Koné poised for Verona showdown as Roma chase Champions League amid transfer scrutiny

Roma's squad will enjoy a day off tomorrow after their first pre-season test at Trigoria this morning. Gasperini's team defeated the Primavera 6–0 in a friendly split into four 20-minute periods. The players will return to training on Tuesday afternoon at 18:00. The break comes at the end of Roma's opening week in pre-season retreat. While the squad enjoys their rest day, director of sport Tony D'Amico will have little downtime over the next 48 hours. He is expected to accelerate work on the Summerville front, following instructions from the club's ownership during this crucial window.

Roma concluded their first pre-season friendly with a commanding 6–0 victory over the Primavera side. Matías Soulé, Bryan Cristante, Artem Dovbyk and Paulo Dybala were among the scorers, with Dovbyk and Dybala each netting twice. The result provided a positive opening statement as Roma prepare for the campaign ahead. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini granted his squad a rest day following the dominant display. Training resumes on Tuesday at 18:00 when the team will step up their physical and tactical work. The progressive increase in intensity is designed to build match fitness ahead of further pre-season fixtures and the official start of the season. Gasperini and his coaching staff are satisfied with the early indicators but emphasise that preparation is in its infancy.

Roma are pushing hard to sign Janis Summerville, with the player's agents having contacted Tony D'Amico to try to close the deal. Summerville has agreed to reduce his wage demands, and Roma's offer of 4 million euros plus bonuses is expected to satisfy him. The club continues to explore other attacking options, with Tresoldi positioned as a deputy to Malen rather than as a primary striker target, though transfer fee figures remain fluid internally. Lorenzo Pellegrini's future hinges on head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's assessment, according to radio analysis. Gasperini wanted to retain all three senior midfielders, but Pellegrini risks following the same trajectory as Zeki Çelik if the club waits until contract expiry to negotiate a renewal. The midfielder is a professional committed to Roma, yet he has the right to explore other opportunities as his contract runs down. A recent photograph posted by Pellegrini suggested he was at the airport exploring options elsewhere. Radio commentators questioned the logic of investing 30 million euros in a deputy to Malen, noting that at 21 years old, Tresoldi remains unproven. With the transfer window open and Pellegrini able to negotiate with other clubs from 19 July onwards, the dynamics around his future remain fluid and could materialise in unexpected directions.

AS Roma asked its squad members to reveal which team they will support in tonight's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, kicking off at 21:00 in New York. The club's social media campaign featured responses from Bryan Cristante, Jan Ziółkowski, Matías Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Niccolò Pisilli, Mile Svilar, and Gianluca Mancini among others. Mancini, the club's number 23, backed his former teammate Leandro Paredes with the message: "Vamos Leandro!" The Argentina contingent within Roma's squad showed their colours during the exercise, with both Dybala and Soulé participating in the video responses. The engagement reflects the global reach of Roma's playing staff, with strong connections to both European and South American football. The campaign concluded with Argentina ultimately prevailing among the respondents, though the article emphasises that the pitch will ultimately decide the true winner of the match.

Roma defeated their Primavera side 6-0 in a pre-season fixture at 09:00, with Paulo Dybala and Artem Dovbyk each scoring twice. Bryan Cristante and Matías Soulé added single goals in a match that served as preparation for Gian Piero Gasperini's second season in charge. The friendly was divided into four 20-minute periods, allowing Gasperini to assess his squad ahead of the campaign. Dybala and Dovbyk impressed most prominently throughout the contest. Mario Hermoso departed the field with ice applied to his knee, though no serious concern was immediately indicated. The Primavera squad included players D'Amico, Margiotta and Frara. Roma fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back line of Daniele Ghilardi, Jan Ziółkowski and Hermoso, and Devyne Rensch, a player listed as Bah, Niccolò Pisilli and Angeliño across the midfield, with Soulé and a player listed as Cherubini supporting Dovbyk. Goals came on 8 minutes (Dovbyk), 40 minutes (Soulé), 49 minutes (Dybala), 52 minutes (Cristante), 56 minutes (Dybala) and 62 minutes (Dovbyk).

AS Roma opened their 2026–27 season with an in-house friendly against the Primavera at the Fulvio Bernardini training centre on a sweltering July morning in Rome. The match kicked off at 09:00 and finished the first half goalless, with referee Neglia in charge. The fixture was structured in four 20-minute periods. Roma fielded a 3–4–2–1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back line of Daniele Ghilardi, Jan Ziółkowski, and Mario Hermoso, Devyne Rensch and Angeliño as wing-backs, Niccolò Pisilli and Bryan Bah in midfield, Matías Soulé and another midfielder supporting striker Artem Dovbyk. The Primavera, guided by new coach Mattia Scala, lined up in 4–5–1. New director of sport Tony D'Amico attended the match to observe the squad's opening preparations.

AS Roma earned over 1 million dollars from FIFA's Club Benefits Programme during the 2026 World Cup, ranking sixth among Serie A sides in total club payments. The FIFA scheme, run jointly with the European Football Clubs association, distributed 355 million dollars (300 million euros) to compensate clubs for releasing players to international duty. Each club received a minimum of approximately 5,000 dollars per day (4,300 euros) for every player loaned to their national federation. Roma fielded five players across the tournament held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico: Evan N'Dicka, Zeki Çelik, Neil El Aynaoui, Manu Koné, and Donyell Malen. These five accumulated 211 days of competition, generating 1.055 million dollars for the club. Milan topped Serie A's earnings with over 2.3 million dollars from ten players, followed by Atalanta (1.6 million from eight players) and Inter (1.55 million from seven). Juventus collected 1.2 million and Bologna 1 million. Among individual Roma players, Koné was the most valuable, earning 280,000 dollars for the club—second only to Lautaro Martinez of Inter and Nico Paz of Como, who each generated 285,000 dollars.

Zeki Çelik's unexpected departure has created an urgent tactical void at Roma, forcing the club to completely revise its transfer strategy. The Turkish defender's exit has left head coach Gian Piero Gasperini short-handed across both full-back positions and the centre-back line, with only Daniele Ghilardi and Jan Ziółkowski available as backup defenders. The current starting trio of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso cannot carry the entire defensive load alone, prompting the sporting director to accelerate recruitment across multiple fronts. Roma is now actively pursuing two external fullbacks and a central defender to shore up the squad. Dodo of Fiorentina remains a hot target, valued at over €15 million, alongside the versatile Carlos Augusto and Diego Moreira of Strasbourg, for whom a gap persists between Roma's €30 million offer and the French club's higher demands. Fenerbahçe centre-back Oosterwolde has moved back into focus as a priority signing to bolster a defence suddenly bereft of depth and certainty following Çelik's surprise exit.

Gianluca Mancini is on the verge of signing a contract extension that will bind him to Roma until 2029, with only official confirmation outstanding. The defender has already signalled his intention to stay by posting a message on social media featuring himself, the Curva Sud, and nothing else—a deliberate statement of his bond with the club's supporters who have made him one of their symbols. Mancini is preparing for his eighth season in a Roma shirt, a campaign he views as special given the club's return to the Champions League. He intends to play a leading role in that European run, anchoring the defence alongside Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso. The renewal underscores his desire to remain at the Stadio Olimpico despite interest from other suitors, cementing a relationship that has grown far beyond the pitch.