Lulli set for contract talks after Slovan clash as Roma look to tie down young midfielder

Roma's young centre-back Daniele Ghilardi has reportedly caught the eye of Milan, with the Rossoneri said to be looking for defensive reinforcements in January and including his name among the profiles they are monitoring. The report comes from transfer journalist Matteo Moretto on his YouTube channel. Ghilardi came on in the final minutes of Roma's 2-0 win over Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico, a result that reflected the work Gian Piero Gasperini has done in developing young players and the depth of the squad. From Trigoria, the position is said to be clear: Roma are unlikely to part with the 2003-born defender. Ghilardi is regarded as an excellent prospect for both the present and the future of the club, and Gasperini rates him on a par with the other members of the defensive unit. Barring a dramatic change of course, the player is expected to remain at Roma to fight for his chances and carve out a larger role for himself. The win over Genoa was built on Roma's young resources and squad depth, and Ghilardi's late appearance was used to protect the result. Milan's interest is framed around the winter transfer window in January, when the Rossoneri are seeking to strengthen their back line. Roma's stance, as reported, is that Ghilardi is a key part of the defensive group rather than a player available to leave.

AC Milan are reportedly strongly interested in Daniele Ghilardi, with Roma potentially willing to let the defender leave in January. Journalist Matteo Moretto reports that Milan are attracted to Ghilardi for his age, his potential and his Italian nationality. Ghilardi has spent a year and a half as an apprentice at Roma and has produced some very good performances, and he now wants more regular game time. Roma, however, need at least two new players: an attacking winger and a right-back. Ghilardi could therefore be sacrificed or swapped in January. The real margins of any possible sale are yet to be assessed, but the club's need for reinforcements is well known. The report makes clear that the scenario is still hypothetical. Ghilardi's potential departure would be considered as part of a wider effort to rebalance the squad, with Roma's priorities in the market centred on an attacking winger and a right-back.

Robinio Vaz has failed to take off since his move to Rome, and his spell at Hull City has started badly too. Roma invested 25 million to bring the Frenchman to the capital, but he has not justified the outlay. His attempts to fit into Gian Piero Gasperini's system proved more difficult than expected, with little playing time, plenty of time on the bench and a single goal, against Lecce. That was not enough to convince Gasperini, who did not change his mind even during the summer training camp, and so the club opted to send him out on loan. Hull City were meant to be the chance to restart his career. Instead, the story is repeating itself. In England Vaz is also finding minutes hard to come by: he started only once in the cup, followed by cameo appearances and spells on the bench. To make matters worse, he was injured against Fulham, leaving the pitch limping. It is not a good omen. It is a blow for Hull, who must now do without the Frenchman. No recovery timeframe has yet been set. Hull hold a buy-option fixed at 30 million, but confirming it is far from guaranteed. If his performances stay at this level, it will be hard to see the English club deciding to keep backing him. Roma are watching and waiting. The 25 million invested by Massara is still in search of an answer.

Roma face Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League on Tuesday 20 October at 21:00 at the Stadio Olimpico, just two days after beating Genoa on Saturday evening. Gian Piero Gasperini addressed the fixture at his press conference, stressing that his side will not underestimate their opponents because they need to win to keep their qualification hopes alive. Gasperini said: "We will not underestimate the opponent because we need to win to fuel our chances of going through. To reach the playoffs we need 10 points, starting from this match." Roma go into the match with a fresh fitness concern, as Paulo Dybala is set to be out for at least two weeks. Lorenzo Pellegrini, who sat alongside Gasperini at the press conference, is likely to start tomorrow. Pellegrini said: "I'm well. The annual contract was the club's choice, my priority was Roma." Two places in the starting line-up remain open heading into the match. One is the central defensive berth, a choice between Leonardo Balerdi and Evan N'Dicka, with the former ahead in the race. The other is the right-back spot, where Emanuele Lulli or Nahuel Molina are in contention, with Lulli currently ahead. Slovan Bratislava head coach Yaya Touré also spoke at his press conference: "Great respect for Roma and for Gasp, here the details count."

Roma's probable starting line-up for their meeting with Slovan has been published, with Gian Piero Gasperini reportedly bringing back the No. 23 and Mario Hermoso returning to the defence. Gianluca Mancini is expected to start, while Soulé and Pellegrini are set to operate behind Malen. The central defensive berth is a contest between Leonardo Balerdi and Evan N'Dicka. Molina is pushing Lulli for a place at right-back, and in midfield Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli are expected to start. Beyond the selection, the wider build-up has also produced news on the injury front. Paulo Dybala has a small tear and is expected to be out for a period, while Gasperini has said Roma need 10 points to qualify for the playoffs and that Dybala's recovery will take longer.

