui on a permanent basis if it chooses to part with him, rather than defer the matter to next summer. Without a concrete proposal for an outright purchase of his contract, El Aynaoui is likely to remain at the club. The final days of the window could yet shift the picture, but Roma will require a substantially different offer from those received to date before allowing him to leave. El Aynaoui joined Roma on a five-year deal from Lens last summer. The closing stages of the transfer market may still produce surprises, but the club's clear preference for a permanent sale means his departure is far from guaranteed.

Roma are expected to complete the signing of defender Balerdi from Marseille today, 29 August, with the Argentine-Italian set to arrive for medical examination and contract signing after the deal is finalised. The focus has now shifted entirely to recruiting a left-winger, with Gittens and Fofana the main targets, though obstacles remain in both negotiations. Bareldi will arrive on a loan with an obligation reported between 1 and 2 million euros, with a conditional right of redemption set around 15–20 million euros depending on the source. If exercised, he will sign a contract through 2031. Before Roma can proceed further in the transfer window, which closes at 20:00 on 1 September, they must sell Neil El Aynaoui on a permanent deal; so far only loan offers have arrived from Crystal Palace and German clubs. The stumbling blocks are his salary, signing bonus, and agent commissions. Franck Kessié, currently a free agent without an agreement from Juventus, remains a backup option at centre-midfield. Gittens is Roma's preferred target but Chelsea have not yet opened to a loan; Roma have proposed a redemption clause tied to appearances. Fofana, the Belgian winger, is waiting for Roma's call, but Lyon's asking price remains high owing to their failure to qualify for the Champions League. Lyon want a permanent sale for Fofana, whereas Roma have offered a redemption right based on appearances for Gittens. The summer transfer window closes on 1 September at 20:00.

Roma are poised to complete a defensive reshuffle with four days left in the transfer window. Jan Ziółkowski will join Monza on loan with a €18 million purchase option, clearing the way for Gonzalo Balerdi to arrive from Marseille. The 1999-born Argentine, who holds Italian citizenship and captains Marseille, will bring experience to Gasperini's back line and becomes the fifth Argentine in the squad. The deal moves forward after Adriel Oosterwolde's proposed transfer collapsed following his medical at Fenerbahce, to which he has returned. Gasperini still requires two further signings: a left-sided midfielder and a left winger, with the latter the priority. Negotiations with Chelsea over Atalanta's Mateo Gittens have continued, with an intermediary working to persuade the Blues to accept a costly loan with a conditional mandatory purchase totalling over €40 million. Bosnian midfielder Mohamed Fofana remains a target despite his desire to leave Lyon, though a deal for Franck Kessié is judged too expensive. Neil El Aynaoui's agent has fielded only loan offers from clubs in Germany and England. In outgoing moves, Robinio Vaz is close to joining Hull City on a loan worth €2 million with a €30 million purchase option.