Kessié turns down Juventus, returns to Atalanta as Roma's pursuit ends

Leonardo Balerdi is Roma's fifth summer signing, arriving on a loan with a €1 million fee and a right to purchase that can become an obligation under certain conditions. The Argentine defender's transfer from Olympique Marseille includes a variable buyout clause worth €12–15 million. Balerdi will land at Ciampino airport to begin medical examinations and complete his contract signature. Gasperini begins his second season as head coach with the Champions League campaign ahead, and Roma are pursuing a left winger after six years without a natural option on that flank. Sky Sport reports that Roma are close to meeting Zenit's demands: the player's registration fee stands at €40 million, though negotiations with the player himself are ongoing—he currently earns €4 million per year. The club is also pursuing agreements with Lyon's Fofana, pushing for a loan with a right to buy, though Lyon have not yet opened to that structure. Gigi Garzya, a former player with ties to both Roma and Lecce, was interviewed ahead of Monday's fixture between the clubs. He remarked: "It is early to say where Roma can arrive in their second year under Gasperini's leadership, and ultimately the market may not yet be finished; we will see what the other clubs do before the window closes; certainly everything must be done to maintain the Champions League position, because Roma must play in this competition regularly. Then we'll see if appetite comes by eating." On the Salento weather, Garzya added: "Here in Salento it is incredibly hot: the trees seem motionless, like in a photograph, and our famous wind today took a break. Fortunately, Lecce and Roma will play on Monday: it should finally cool down from tomorrow evening." FootMercato reports that Sunderland have recently entered the race for a Belgian player, moving away from pursuit of Igor Paixão at Marseille after facing difficulties, while Hull City remain interested and have already submitted a €35 million offer to the French club.

Defender Balerdi has arrived in Rome to complete his transfer to AS Roma. The Argentine was photographed at Ciampino airport with supporters as he touched down in the capital on 29 August, confirming the club's swift move in the market.

Roma are intensifying their pursuit of Zenit winger Luiz Henrique, with the club reportedly moving closer to the Russian side's valuation and now seeking to reach personal terms with the Brazilian. Luiz Henrique, 25, has emerged as a concrete target in the final phase of the transfer window after weeks dominated by other names. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has been seeking an attacking winger to complete his squad, and the player fits that requirement despite presenting a different profile to the one Roma have chased throughout the summer. Henrique is left-footed and plays primarily as a right winger, whereas Gasperini's stated preference has been for a right-footed attacker capable of playing from the left flank. However, his versatility—he can operate across the entire attacking line and play on the left or in a central position—offers the coach tactical flexibility as a tactical option. Roma are in direct contact with Zenit San Pietroburgo regarding a potential transfer. The player was proposed to the club, and Roma have now asked the Russian side to clarify the conditions and costs of any deal. According to reporting from Angelo Mangiante, Fabrizio Romano, Alfredo Pedullà, and Gianluca Di Marzio, negotiations are actively under way. The club has closed the gap between its own offer and Zenit's asking price and is now focused on securing the player's agreement to the move. The emerging path comes at a decisive moment in the market, following weeks when Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Malick Fofana dominated Roma's attention as targets. The coming hours will determine whether Roma intend to commit fully to Henrique or treat him merely as an alternative held in reserve.

Frank Kessié has completed his return to Atalanta on a multi-year contract after leaving Serie A. Juventus decided against pursuing the Ivorian midfielder today, while Roma was never a serious contender. The costs involved—salary, signing bonus and agent fees—proved prohibitive for the Giallorossi, who currently have no intention of signing a central midfielder unless Neil El Aynaoui departs, and would only accept a permanent transfer for him rather than a loan deal. Roma's reluctance to move for Kessié reflects a broader restraint in the midfield market as the squad takes shape for the 2026-27 season. The club's hierarchy at Trigoria has set clear parameters: only a definitive sale of El Aynaoui would open the door to reinforcements in that area, and any incoming midfielder would need to represent genuine value given the financial constraints already strained by the costs that have deterred interest elsewhere. Alberta BC announced the deal in a late-afternoon statement: "Atalanta BC is delighted to announce the signing of Franck Kessié on a multi-year contract. The Ivorian national team midfielder returns to wear the Atalanta shirt after 9 years and a career rich with success. In recent spells he won a Serie A title with Milan, a La Liga and Spanish Super Cup with Barcelona, a Saudi Super Cup and 2 AFC Champions League trophies with Al-Ahli, and an Africa Cup of Nations with his national team in 2024."

