Lyon lowers asking price for Fofana as Roma intensifies pursuit

Roma's transfer activity is far from over. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini remains unsatisfied with the squad additions of Castro, Koulierakis and Molina, and the club is pursuing further reinforcements. An agreement with Malick Fofana, the 21-year-old Belgian winger from Olympique Lyonnais, remains live. Lyonnais coach Paulo Fonseca has approved the sale and the club is in talks with Roma, contingent on completion of the pending Mora deal. Fofana, who is valued at 35–40 million euros, earns approximately 2 million per year and fits Roma's salary parameters—constraints that blocked moves for Greenwood, Summerville, Leão and Martinelli. Roma are seeking a loan with an obligation conditional on certain criteria. Concerns over Fofana's fitness after a 133-day ankle injury layoff have eased, and an agreement with the player is in place. Gasperini has two or three options for most positions but only Wesley at left-back. Roma remain focused on sourcing a backup left-back, actively pursuing Tottenham's Udogie, Inter's Luis Henrique and Torino's Cacciamani. Udogie is considered the ideal profile for Gasperini given his defensive attributes and Wesley's attacking role. Luis Henrique has been adapted to play across the flank on both sides and higher up. Torino are asking substantial fees for Cacciamani, but Roma prefer a costly loan with conditional rights or obligations. Discussions with Tottenham have intensified after Udogie's availability became clearer following Spence's departure to Inter. Luis Henrique, now sidelined at Inter, is pushing for a Roma move.

AS Roma announced the departure of Luigi Cherubini on a temporary basis to Benevento. The winger, born in 2004, took part in pre-season training under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini before the move. Benevento acquired him on loan. Roma confirmed the transfer via social media with a message of encouragement to the player.

Fiorentina have made contact with Matías Soulé as director Fabio Paratici searches for an offensive winger to complete his squad under head coach Fabio Grosso. The club view Soulé as an ideal tactical asset for their 4–3–3 formation. Roma value the Argentine at approximately 40 million euros, a fee Fiorentina consider prohibitively high and a potential obstacle to any deal. Fiorentina have already recruited nine new players this summer, including Mastantuono, Pellegrino, Atta, and Dragusin. Soulé joined Roma in July 2024 from Juventus for around 28 million euros and has established himself as a key player in Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. The gap between Roma's valuation and Fiorentina's willingness to pay will likely determine whether serious negotiations can progress. Fiorentina now await further developments to assess whether Soulé can become a concrete objective.