Koné impresses Zidane; Dybala and Molina to miss Messi celebration

Porto's finance director has confirmed a clause in the Rodrigo Mora deal that could cost Roma well over the initial €25 million. José Pedro Pereira da Costa said the Portuguese club holds an option to collect another €25 million. Porto keep 50% of Mora's future resale, but can also ask Roma to buy that stake. The revelation puts the midfielder's future back in the spotlight. Away from the transfer detail, Repubblica reports that Gasperini would like to rebuild a more direct relationship with Dan and Ryan Friedkin. That contact has become less frequent since the arrival of chief executive John Galantic. The coach stresses there is no rift with the club, but wants to share strategy more closely ahead of the January window. Gasperini regards the owners' backing as essential to the team's progress. Elsewhere, Ekrem Konur reports that Roma made a €25 million offer for Brazilian winger Samuel Lino, which Flamengo rejected. The 1999-born player is valued for his pace and ability to beat opponents, but the Brazilian club will not discount him. Juventus, Napoli and several English clubs are also tracking him. Bild reports that Stuttgart would sell Leweling for €30 million, down from the €35 million combined offer Roma made in August. Leweling has two goals and one assist in 14 appearances. The clubs have had no new contact for now. Roma's January plans are also taking shape. An offensive winger remains the priority, though Gasperini may also seek a midfielder. Gittens, Wiafe, Bakola and Højbjerg are among the targets. Financial constraints point towards loan deals with an obligation to buy, on the model of Malen. No deal has been agreed yet. Former Roma player Antonio Cassano praised Mora on Viva El Futbol: "È un giocatore meraviglioso, stratosferico". He predicted Mora would go on to play for even bigger clubs. Cassano also criticised the frequent substitutions made by Gasperini, while acknowledging the growth of the 19-year-old. Mora has scored in each of the last three league matches and has also been called up to the senior Portugal squad. His output is making him one of the key figures in Gasperini's Roma, although his minutes are still being managed carefully. Endrick, the Real Madrid forward, has said: "Voglio solo giocare, essere felice e aiutare i miei compagni", adding that he does not know what will happen in January. D'Amico is ready to consider a loan, but Mourinho continues to oppose the departure of the 20-year-old.

Diego Tavano, agent of Edoardo Bove and others, has spoken about the situation of Slim Bouaskar, the 2009-born goalkeeper whom The Guardian included among the best emerging talents in world football. Speaking to journalist Eleonora Trotta, Tavano said his client's start to the season with Roma has struggled to take off, with just 2 appearances for the Primavera side so far. Bouaskar has also been called up to the senior Tunisia national team, despite the lack of game time at club level. Tavano said Bouaskar has played in every age group for Tunisia and that the senior call-up has now arrived. "Fa piacere che in tanti lo seguano e lo conoscano. Sicuramente lo hanno visto cimentarsi anche in nazionale tunisina, dove ha vestito la maglia di tutte le categorie. Adesso è arrivata anche la convocazione con la nazionale maggiore. Sono scelte tecniche e noi le rispettiamo. Ci resta un anno e mezzo di contratto. È un peccato, perché il suo percorso era stato netto. Ha sempre giocato in tutti i campionati. L'anno scorso sotto età ha giocato nell'Under 18 e ha permesso alla squadra di mister Scala di ottenere ottimi risultati. Sicuramente ci aspettavamo che con la promozione di mister Scala in Primavera, ci fosse continuità. Al momento non è così, ne prendiamo atto. Il ragazzo continua ad allenarsi bene e a fare tutto quello che deve fare. Ripeto, ci resta un anno e mezzo di contratto". On interest from other clubs, Tavano said it is mostly based on what scouts have seen with Roma and Tunisia. "Sicuramente, anche perché il Guardian è uno dei giornali più importanti in Europa, ma non credo sia questo a fare la differenza. Penso che, se stanno prendendo informazioni su di lui, sia soprattutto per quello che hanno visto con la Roma e con la Nazionale. Noi ripartiamo da quello. Il contratto non è lungo, ma non mancherà l'occasione di parlare con la Roma. Ripeto, sicuramente mi dispiace perché oggi i giovani dovrebbero avere più spazio e ci dovrebbero essere persone con più coraggio. Lo immaginavo già stabilmente nel giro della prima squadra e sicuramente a giocare in Primavera". Asked whether Roma's recent struggles have denied him a major shop window, Tavano spoke about the goalkeeping role in general. "Ho avuto a che fare con tanti portieri, ne ho gestiti tanti. È un ruolo un po' particolare. In questo momento, purtroppo siamo l'incudine. Speriamo che un giorno saremo il martello e che possa giocare per un club importante. Il sogno è quello di giocare nella Roma, visto che è cresciuto qui".

