Koulierakis arrives at Roma: first day in the capital

Arsenal have reportedly made a firm move for Endrick, with the Gunners keeping contact with the Brazilian's entourage and ready to open negotiations with Real Madrid, according to TEAMtalk. Milan are also following the situation closely. Roma are watching from the sidelines, ready to seize an opportunity should one arise, and the club are among the options if the forward leaves Madrid. The 19-year-old had come close to joining Roma last summer, but Mourinho's refusal blocked the deal. The forward reportedly wants more playing time and is considering leaving Madrid as soon as January. Should he genuinely want to go, Mourinho would not stand in his way. For Roma, the picture could change quickly, and the club's interest is strong enough to keep them in the race if a winter move becomes possible. Endrick's future will be decided by the next ten matches: if he finds regular minutes he will stay in Madrid, but if not, new scenarios could open up. Among those possibilities, according to the report, is Roma under Gasperini.

Roma sporting director D'Amico is looking beyond the next window, with an eye on young players who could become stars. One name on his list is Oliver Mansson, a 17-year-old Swedish midfielder born in 2009 who is already regarded in Sweden as a possible 'crack'. According to Swedish newspaper Expressen, Roma sent scouts to watch him in the most recent match between his current club Göteborg and Djurgården. He is not the only target: United, Chelsea and Arsenal are also reportedly interested. The report places Mansson within a wider strategy. D'Amico is studying both ready-made profiles and the youth market, the area that has been serving Roma so well this season. Alongside young prospects, his notebook reportedly contains bigger names, including Lisandro Martinez and Endrick. Roma are watching closely while the competition for Mansson grows. The Italian coverage describes D'Amico as clear about how he intends to operate in the coming sessions, balancing established targets with players who are outside the ordinary and could develop into the stars of tomorrow.

Roma are reportedly among the clubs interested in Lecce defender Tiago Gabriel, who has attracted attention from several sides after a strong season and a good start to the current campaign. According to CaughtOffside, the Giallorossi are in the race for the Portuguese centre-back, and the report comes as the club's defence is widely regarded as one of the best in Europe. Lecce, however, are asking a high price. The request to sell the player is reportedly in the region of 25-30 million. Alongside Roma, AC Milan and Fiorentina are interested in Italy, while in England Crystal Palace and Bournemouth have already made enquiries. The feeling is that Tiago Gabriel and Lecce could part ways in June, and Roma are waiting in the wings. The Roma defence is a wall and also capable of scoring, and the numbers and the start to the season back that up. Still, the sense is that the club can always improve, and sporting director D'Amico is constantly looking for opportunities, with his list of names growing all the time.

Roma's defensive solidity has become the hallmark of Gian Piero Gasperini's side, and it is the main reason they remain among the few unbeaten teams in Serie A. Despite some scares in recent matches against Napoli and Cagliari, the numbers speak for themselves: Roma have the second-best defence in Serie A, conceding just eight goals in nine matchdays. The key, according to Il Romanista, is the depth of the back line, which can count on six reliable centre-backs ready to rotate. Leonardo Balerdi has established himself immediately, while Daniele Ghilardi is growing noticeably and has become the natural heir to Gianluca Mancini. Mario Hermoso, Evan N'Dicka and Konstantinos Koulierakis provide continuity and security. The defence does more than protect the goal: it is also a threat going forward, as the goals from Balerdi and Hermoso and the attacking runs designed by Gasperini show. With that spirit, and with N'Dicka set to return to the heart of the defence at Udine, where he has already left good memories, Roma are ready to write another important chapter of their season.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named a 22-man squad for Roma's trip to Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 at the Bluenergy Stadium, in Serie A matchday 10. Paulo Dybala will miss the match, as the coach had already indicated, while young players Di Nunzio and Camara are included. The goalkeepers are Vasquez, De Marzi and Gollini. The defenders are Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfielders are Cristante, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora, and the forwards are Castro, Malen, Soulé and Camara. The kit colours have also been confirmed. Roma will play in their traditional red first shirt, while the goalkeeper will wear yellow. The Giallorossi players on the bench will wear blue bibs. The match in Friuli is Roma's last league fixture before the European trip against Manchester United, scheduled for 3 November. Former Roma and Udinese midfielder Stefano Desideri spoke to Romanews on the eve of the match, analysing Roma's current form and their prospects for the rest of the season. Desideri does not fully share the criticism linked to fatigue after the win over Cagliari. He said: "With all the rotations and the adjustments, Roma have held up more than well," recalling the many closely spaced matches and injuries. He also praised Cristante, whom he considers "more and more of a leader" and a reference point for the younger players, and De Roon, whose impact he described as "impressive". In the table, Desideri places Roma and Inter ahead of their rivals, while acknowledging the surprising results of Lazio and the work of Como, who could remain at a high level until the end. On Udinese, he admits he did not expect such a difficult start: "They must pull themselves out by any means" to avoid getting drawn into the relegation battle. Looking ahead to the winter window, Desideri said he does not expect big deals: "I don't believe much in it." Nonetheless, he feels Gasperini's side could need "another midfielder" and "a winger", provided there are concrete and convenient opportunities. Roma are also weighing possible reinforcements for the winter window. Among the names linked with the club is Lisandro Martínez, the Argentine defender at Manchester United, whose contract expires on 30 June. According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid have set their sights on the player. In Italy, Inter and Como are reportedly also evaluating the centre-back's profile, alongside Roma, to strengthen their defensive department.

Gian Piero Gasperini has released his squad list for Udinese vs Roma, a Serie A matchday 10 fixture taking place tomorrow at 18:00. Paulo Dybala is ruled out of the trip. The squad is made up of ten defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfield options are Cristante, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora. The attacking group includes Castro, Malen, Soulé and Camara. Di Nunzio and Camara both feature in the travelling party, with Dybala the only notable absence from the list. The matchday 10 trip to Udine comes as Roma look to keep pace in the Serie A table.