Koulierakis arrives at Roma as Gasperini's new defensive reinforcement

Manu Koné could have left Roma in the summer transfer window after Chelsea made a late move for the French midfielder, but head coach Gian Piero Gasperini blocked the transfer. Arsenal and Manchester United had also shown initial interest, but Gasperini was determined to keep Koné as a key part of his squad. The midfielder has since justified that decision with strong performances in the opening weeks of the season, including a brace against Inter and recent appearances for France. Gasperini has now spoken publicly about why the Chelsea deal did not materialise. "There wasn't enough time. Also because these transfers involve bringing in a lot of people, even just to draft contracts," he said. The coach backed Koné to improve further, which he believes will raise his value in the coming months. "He'll have plenty of time to increase his value, even if he's already done so." Gasperini also acknowledged the backing of the Friedkin Group, Roma's owners, in keeping Koné at the club despite the opportunity to sell. "I feel the Friedkins' support, even though they're far away and rarely come to Rome. Galantic is here, but my goal is to bring them closer together." The midfielder's form suggests Koné will prove crucial to Roma's Serie A title challenge this season.

Endrick is among Roma's priority targets for the January transfer window after lengthy speculation over him during the summer. The Brazilian striker remains deeply unhappy with his situation at Real Madrid despite choosing to stay with the club, having received only four minutes of action against Elche under Mourinho's management. During the international break, Endrick's representatives held talks with Real Madrid's hierarchy to reiterate their frustration, but the club has made its position clear: no permanent sale will be entertained. Roma and AC Milan are both positioned to pursue a loan deal, the only avenue currently available. Several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Tottenham, have registered interest but are unwilling to consider a loan arrangement. AC Milan already attempted to bring Endrick to Italy during the summer, a fact confirmed by Pato in an interview at the Festival dello Sport. The Serie A remains one of the most concrete and attractive destinations for the player in January, and Roma have the strongest chance of securing him on loan. Gasperini is pushing for Endrick's arrival, and Roma's director D'Amico is actively working the deal. The coming weeks are expected to bring significant developments in the pursuit of the 17-year-old forward.

Robinio Vaz has had limited playing time since joining Hull City on loan in August, with only eight minutes against Chelsea and twelve against Newcastle to his name so far this season, plus a subdued showing in the Curaçao Cup. The French midfielder has moved between benches at Marseille, Roma and now Hull City, where he arrived on a temporary deal with a buyout option. Vaz joined Roma in January on a €22 million transfer at the behest of Massara, but failed to win over head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who opted to send him out on loan rather than allow his valuation to diminish further. The club structured the deal as a €2 million loan fee coupled with a €30 million buyout clause for Hull City, which carries no performance or appearance conditions—it depends solely on the English club's judgment of the player. Despite injuries to Hull's Gelhardt and Ansah, Vaz has not broken into their starting hierarchy. The arrangement came at a time when Vaz also faced racist abuse on social media, prompting Hull City to issue a statement in his defence. The hope now, whether or not the buyout is triggered, is that the midfielder finds regular football in England and can rebuild his career after a difficult spell at the Stadio Olimpico.

Roma players will begin filtering back to Trigoria from tomorrow, 6 October, as Gian Piero Gasperini prepares his squad for the trip to Como on Sunday 11 October at 12:30. The club have trained with a reduced group during the international break, and the staggered returns will allow Gasperini to resume full preparations. Evan N'Dicka, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Giorgio De Marzi are expected back in the morning, with further arrivals throughout the day. The Italy contingent—Gianluca Mancini, Daniele Ghilardi, Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli—will arrive in the evening. Manu Koné, the France midfielder, will be the last to rejoin, returning to the squad on Wednesday and training with the group a day behind the initial batch of returnees.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has decisions to make ahead of the trip to Como, with injuries and international commitments affecting selection in midfield and defence. Matías Soulé, who has been with Argentina, is expected back at Trigoria only on Thursday, opening the door for either Lorenzo Pellegrini or Rodrigo Mora to start alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in the attacking midfield role. Pellegrini, who has not played since 10 April, is fully fit and ready to return; a start would mark his 350th appearance for Roma. Mora, meanwhile, is currently with the Portugal U21 side and is chasing continuity after scoring an overhead kick against Gibraltar. Gasperini has built a significant strength on Roma's flanks this season—a reversal of last season's problems. The club's wingers have created 24 goal-scoring chances so far: 13 from Wesley, 7 from Nahuel Molina and 4 from Emanuele Lulli, a tally that places Roma second only to Inter. The coach is expected to field Molina on the right and Wesley on the left at Como, with the Brazilian given a more attacking brief and the Argentine tasked with greater defensive responsibility, though Gasperini has signalled he does not regard the flanks as fixed assignments and may shuffle them during the match. Defence has also emerged as a major weapon. Gasperini described Roma's back line as a "difesa di gladiatori" (defence of gladiators), and the numbers back that assessment. Roma lead Serie A with 5.8 recoveries per match in the attacking third and 141 regained possessions in the central areas, generating 17 shots from high-pressure recoveries. The coach has several defensive options in Evan N'Dicka, Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi, Mario Hermoso, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis. N'Dicka could return to the starting line-up at Como in place of Balerdi, who is still with Argentina and due back at Trigoria later. Gasperini's defensive philosophy is encapsulated in one of his favourite sayings: "Si difende in 11, si attacca in 11"—defence involves all eleven, as does attack.

AS Roma are planning to establish an Under 23 side to compete in Serie C, following the model adopted by Juventus, Atalanta, Milan and Inter. Chief executive John Galantic announced the project at the Festival dello Sport, emphasising the need to build a bridge between the youth academy and the first team and reduce the discontinuity that often hinders the transition from Primavera to professional football. Galantic said: "We don't live by sales alone, we need more Lullis and more Pisillis, we must focus on youth development," and indicated potential strategic partnerships with Cannes, another club owned by the Friedkin family. The initiative aims to develop homegrown talent and prevent young prospects from leaving the club. The project hinges on two critical elements the club will address in coming months. The first concerns the stadium that will host the second team's home matches. The Tre Fontane currently lacks the structural requirements for Serie C football, and Roma are evaluating whether renovation is feasible. The alternative under consideration is the Stella Polare stadium in Ostia, home to Ostiamare, managed by Daniele De Rossi. The second element is financial sustainability: the initial investment is estimated at €20 million, with approximately €3 million annually required for operational costs including wages, travel, logistics and registration fees. The UEFA classifies spending on second teams and youth sectors as "virtuous" investments, providing direct benefits to the club's balance sheet under Financial Fair Play regulations. The Under 23 project reflects Roma's established commitment to youth development, evident in recent transfer activity. The club has recruited Rodrigo Mora (19), Konstantinos Koulierakis (22), a player named Vaz (19) and Santiago Castro (21). This direction will continue in the winter window, with the club monitoring prospects including Endrick, Kvernadze, Van Bommel and Bakola. Recent encouragement has come from Matías Soulé and Castro earning senior debuts for Argentina.