Malen and N'Dicka return to training ahead of Trastevere friendly

Roma will travel to Cannes, France on Thursday 23 July to face the hosts in an international friendly. The match comes after Roma's 6-1 victory over their Primavera side and a fixture against Trastevere on the same day. Cannes compete in France's third tier. Head coach Giampiero Gasperini is waiting for reinforcements in the transfer market following the failed pursuit of Summerville. Targets reportedly include Leipzig's Nusa and Benfica's Schjelderup. Gasperini expects the friendly to provide useful signals from the pitch as he continues to assess the squad ahead of the new season.

Roma's transfer window remains stalled a month into the season, with no new signings completed despite ongoing talks. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has prioritised the signing of a left winger, a position the club has been actively pursuing following the collapse of moves for other targets. Napoli offered Roma the services of Noa Lang, who spent the previous season on loan at Galatasaray and is surplus to requirements under Napoli's new manager Allegri. However, Roma's leadership immediately rejected the proposal, with Gasperini particularly unconvinced by the Dutch winger's profile. The top target remains Antonio Nusa, though RB Leipzig is demanding at least €60 million for the player.

Roma have turned down the opportunity to sign Noa Lang from Napoli as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's hunt for a new attacking winger continues. Transfers for Mason Greenwood and Yankuba Summerville have fallen through, leaving the club focused on other targets. The Dutch winger does not appeal to Gasperini and will not be considered for selection. The primary focus remains on securing a long-term solution on the flank for the coming season. Lenny Nusa of RB Leipzig continues to be viewed as an ideal fit, though negotiations are proving difficult due to Leipzig's high demands—the German club is seeking approximately 60 million euros. The challenging valuation has stalled progress on that front. Lang, who spent the latter part of the previous season on loan at Galatasaray, does not feature in Napoli's plans going forward under manager Allegri, making him available for transfer. However, Roma's decision to decline the offer signals Gasperini's specific tactical and stylistic preferences for the role.

Roma cruised to a 6-0 victory over Trastevere in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Trigoria, with Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala among the scorers. The match was played over two 35-minute halves, with first-half goals coming from Malen (3rd minute, set up by Devyne Rensch), Dybala (12th, from Bryan Cristante), Bryan Cristante (assist from Malen), and Rensch (30th, teeing up Cherubini). In the second half, with Gasperini fielding a largely youth-based XI, Angeliño and Arena added the final two goals in the closing minutes. The friendly marked Malen and Evan N'Dicka's return to full training following their World Cup campaigns with the Netherlands, both key players in Roma's recent Champions League qualification push. Matías Soulé was rested for load management, while Niccolò Pisilli missed out with a grade-one soleus muscle injury and will be assessed for recovery. Mario Hermoso impressed as the standout defender in the first half, while Malen showed signs of shaking off rustiness despite limited pre-season minutes alongside Dybala. Sports director Tony D'Amico attended from the dugout alongside Massimo Margiotta, the new youth academy director. The second half saw extensive minutes for academy players, continuing Roma's recent pattern from a 6-0 win over the senior Primavera side on the previous Sunday.

Evan N'Dicka has returned to work at Roma's Fulvio Bernardini training ground after a break following the World Cup, alongside Donyell Malen. The centre-back was welcomed back by his squad-mates and shared his return on Instagram with a photo from the session and the caption: "The break is over, it's time to work." The defender's availability is a boost for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who will have an additional senior option as the club prepares for the January transfer window. N'Dicka's return strengthens Roma's defensive contingent during what could prove a busy period in the market. The post marks the formal end of N'Dicka's rest period and signals Roma are ramping up preparations for the challenges ahead.

Roma have unveiled their home kit for the 2026–27 season, with Paulo Dybala modelling the new strip during celebrations on 22 July. The club continues to work the transfer market to fulfil Gasperini's requirements, particularly in strengthening the attack. Donyell Malen and Evan N'Dicka have returned to training at Trigoria following the international break. The arrivals mark the resumption of squad preparation under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who has prioritised reinforcements in the forward line as Roma aim to build a competitive squad for the new campaign.

Rome's radio stations have weighed in on Roma's summer transfer activity, with prominent voices expressing scepticism about the club's pursuit of winger Nusa and questioning the overall direction of the market strategy. Francesco Balzani said: "According to me Nusa is all smoke and mirrors, I believe there are few chances of seeing him at Roma. The Giallorossi are behind on everything. Roma a month before the start of the championship is worse than last year." Lorenzo Pes echoed the concerns, stating: "Nusa does not convince from a physical point of view. At this moment behind Malen there are Dovbyk who is leaving and Vaz who is not at the centre of the project. I think that Nusa is a distraction in order to try this time to stay more hidden on the real objectives. For me the real names are others." Piero Torri argued that any market talk beyond external positions is designed to divert attention from Roma's primary need: "Any market voice other than that of the wingers is a voice to divert attention from what Roma is doing. Now the main objective is to make the wingers." Marco Juric raised fitness concerns about Nusa's knee condition and questioned coach Gian Piero Gasperini's long-term recruitment vision. Roberto Pruzzo, Roma legend, expressed frustration with how negotiations have unfolded, suggesting that players have used Roma to extract better offers from other clubs: "When you have the agreement with the player you feel protected, but it is not so, and the latest situations are demonstrating it." Mario Mattioli placed Roma's struggles in a broader context, arguing that Italian football lacks the economic firepower to compete with European rivals.

Roma have made their first official offer of approximately €35 million to Brugge for striker Nicolò Tresoldi, but the Belgian club have rejected the approach. The 2004-born Italian-German forward has been identified by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as a quality alternative to Donyell Malen or a potential partner in a two-striker system. Roma are working across multiple fronts in the transfer market as the league season approaches in roughly a month, with Gasperini still awaiting new additions to his squad. Brugge's stance is to retain Tresoldi, and the club will only consider selling if an offer becomes irresistible. The pursuit reflects Roma's ongoing efforts to strengthen their attacking options ahead of the new campaign. With the window active and concrete bids now being tabled, Roma face the challenge of either increasing their offer or pivoting to alternative targets as they seek to bolster their forward line.

Vice-president Ryan Friedkin arrived at Roma's Trigoria training ground on 14 July to inject momentum into the summer transfer window, having successfully brokered deals during his January visit — most notably the arrival of Donyell Malen, who played a central role in Roma's push to the Champions League. This summer's mission has proved less fruitful. Two primary targets, Greenwood and Summerville, have already fallen through, with the American ownership expressing doubts about spending €50 million on the latter. Roma have also suffered the blow of Çelik signing with Juventus despite an oral agreement being in place. Gasperini had been awaiting Friedkin's arrival on 13 July, the first day of pre-season. With the window stalling, Friedkin has already returned to the United States within the past 48 hours, and no return date has yet been set. He may attend Cannes–Roma, a pre-season friendly between the two Friedkin-owned clubs, on Sunday, though that remains uncertain. The new transfer target is now Nusa, and Ryan will monitor negotiations from afar.