Roma's summer recruits have been involved in 36.5% of the club's goals this season, with 15 of the team's 41 strikes involving one of them. Gian Piero Gasperini has relied heavily on seven players who were not part of the squad in the last match of the previous campaign: Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Leonardo Balerdi, Rodrigo Mora, Emanuele Lulli, Santiago Castro and Konstantinos Koulierakis. Lulli came up from the Primavera. Molina has been the most-used player, with 751 minutes, one goal and two assists. He is followed by De Roon (732 minutes), Balerdi (639), Mora (595), Lulli (546), Castro (370) and Koulierakis (225). Gasperini has given minutes to every summer arrival, including the Primavera graduate, showing confidence in the quality of the new players. Mora has been the most productive, with four goals and two assists. His recent form, with a sharp improvement in the latest matches, has eased doubts about the investment made in the summer, reported at €25 million plus 50% of a future resale, for a valuation of €50 million. Across all competitions, the new players have taken part in 15 of Roma's 41 goals. By comparison, at the same stage of last season, Massara's summer signings from that campaign had contributed to just three goals: Wesley with one goal, Ferguson with one assist and Tsimikas with one assist.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

Roma's strength lies less in individual numbers than in a group that has fully absorbed Gian Piero Gasperini's football, according to Il Messaggero. Using intelligent management and constant rotation, the coach has got value from almost the entire squad during a recent run of nine matches in 27 days. Every player has become useful, and every piece has found its place. The secret, as Il Messaggero reports, is total involvement. Gasperini does not talk about turnover; for him, "everyone plays", and the numbers back that up. Around a core of solid starters such as Evan N'Dicka and Wesley, the coach has a reliable group ready to answer the call. The clearest example is Niccolò Pisilli. A year ago he had played just six minutes and came close to a loan move to Genoa; today he has almost 700 minutes, four goals, and has become the club's second-highest scorer behind Donyell Malen. Injuries, paradoxically, have accelerated the process, opening the door for many others. De Roon has brought continuity, Rodrigo Mora and Emanuele Lulli have brought freshness, and Leonardo Balerdi has regained his solidity in a defence that can count on four high-level centre-backs and the reliability of Daniele Ghilardi. In goal, Pierluigi Gollini and Devis Vásquez have also answered the call. Even Santiago Castro, who seemed destined for little playing time, has carved out his own role. With Paulo Dybala and Mile Svilar set to return when the season resumes, the group will be more complete still. Despite this, Gasperini has stressed that to keep growing the squad will need to be widened further in January. That view is shared by sporting director D'Amico, who says the club is united, has clear ideas, and wants to plan every step without limits.

Gian Piero Gasperini has built a squad that takes turns in the spotlight, and Roma's rotation now touches almost every player, the club's football reporting notes. Six players form a strong core, ranging from 923 minutes for N'Dicka to 1,063 for Wesley, but there is room for everyone further down the squad. Niccolò Pisilli is the clearest example. Last season, before he became a regular starter at Lecce, he had been used for just 6 minutes, and a loan move to Genoa was almost agreed. Today he has already logged 697 minutes and scored 4 goals, behind only the unreachable Malen in the club's scoring charts. Gasperini does not favour talk of turnover. His usual answer is "Giocano tutti" (everyone plays). He makes no distinction between players who stay on the pitch for 60 or 70 minutes and those who come off the bench for 30, 20 or 10. The rotation excludes nobody, and sooner or later every player gets his chance, though no one should be under any illusions. After the recent match against Genoa, Gasperini made his point clear: "Ormai è evidente che la rosa della Roma è competitiva così, ma non numericamente, serve più volume" (It is now clear that Roma's squad is competitive as it is, but not numerically, it needs more volume). In practical terms, that means at least a couple of new players. Sporting director D'Amico agrees and has confirmed this publicly. Now the club's approval is all that is needed. The analysis, written by Stefano Carino for Il Messaggero, sets out the squad's workload in a table that accompanies the piece. It shows that the transformation from last season's approach has seen rotations that are continuous and involve, to a greater or lesser extent, almost every player. The combination of this depth and Gasperini's ability to extend the squad is central to the side's new identity, which has also brought an almost unnatural knack for finding the net.

