Lulli's impact impresses Gasperini as Roma move to secure his future

Leonardo Balerdi has already won over the Roma dressing room since arriving from Marseille on a loan deal worth €1 million with a buy obligation structured around appearance thresholds. Roma had pursued the defender last season but Marseille's €30 million asking price proved prohibitive; the French club's subsequent financial difficulties allowed Trigoria to move decisively. The deal converts to a permanent transfer in June 2026, with the fee determined by Balerdi's playing time: €14 million if he plays at least 55% of matches as a starter, €11 million if between 40–55%, or €9 million if he reaches 20%. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is confident Balerdi will feature heavily for the remainder of the season, having already demonstrated his worth. Gasperini praised the Argentine's credentials in both defensive positioning and ball progression. "Leonardo is a captain; we knew the player's value well," the coach said, highlighting the personality Balerdi has already shown on the pitch. The impression at the club is that he will be a cornerstone of Roma's defence, combining physicality with the composure needed to build from the back—qualities rarely found in a single defender at this stage of a transfer window.

Leonardo Balerdi has made an immediate impression at Roma on loan from Marseille, and the club's hierarchy is confident he will become a permanent fixture. The Argentine defender has played three matches against Atalanta, Torino and Inter, already giving Roma reason to believe his stay will extend well beyond this season. Roma had pursued Balerdi in the previous year, but Marseille's €30 million asking price proved prohibitive at the time. When the French club's circumstances changed, Roma moved quickly to secure him. The deal was structured as a €1 million loan with a performance-based redemption clause: €14 million if Balerdi plays at least 55% of matches lasting a minimum of 45 minutes; €11 million between 40% and 55%; €9 million if he reaches at least 20%. Given his impact and the clear approval of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, all three thresholds now appear almost certain to be triggered. Gasperini prizes Balerdi's defensive marking quality, his ability to build from the back, and the personality he has shown from his first appearances. Crucially, his recovery pace is ideally suited to Roma's tactical system. The club defends very high, applies pressure in the opponent's half, and often leaves 40 metres or more behind the defensive line to protect. A centre-back capable of covering that ground quickly and shutting down dangerous situations is essential to that approach. Gasperini underlined the signing's importance immediately: "Leonardo is a captain, we knew the player's value well." The comment reflects how convinced Roma were of the operation before seeing him perform at the Olimpico. The field will determine which redemption fee triggers by June, but the real question has already shifted: not whether Roma will buy him, but at what price his permanent transfer will be activated.

Roma will return to Trigoria on 29 September to resume training under Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of their Serie A fixture against Como on 11 October at the Sinigaglia. The squad has completed a four-day rest period granted by the coaching staff. With 12 players away on international duty, Gasperini is hoping to reintegrate three key players in the coming days: Donyell Malen, Bryan Cristante and Wesley, all of whom have remained in the capital to manage ongoing physical issues during the international break and build back to full fitness for the league's resumption. Paulo Dybala has eschewed the rest period entirely, continuing intensive gym work even on 27 September to maintain his athletic condition. The Roma number 21 has decided against travelling to Argentina for a farewell friendly celebrating Lionel Messi's retirement, prioritising his fitness and focus on the club's campaign. Teammate Nahuel Molina has made the same choice, both players choosing to concentrate entirely on Roma's season rather than accept international invitations during the break.

Francesco Totti celebrated his 50th birthday on 27 September in Las Vegas, but his milestone resonated across Rome's football community and beyond. The former captain, who spent his entire career at the club and retired in 2017, holds no formal position at AS Roma despite contact and attempts in recent months to bring him back into an official role. He currently serves as an advisor to Maxima Roma, a newly promoted basketball franchise making its Serie A debut, and has recently published an autobiography titled *Oltre*. Despite his absence from the club's structure, Totti embodies the supreme symbol of Roman football identity. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini has recognised and valued a unique asset in the current squad: three players developed in Roma's academy who are visceral supporters of the shirt they wear. Gasperini has demonstrated this understanding through his handling of Lorenzo Pellegrini, whom he has protected and guided through a contract renewal; Niccolò Pisilli's emergence as a significant midfielder; and his immediate block of Matteo Lulli's departure on loan to Avellino. These decisions underscore how the thread of belonging remains a determining factor for the club's present and future.