Neil El Aynaoui is in concrete danger of leaving Roma, with Crystal Palace having made an official opening bid structured as a loan with a right of purchase that could become mandatory on certain conditions. The offer does not satisfy Roma's valuation of €30–35 million, which demands either an outright sale or a guaranteed obligation to buy. Bayer Leverkusen has also registered interest, while Saudi Arabian clubs approached the player in recent days. The significance of a potential departure extends far beyond a single transaction: it would mark the near-complete dismantling of the squad assembled by sporting director Frederic Massara just one year ago. El Aynaoui was signed from Lens for €23 million plus €2 million in add-ons in summer 2025, representing one of Massara's principal investments alongside a lengthy pursuit of midfielder Richard Rios, who had been identified by coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Within twelve months the landscape has shifted entirely. El Aynaoui has not become a central figure in Gasperini's Roma, and a sale in the €30–35 million range would recover the original investment and generate a profit useful for UEFA financial compliance. Yet the sale would crystallise a broader pattern: the systematic removal of Massara's summer 2025 recruits—Wesley, Daniele Ghilardi, Evan Ferguson, Bailey, Jan Ziółkowski, and others—in favour of a squad more precisely aligned with Gasperini's demands. Of that original cohort, only Wesley and Donyell Malen (signed in January 2026) remain unchallenged, both having received Gasperini's direct endorsement. Bailey departed in January; Ferguson and Kostas Tsimikas returned to their parent clubs; Zaragoza, Venturino, and Zelezny have left; Ziółkowski is bound for Monza; Robinio Vaz has reached an agreement with Hull City on a paid loan with a right of purchase. The article frames the matter as a fundamental mismatch between Gasperini's precise tactical requirements—intensity, one-on-one strength, athleticism, aggression, defensive commitment in open play, and position-specific qualities—and Massara's recruitment trajectory. El Aynaoui, at 25 years old and in his prime with genuine international market interest from Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen, is scarcely a failed signing; a €35 million sale on a €25 million net spend is not a financial disaster. Yet the underlying tension is unavoidable: when a coach considers almost all his sporting director's signings from one year expendable within the next twelve months, something fundamental in the original construction has failed. A sale of El Aynaoui would convert a principal investment from the previous summer into capital to reinvest in a midfield and attacking flank now sought by Gasperini. The article poses a critical question as Roma seek to correct course: how much would it have cost to build a coherent squad aligned with Gasperini from the outset, rather than spending a year acquiring, waiting, selling, and repurchasing? Sporting director Tony D'Amico must construct a roster that is recognisable, coherent, and durable, because Roma has already consumed a year absorbing marketplace misalignment. Should El Aynaoui depart, Wesley and Malen will stand as the principal survivors—both chosen with Gasperini's strong approval.

Roma are closing in on Leonardo Balerdi from Marseille as the final details of his defensive reinforcement near completion. The 27-year-old Argentine centre-back is expected to arrive in Rome for medical tests and to sign, with the transfer structured as a loan costing between €1m and €2m plus a conditional obligation to buy with an overall valuation oscillating between €16m and €20m. If the buyout clause is triggered, Balerdi will commit to a contract until 2031. Balerdi is recovering from a calf problem and has been identified to replace Jan Ziółkowski in Gasperini's defence. Roma remain in pursuit of Jamie Bynoe-Gittens as their primary target for the attack. Gasperini has made the 22-year-old Chelsea winger his first choice to complete the squad, and Roma have continued contact with the Blues through an intermediary in recent days, attempting to construct a loan with a mandatory conditional buyout clause worth over €40m combined. Chelsea continue to resist a temporary transfer arrangement. New contact is scheduled for today to pursue a breakthrough. Meanwhile, Malick Fofana remains a secondary option. The 21-year-old Belgian, now available after Lyon's Champions League elimination, is desired by the French club as a permanent exit with immediate funds needed. Roma and Lyon had previously worked on a basis of €30m plus €3m in bonuses, though sporting director D'Amico has not yet received ownership approval to fund the investment. On outgoings, Robinio Vaz is close to joining Hull City on loan. The 19-year-old attacker and Hull have agreed a loan fee of €2m, though reports of the mandatory buyout option vary between €18m and €30m. Vaz has not trained with the group for transfer-related reasons, with the final player-side agreement still to be completed. Neil El Aynaoui's future remains uncertain. The 25-year-old Moroccan midfielder has been placed on Roma's list of players available for departure, with Crystal Palace and several German clubs expressing interest, but only loan proposals have arrived at Trigoria so far. Roma's position is firm: they will only consider a permanent sale, and no offers satisfactory to the club have materialised with days remaining in the window. Franck Kessié's move to Atalanta is described as advanced and nearing closure, with the 29-year-old Ivorian midfielder's connection to Roma fading as a result. The window remains open with multiple negotiations at various stages and new discussions scheduled for today regarding Gittens and other targets.