Roma's summer recruits have been involved in 36.5% of the club's goals this season, with 15 of the team's 41 strikes involving one of them. Gian Piero Gasperini has relied heavily on seven players who were not part of the squad in the last match of the previous campaign: Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Leonardo Balerdi, Rodrigo Mora, Emanuele Lulli, Santiago Castro and Konstantinos Koulierakis. Lulli came up from the Primavera. Molina has been the most-used player, with 751 minutes, one goal and two assists. He is followed by De Roon (732 minutes), Balerdi (639), Mora (595), Lulli (546), Castro (370) and Koulierakis (225). Gasperini has given minutes to every summer arrival, including the Primavera graduate, showing confidence in the quality of the new players. Mora has been the most productive, with four goals and two assists. His recent form, with a sharp improvement in the latest matches, has eased doubts about the investment made in the summer, reported at €25 million plus 50% of a future resale, for a valuation of €50 million. Across all competitions, the new players have taken part in 15 of Roma's 41 goals. By comparison, at the same stage of last season, Massara's summer signings from that campaign had contributed to just three goals: Wesley with one goal, Ferguson with one assist and Tsimikas with one assist.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

Thirteen Roma players have been called up for international duty, leaving Trigoria largely empty during the break, and Gian Piero Gasperini will have to work with the few who remain in Rome. The Italian report notes that the club's form has made it a reservoir for national teams. Midfielder Manu Koné, who has just recovered, was not called up by France, a fortunate outcome for Gasperini. The first players back will be Ghilardi and Pisilli, who finish their commitments with the match against Belgium on 15 November and are expected at Trigoria the following day, giving them five days to prepare for the game against Parma. Malen returns on 17 November, while Gasperini will be reunited with Lulli and Koulierakis on 18 November. Players who travelled overseas will take longer: Balerdi, Soulé and Castro are due back in Rome by 19 November, just two days before the trip to Emilia. Mora, Wesley and Ndicka are also expected close to the match. The report suggests Gasperini may only have his full squad available on the eve of the clash at the Tardini. The timings make management difficult for Gasperini, who risks having the whole group together only the day before the fixture at the Tardini. The schedule leaves a short window for tactical preparation with the full squad.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante has been left out of Italy coach Roberto Mancini's 31-man squad for the Nations League matches against France and Belgium, despite a strong start to the season with Roma. Mancini addressed the decision at a press conference today at Coverciano, where the squad is gathering. Mancini said: "We know Cristante, there is no need to prove him. When we need him, we will call him." He stressed that the decision was not technical. Instead, he said, it was aimed at giving more room to young players who will have the chance to show what they can do in the senior national team shirt. Two Roma players have been called up: Daniele Ghilardi and Niccolò Pisilli.

Roma head into the international break with a near-perfect run to protect, and Gian Piero Gasperini has used a demanding stretch of nine matches in 27 days to rotate his squad. Gasperini admitted the schedule had been tough but said it had allowed him to use the whole squad: "We had tough clashes like Como, Napoli, Manchester and Real Madrid. The management was not a problem, and this allowed us to rotate the whole squad." During that intense spell, players who had been on the fringes stepped forward. Rodrigo Mora took advantage of Paulo Dybala's extended absence to win a key role, scoring in three consecutive matches. De Roon showed why Gasperini wanted him in the capital, while Ghilardi, Gollini and Vásquez also got their chances. Gasperini gave everyone a run-out, partly out of necessity. Both the coach and D'Amico have acknowledged that the squad is thin, and with a few injuries it risks becoming very thin indeed. The debate over whether the break is a blessing may therefore be answered by the players Roma get back when the league resumes. Roma are among the clubs that could benefit most from the pause. Their injuries have required fairly long recovery periods, but few players have been affected. The problem is that nearly all of them are key figures in the Giallorossi set-up. Chief among them is Mile Svilar, who has been out since 10 October and has kept training both at Trigoria and in individual sessions with a fitness coach, without managing to speed up his recovery. Tests carried out about ten days ago led the club and the goalkeeper to choose caution. The aim is for him to return against Parma, and then reach peak condition for the highly delicate trip to Paris. Dybala is on the same timetable. The calf injury he suffered against Real Madrid kept him out longer than expected, but the Argentine is now ready to return and make a difference, perhaps also finding a goal he has not scored since 18 January. Manu Koné has already returned, playing 66 excellent minutes against Sassuolo. The Frenchman was not called up by his national team and will use these days to regain his best condition. He will have an extra incentive compared with his team-mates: to impress at the Parc des Princes, a stadium a few kilometres from the home where he grew up. Gasperini hopes to get back the Roma of the "first lines", because he refuses to talk about starters. The coach remains torn about the break: "It interrupts the league again, although this time only for a week. I like international matches when they play for something important. For friendlies or matches of little consequence, it is a pity to lose so many players." Roma face another demanding run: seven matches in 29 days, during which the Giallorossi will play a major part of their season. The fixtures include the already mentioned trip to Paris Saint-Germain, the home match against Sporting, the game against Juventus and, above all, the derby against Lazio on 13 December. The next month will be crucial in measuring Roma's real ambitions, with the January transfer window expected to bring fresh impetus.