Francesco Totti celebrates his 50th birthday today, 27 September 2026, surrounded by loved ones in Las Vegas, but his significance to Rome and its football culture transcends the distance. The city's neighbourhoods—Porta Metronia, Trigoria, Casal Palocco, the Eur and Vigna Clara—mark the occasion, and Roma as a whole observes a tradition of birthday wishes that has endured since his playing days. Beyond football, Totti is now an advisor to Maxima Roma, a newly formed basketball club that debuts in Serie A today, and has released a new book, *Oltre*, documenting his life after football. Though he has been linked with a return to Roma's leadership structure, no such appointment has materialised. Gasperini has built something rare: a Roma squad featuring three academy graduates who are genuine supporters of the club they now represent—a strength rather than a limitation. The coach has nurtured this foundation, most notably with Lorenzo Pellegrini, whom he persuaded the board to tie down with a contract renewal, and Niccolò Pisilli, who has carved out a significant role despite limited initial expectations. The third is Emanuele Lulli, whose emergence proved important enough that the club blocked his planned loan move to Avellino. In Serie A's upper tier, few clubs can claim such a cohort of homegrown, emotionally invested players. Totti's enduring presence in Rome's consciousness—despite holding no official role—illustrates a singular bond between player and place. He carries the identity of the city even in his absence from the club structure, much as the academy graduates now do through their performances on the pitch.

Jamie Gittens suffered an ankle injury during England Under 21's match against Kazakhstan on Saturday, forcing him off the field at the 39-minute mark. The Chelsea forward, followed by Roma during the summer and still on the club's radar for future moves, left the pitch on crutches and will undergo examination. The severity of his injury will determine whether Roma's interest in him carries into the next transfer window. Roma have begun renewal talks with Emanuele Lulli, who impressed early in the season while on duty with Italy Under 21. The club's director and Lulli's agent have opened initial discussions to extend his contract, which runs until June. Both sides are understood to be willing to continue together, with a meeting scheduled at Trigoria in the coming days to advance negotiations. The Italian Football Federation's federal council has approved a change to the winter transfer window dates at the request of Serie A, with backing from Leagues B and Pro. The market will now open on 28 December instead of 1 January, with the closing date remaining Monday 1 February. FIFA approval is still required to make the change official. Lorenzo Pellegrini is using the international break to recover and aims to return for the Como fixture. Should he play, he will reach 350 appearances for Roma, matching Damiano Tommasi and climbing to 12th place in the club's all-time list. Pellegrini turned down a more lucrative offer from Besiktas and is keen to convince Gasperini to give him more playing time, though he currently sits behind Soulé and Mora in the pecking order.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is ready to feature for Roma at Como after six months away from competitive football, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini considering deploying him as a lone attacking midfielder behind two front strikers. Facing Como's organised four-man defence under Cesc Fàbregas, Gasperini has identified a specific tactical solution: positioning Pellegrini in the space between Como's midfield and back line, where the Roma captain can operate as a difficult-to-mark presence. Two opposing centre-backs cannot push forward aggressively without ceding depth to Roma's two forwards, while Como's midfielders risk being caught between lines and forced to cover ground without the ball. The role demands more than creative finishing or the final pass to forwards — whether the pairing of Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala or the option of Santiago Castro from the start. Pellegrini must provide the aggression and positional awareness essential in the defensive phase. As a central attacking midfielder, the Roma captain becomes the first player tasked with pressing Como's initial build-up, screening the opposition playmaker and disrupting their play from the back. A 3-4-1-2 formation would offer Pellegrini a dual responsibility: playmaker when Roma regains possession, and first line of defence when closing space is needed. The shape appears tailored specifically for the trip to the Stadio Sinigaglia.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is spending Roma's four-day break in Tuscany with his family before returning to action. The midfielder, sidelined by an injury sustained in the final stages of last season that prevented him from taking part in summer preparation, was pictured at the seafood restaurant La Dogana by Enoteca La Torre in Capalbio alongside chef Ricardo Takamitsu. Roma return to work on Tuesday with their sights set on the Como fixture at the Sinigaglia. Pellegrini's comeback carries significance for Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. If the 7 appears against Como, he will reach 350 Roma appearances, moving to within one of Tommasi's tally, currently 12th in the all-time list. With nine matches in 27 days ahead, Gasperini intends to call on Pellegrini in a role that has been shared between Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora this season.

