Koné and Ranieri reunite at France v Italy in Paris

Matías Soulé made his Argentina debut on 3 October 2026 alongside Santiago Castro, a milestone that has drawn unwanted attention from Fabián Berlanga, president of Velez Sarsfield, the club where Soulé grew up before leaving for Juventus at age 16. Berlanga has called for severe sanctions against the Roma forward, saying: "Soulé as Argentina's new number 10 after Messi? No, he should instead face an exemplary punishment. For example, permanent exclusion from the possibility of ever wearing that shirt number, or from wearing the captain's armband. He is not a good example. We don't like when young players leave on a free transfer, but we know it's a battle to fight against agents, who sometimes act in bad faith." The animosity stems from 2019, when Soulé, then a teenager, exploited a legal provision for underage footballers to break his Velez contract and depart on a free transfer. Berlanga's grievance centres on how the player, his family and his representatives used the regulation to circumvent the club's interests. The comments represent a reopening of old tensions surrounding Soulé's youth-level exit from Argentina.

Roma and AC Milan are locked in a contest to sign Real Madrid forward Endrick in January, with the 19-year-old Brazilian having previously agreed terms with the Giallorossi in the summer before the deal collapsed. Sporting Director D'Amico and head coach Gasperini have not abandoned their pursuit and are preparing a fresh attempt. Milan, however, hold a significant advantage: the club has a partnership with Roc Nation, the agency representing Endrick's interests, since 2020—a relationship that has continued under current president Gerry Cardinale. Milan also brokered an agreement with Endrick over the summer before José Mourinho blocked a proposed loan move. Endrick has struggled for minutes at the Bernabéu despite Mourinho's assurances, strengthening Milan's hand as they sense they are in pole position over Roma. The Rossoneri will lean on their established relationship with Roc Nation and their existing ties with Real Madrid to attempt to secure the player in the coming months.

André Villas-Boas, Porto president, has backed Rodrigo Mora to become a top-level player at Roma following the Portuguese teenager's summer transfer to the Italian club. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Villas-Boas confirmed that Mora left Porto after a lengthy negotiation, with the move driven partly by the player's desire for more playing time amid intense competition at the Portuguese club. "Rodrigo wanted to leave and there was plenty of competition in the squad," Villas-Boas said. "He is an immense talent who will make the Roma fans happy." The 19-year-old represented a significant investment for Roma, and Villas-Boas expressed confidence he would thrive under the club's structure. "He will find his space and enchant Rome, I'm sure of it. He has personality and uncommon technical qualities and wants to have a great career," the Porto president added. He acknowledged that Mora had been an idol for Porto's supporters and a product of their academy, but the player's limited minutes prompted the club to listen to offers. "Roma was truly decisive in taking him," Villas-Boas confirmed. On Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini's role in developing Mora, Villas-Boas said: "I think he is a talent technically among the best in circulation and in future, with the tactical work of a master like Gasp, he can become a world-class top player." When asked about physical development, Villas-Boas was pragmatic: "He can't become one metre eighty tall. And if you're talking about muscles, I'd say no—he already has plenty of quality in his feet."