Roma host Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening in the third matchday of the Champions League league phase, with kick-off at 21:00. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are looking for their first win in the competition as they push to move closer to the qualification target. Roma come into the match after a draw with Fenerbahce and a bitter defeat to Real Madrid last week. Several players are absent for the hosts. Lulli is in fine form after scoring his first goal on Saturday evening, and Pellegrini is set to return to the starting line-up in the attacking midfield area. The match will be broadcast exclusively live on Sky. Viewers will need a Sky subscription, or the Sky app on a smart TV or a games console such as Xbox or PlayStation. The game will be shown on channels 201, 214 and 251, which are Sky Sport Uno, Sky Sport 4K for viewers with a 4K-capable television, and Sky Sport. Streaming is available through Sky's SkyGo and Now TV platforms. Alternatively, the match can be watched on devices including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and the TIM VISION Box. Fans can also follow a live commentary on Forzaroma.info and updates on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Roma host Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday 20 October in the Champions League league phase, a third-matchday fixture kicking off at 21:00, as Gian Piero Gasperini's side look for their first win in the competition. Roma have one point from two games after a draw with Fenerbahce and a 4-3 defeat to Real Madrid, while Slovan are still on zero points. Roma return to Europe on the back of a 2-0 Serie A win over Genoa, coached by Daniele De Rossi, at the Olimpico on Saturday, with goals from Castro and Lulli in the second half. Gasperini rotated heavily after the demanding Real Madrid game. Slovan have lost both opening matches heavily, 6-1 to Paris Saint-Germain and 3-0 to Stuttgart, before a 3-0 away win over Spartak Trnava in the league. Roma's injury list remains long. Mile Svilar is out with a stress fracture to the fifth toe of his foot, so Pierluigi Gollini is expected to keep his place in goal. Manu Koné is sidelined by a first-degree muscle tear suffered against Real Madrid, and Bryan Cristante is aiming to be back for the Serie A match against Napoli. Paulo Dybala has also been ruled out: he initially seemed set to attempt a return for the Champions League, but the latest tests revealed a small calf injury, and Gasperini said he will be out for about another two weeks. The expected Roma side is a 3-4-2-1 with Gollini; Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso in defence; Lulli, de Roon, Pisilli and Wesley in midfield; Soulé and Pellegrini behind Malen. Balerdi remains a possible option in central defence, while Lulli is favoured over Molina for the wing-back berth. Pellegrini is in contention with Mora for a place alongside Soulé. Roma's bench would include De Marzi, Vásquez, Balerdi, Koulierakis, Ghilardi, Rensch, Molina, Mora and Castro. Slovan Bratislava are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 under Yaya Touré, the formation they used in their recent European outings. Takac is in goal, with Blackman, Bajric, Markovic and Sandro Cruz in defence, and Mustafic and Pokorny in front of them. Barseghyan, Cristian Martinez and Camara are favoured for the attacking midfield, with Sporar leading the line and Griger pushing for a start. Slovan report no suspended players and no significant absences, and should have most of their squad available. The two clubs have met only twice in European competition, in the 2011/12 Europa League play-offs. Slovan won 1-0 away, and Roma could only draw 1-1 at the Olimpico, sending the Slovaks through 2-1 on aggregate. Tuesday's match is the first meeting between the two sides in the Champions League. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sport and streamed via Sky Go and NOW. Official line-ups will be confirmed about an hour before kickoff at 21:00 on Tuesday 20 October, and will be available as a live update on the Romanews page.

Roma fielded their youngest side in five years in the 2-0 win over Genoa, with an average age of 24 years and 362 days, the second-youngest Roma XI since May 2021 when they faced Crotone. Seven Under-23 players started or came on: Castro, Mora, Lulli, Rensch, Koulierakis, Pisilli and Soulé. The match was shaped by injuries and tactical choices, and Gian Piero Gasperini gave significant minutes to a group that is increasingly central to the club's plans while the squad B project is being prepared for next year. The standout figure was Emanuele Lulli, a 2007-born full-back who scored the decisive second goal to make the final score 2-0. That goal made him the second-youngest scorer in this Serie A, behind only Simone Lontani of Parma. In the new millennium, only two Italian players younger than Lulli, who is 19 years and 61 days old, have scored for Roma: Alessio Romagnoli, who was 18 years and 50 days old in 2013, and Stefano Okaka, who was 17 years and 39 days old in 2006. Lulli's rise is a story of homegrown development. Last year he was playing intermittently with the Primavera side, and years earlier he had been released by the Roma academy before being brought back by Tor Tre Teste thanks to a late gesture from Bruno Conti and a recommendation from scout Marco Albergati. Gasperini, who has believed in him from day one, was visibly delighted by the way he has developed. Rodrigo Mora represents the club's biggest investment for both the present and the future. Roma paid 25 million euros for the Portuguese winger, with a further 25 million due next season, subject to sales that would still trigger a 50% sell-on percentage for Porto. He has yet to fully confirm his potential but has shown flashes of class, technique and important quality. Gasperini is shaping him day by day so that he fits the tactical setup of the team.

