Koné at the crossroads: Champions League hopes and transfer uncertainty

Roma have not given up on signing Endrick. The Brazilian has been on the club's radar for some time, and director Ghigiarelli met with the player's agents today. According to Sportitalia, Ghigiarelli is waiting for Real Madrid to communicate whether Endrick will remain in their squad or be sent out on loan, as happened last season. Real Madrid, unlike their situation with Mastantuono, have yet to make their position clear to the player. Roma are prepared to move quickly if the Spanish club decide to sell. The Giallorossi have joined the queue of interested parties, which also includes Fenerbahçe and several Premier League clubs. Should Real Madrid make Endrick available, Roma believe they have a genuine chance of bringing the former Palmeiras forward to the capital. The outlook on Endrick's future is expected to become clearer early next week.

Roma lost 3–0 to Brighton in a pre-season friendly at the American Express Stadium, their final test during their warm-weather camp in England. Goals from Rutter and Ayari in the first half, and a second from Ayari in the second, secured the home side's victory. Despite a decent opening 45 minutes, Roma's display deteriorated markedly after the interval. Gasperini fielded several academy players and made experimental changes, including replacing Çelik with Molina and Dovbyk with Castro. After the match, Gasperini addressed the media about the transfer market. He said: "If I do the count at the moment we are few. We have replaced Çelik with Molina. We have replaced Dovbyk with Castro, who I think will give us good satisfaction and for me it was a good operation. And then this boy (Koulierakis) arrived to complete the defence, and he seems interesting to me." The coach acknowledged further work remains: "If you count numerically it seems to me we still need something, but you know who to go for and how to close. There are good possibilities. D'Amico is searching and negotiating very young but also very important players. That is the indication." Lorenzo Pellegrini has signed a contract extension keeping him at Roma until June 2027. Roma announced the deal, describing Pellegrini—developed through the academy—as embodying the club's sporting vision and values. The squad returns to Trigoria before Roma's Serie A opener against Fiorentina on 24 August. Real Madrid's Endrick remains a target for the attacking midfield, with Gasperini viewing him as a priority to strengthen the forward line.

Bryan Zaragoza remains without a club after his disappointing spell at Roma, currently sidelined at Bayern Munich and outside Vincent Kompany's plans. The winger is seeking a return to Spain, where Espanyol director of football Monchi has identified him as a target. Alaves and several Arab clubs are also monitoring his availability, leaving his future uncertain. Zaragoza's time at Roma failed to impress Gasperini, who used him sparingly throughout the campaign. He spent three weeks sidelined by injury in the run-in, further limiting his impact in the giallorosso shirt. His struggles in Italy have prompted his exit from the Bavarian club's immediate plans.