Koné at the crossroads: Champions League hopes and transfer uncertainty

Roma are monitoring Darryl Bakola, a 19-year-old Sassuolo midfielder, with sporting director Tony D'Amico studying the prospect for a possible move in January or next summer. The French midfielder, born in Clichy on 30 November 2007, has begun to establish himself in Serie A after signing with Sassuolo in February. Roma's interest is independent of any potential departure by Manu Koné; instead, Bakola is being observed for his attributes and growth potential as a prospect in his own right. Bakola plays as a right-sided midfielder with a pronounced attacking instinct. He developed through academies at Asnières, Racing Club de France and Red Star before joining Marseille's youth system, where he made his senior debut. The profile fits Roma's recent transfer strategy of identifying young players already capable of competing at the highest level while retaining significant room for development and improvement. This season has brought early evidence of Sassuolo's confidence in him. He has made four Serie A appearances to date, three of them from the start, accumulating 297 minutes and recording one assist. Bakola combines technical ability, quality ball-carrying and the capacity to support attacking play, offering flexibility across multiple midfield positions.

Lorenzo Pellegrini will use the international break to complete his recovery and return to full fitness ahead of Roma's fixture against Como. Pellegrini was recalled to the squad for the Torino match and can become a fresh asset for Gasperini's group as he regains full sharpness. Roma continue to monitor young midfield prospects and are following Darryl Bakola, a French player born in 2007 from Sassuolo. The club will not be seeking him as a direct replacement for Manu Koné, who has demonstrated his importance to Gasperini's system in recent matches, including against Inter. Without Koné, Roma are visibly weakened in midfield.

Roma have made contact with free agent Matteo Darmian as they explore defensive reinforcements during an extended fixture break. The 36-year-old has fielded approaches from smaller clubs during the summer with no result, but would prioritise Roma over potential moves to Parma or Torino. He has also received lucrative proposals to move to Dubai and may not wait long for a decision. The Giallorossi created space after sending Anass Salah-Eddine on loan to Panathinaikos with a €7 million option to buy, despite his solid spell at PSV and a Morocco World Cup call-up. While Roma's wingback options are in reasonable condition—with Emanuele Lulli emerging as an early revelation—Gian Piero Gasperini favours adding experienced players to manage demanding roles. A left-sided defender would be the preference. The former Inter man was not retained by the Nerazzurri after six years and over 200 appearances, starting only nine times in 2025-26 owing to competition and a serious calf injury. Darmian, a Milan academy product, began his career at Palermo before flourishing at Torino. He later moved to Manchester United and returned to Italy through Parma before joining Inter. His veteran status and experience align with Gasperini's preferences, though questions remain about his physical condition after a difficult previous season.