Roma are reportedly preparing a contract renewal for Emanuele Lulli that would run until 2031, with talks said to be at an advanced stage, according to Corriere dello Sport. The 18-year-old scored his first Serie A goal in Saturday evening's 2-0 win over Genoa and is now close to a new deal with the Giallorossi. Lulli's current contract expires in 2027, and both parties are working to adjust his wages and extend the link as far as possible. The aim is to secure one of the talents who have impressed Gian Piero Gasperini most in these early months of the season. Lulli was born in Palestrina on 17 August 2007 and was watching the first team from a distance only a few months ago. He stood out during the summer preparation, finishing among the most impressive players in the physical and athletic tests. Promotion, friendlies with the senior players, his official debut and finally the goal against Genoa followed, celebrated with a hug from Gasperini himself. Lulli is not an isolated case. Roma's starting eleven against Genoa included Koulierakis, Rensch, Pisilli, Lulli, Rodrigo Mora, Soulé and Santiago Castro, seven players from the new generation the club has decided to invest in heavily. Di Nunzio made his debut as a substitute late in the match, and the side's average age settled at 24 years and 362 days. Alongside Como, Roma are the Serie A big club that has so far given the most playing time to Under-23 players, a trend that gains further significance given the project for a future second team backed by the Friedkins. Gasperini had asked his young players to take responsibility this weekend, and Castro and Lulli decided the match. Castro unlocked a difficult game with a high-quality move, while Lulli sealed the win with the 2-0. Those two goals gave substance to the coach's words before the match: the youngsters must not only be Roma's future but must also be able to lead the club to victory in the present. The club now wants to prevent Lulli's rapid development from becoming a contract problem. The player has earned his place in the eyes of Gasperini and the fans, and at Trigoria there is a determination to act well in advance. The objective is to tie him down and avoid the risk of losing another academy talent in future, with the case of Riccardo Calafiori still fresh in the club's memory.

Roma face Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League on Tuesday 20 October at 21:00 at the Stadio Olimpico, just two days after beating Genoa on Saturday evening. Gian Piero Gasperini addressed the fixture at his press conference, stressing that his side will not underestimate their opponents because they need to win to keep their qualification hopes alive. Gasperini said: "We will not underestimate the opponent because we need to win to fuel our chances of going through. To reach the playoffs we need 10 points, starting from this match." Roma go into the match with a fresh fitness concern, as Paulo Dybala is set to be out for at least two weeks. Lorenzo Pellegrini, who sat alongside Gasperini at the press conference, is likely to start tomorrow. Pellegrini said: "I'm well. The annual contract was the club's choice, my priority was Roma." Two places in the starting line-up remain open heading into the match. One is the central defensive berth, a choice between Leonardo Balerdi and Evan N'Dicka, with the former ahead in the race. The other is the right-back spot, where Emanuele Lulli or Nahuel Molina are in contention, with Lulli currently ahead. Slovan Bratislava head coach Yaya Touré also spoke at his press conference: "Great respect for Roma and for Gasp, here the details count."

Roma's probable starting line-up for their meeting with Slovan has been published, with Gian Piero Gasperini reportedly bringing back the No. 23 and Mario Hermoso returning to the defence. Gianluca Mancini is expected to start, while Soulé and Pellegrini are set to operate behind Malen. The central defensive berth is a contest between Leonardo Balerdi and Evan N'Dicka. Molina is pushing Lulli for a place at right-back, and in midfield Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli are expected to start. Beyond the selection, the wider build-up has also produced news on the injury front. Paulo Dybala has a small tear and is expected to be out for a period, while Gasperini has said Roma need 10 points to qualify for the playoffs and that Dybala's recovery will take longer.

Roma host Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow at 21:00, and Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to make several changes to the side that played Genoa in the last league match. Slovan Bratislava are coached by Yaya Toure, according to the report. According to Sky Sport, Mancini and Hermoso return to start in defence, with N'Dicka confirmed at centre-back. Molina and Wesley are set to return on the flanks, while De Roon and Pisilli are expected in midfield. Soulé and Pellegrini are likely to support Malen up front. The probable Roma line-up in a 3-4-2-1 formation is: Gollini; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Pisilli, De Roon, Wesley; Soulé, Pellegrini; Malen.