Francesco Totti celebrated his 50th birthday on 27 September in Las Vegas, but his milestone resonated across Rome's football community and beyond. The former captain, who spent his entire career at the club and retired in 2017, holds no formal position at AS Roma despite contact and attempts in recent months to bring him back into an official role. He currently serves as an advisor to Maxima Roma, a newly promoted basketball franchise making its Serie A debut, and has recently published an autobiography titled *Oltre*. Despite his absence from the club's structure, Totti embodies the supreme symbol of Roman football identity. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini has recognised and valued a unique asset in the current squad: three players developed in Roma's academy who are visceral supporters of the shirt they wear. Gasperini has demonstrated this understanding through his handling of Lorenzo Pellegrini, whom he has protected and guided through a contract renewal; Niccolò Pisilli's emergence as a significant midfielder; and his immediate block of Matteo Lulli's departure on loan to Avellino. These decisions underscore how the thread of belonging remains a determining factor for the club's present and future.

Roma will return to Trigoria on 29 September to resume training under Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of their Serie A fixture against Como on 11 October at the Sinigaglia. The squad has completed a four-day rest period granted by the coaching staff. With 12 players away on international duty, Gasperini is hoping to reintegrate three key players in the coming days: Donyell Malen, Bryan Cristante and Wesley, all of whom have remained in the capital to manage ongoing physical issues during the international break and build back to full fitness for the league's resumption. Paulo Dybala has eschewed the rest period entirely, continuing intensive gym work even on 27 September to maintain his athletic condition. The Roma number 21 has decided against travelling to Argentina for a farewell friendly celebrating Lionel Messi's retirement, prioritising his fitness and focus on the club's campaign. Teammate Nahuel Molina has made the same choice, both players choosing to concentrate entirely on Roma's season rather than accept international invitations during the break.

Paulo Dybala has recorded four assists in Roma's first six matches of the 2026–27 season, marking the strongest opening of his playing career by that measure. The Argentine has yet to score, but has emerged as one of Gian Piero Gasperini's principal architects of attack, delivering a creative output that far exceeds any comparable period in his time at Roma, Juventus or Palermo. The contrast with Dybala's previous seasons in the Giallorossi is striking. In his debut campaign, 2022–23, he registered two assists across the opening six matches and finished with eight overall. The 2023–24 season saw him record ten assists for the entire campaign but zero in the first six games. Last season, 2025–26, followed the same pattern: zero assists in the opening six appearances, with four accumulated by season's end, and his first assist arriving only at the end of October against Parma. This year he has already doubled his previous best start for Roma. His record at Juventus reveals the same picture. Dybala never reached four assists so quickly at any stage of his time there. In 2021–22 he managed two in the opening six matches and six for the season. In 2020–21, he recorded zero in the first six before reaching four overall. Even in one of his most prolific assist seasons, 2019–20, he began more slowly with two in the opening six before accumulating fourteen across the full campaign. His previous career high for a six-game opening had consistently remained at two assists. At Palermo, the pattern was similar: in 2014–15, a season he finished with ten assists, he delivered just one in the opening six matches; in 2012–13, he managed zero. Dybala's impact extends beyond raw assist numbers. After the opening rounds of Serie A, he ranked first for assists, chances created, big chances created and completed passes in the attacking third. The evolution of his role under Gasperini is evident: the manager is receiving primarily finishing service from him—quality in the final pass and the ability to place teammates in scoring positions. Given that some of his most productive assist seasons began far more slowly, the four passes he has already accumulated make his opening to 2026–27 particularly significant.

Paulo Dybala has not missed a beat in Roma's opening weeks of the 2026-27 season. The Argentine has started all six matches so far and continues to feature centrally in Gasperini's plans. Even during the scheduled rest day before the squad returns to training on Tuesday afternoon, Dybala used his free time to work in the gym and shared images of his session on social media, keeping his mind firmly on the trip to Como. Roma face Como on 11 October in what the article describes as a significant fixture. Dybala will not travel to Argentina for Messi's final international match, instead remaining in Rome to prepare fully for the encounter. Gasperini has made clear he cannot do without the 31-year-old as Roma push forward in the new campaign.