Malen enjoys Rome life with relaxing day at Ostia beach before training resumes

Midfielder Manu Koné acknowledged that transfer talk has surrounded him but insisted his concentration is now entirely on AS Roma and delivering everything for the club. Speaking ahead of international fixtures, Koné addressed the speculation that marked the summer window and outlined his commitment to the Giallorossi's objectives. Koné noted the teasing he receives from teammates and opponents alike because of his status as a Roma player. He acknowledged that Italy, his upcoming opponents, are in a period of reconstruction and going through a difficult moment, but emphasised that both squads approach the fixture with genuine ambition. "There are many jibes, being a Roma player," Koné said. "They have the desire to win, it's an important match, they are rebuilding and going through a complicated moment. We have training this afternoon but we'll set out with the same dynamic to work on the two upcoming matches. We'll do what the coach asks of us."

Niccolò Pisilli has outlined his ambitions for both club and country, telling Vivo Azzurro TV in their Generazione Azzurra format: "Win a Serie A title with Roma and a World Cup with Italy." The Roma midfielder is currently with Italy's Under-21 squad, preparing for two decisive European Championship qualifiers. Tomorrow he faces Armenia in the first of those two crucial matches. Pisilli reflected on key moments in his international career, highlighting 10 October as his lucky date. He made his senior Italy debut on 10 October 2024 at the Stadio Olimpico—Roma's home ground and the club of his heart—in Rome. Exactly one year later, on 10 October 2025, he scored his first Under-21 brace. The 21-year-old has become a central figure at Roma this season and continues to be a focal point of Italy's youth development.

Manu Koné has dismissed the prospect of a Chelsea move and reaffirmed his commitment to Roma after the midfielder came close to leaving the club during the summer transfer window. The French midfielder has become a key player for Roma this season, notably scoring twice in a 2–2 draw against Inter. He was also called up to the French national team during the international break. Koné's importance to Gasperini's plans meant the club resisted Chelsea's late approach. The midfielder has credited Roma with his development since joining from Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he played from 2021 to 2024. He arrived at the Serie A club at age 23 and has grown considerably both tactically and physically in that time. Speaking at a France press conference ahead of a fixture against Italy, Koné said: "Things have happened for me, but I'm at Roma, I'm focused. What happened has happened. I give 100% for this club, I'll give everything to meet expectations, and that's all." On his time in Rome, he added: "When I arrived in Italy, I was younger (I was 23), and that brought maturity to my playing style. I became more focused. Tactically, I didn't have the skills I have now. I also improved my energy management, which made me the player I am today. I was going through a difficult period at Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Roma approached me; I'm very grateful to them."

Roma's training ground atmosphere remained positive on 30 September, with Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina among the smiling faces in footage released by the club. The pair had been withdrawn the previous day from an event organised in Argentina to mark Lionel Messi's retirement, a decision that appeared to cause no ill feeling based on the images distributed by the club. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini maintains a calm environment despite ongoing absences. Wesley, Donyell Malen and Bryan Cristante have not yet returned to full group training and continue their recovery programmes, while international players remain away on duty with their national teams. Lorenzo Pellegrini is working hard to regain peak condition during the extended break and may feature in a friendly against the Primavera to build match fitness ahead of competitive action. Roma face Como in eleven days, providing Gasperini with adequate time to prepare for the Sinigaglia fixture and monitor the recovery of unavailable players. The objective is to have the largest possible squad available when the league campaign resumes.

Donyell Malen has fully embraced life at Roma since arriving on 14 January, spending time at Ostia beach on 29 September before training at Trigoria. After nine and a half months at the club, the forward is working to shake off a left knee issue that forced him to miss out on recent Netherlands duty under Xavi. Malen is targeting an immediate return to action, with a squad return expected for the start of next week and his goal to feature against Como. The beach visit to La Nuova Pineta stabilimento was shared on social media by Franco Petrini, capturing a moment of relaxation ahead of the midfielder's recovery push.

Gian Piero Gasperini has changed his approach to Roma's three-week break between the Inter match and the Como fixture on 11 October. The coach had previously indicated he wanted to arrange two friendlies at Trigoria to keep the squad sharp during the layoff, telling reporters: "We would like to do two." However, Gasperini has now opted instead to organize only an internal match against the Primavera. The decision stems from a shortage of available players. Several squad members are away on international duty, while Bryan Cristante, Wesley and Donyell Malen are dealing with injury problems. Rather than attempting to arrange competitive warm-up matches under these circumstances, Gasperini judged a single training fixture against Roma's youth team the more practical solution.

Roma's training ground atmosphere remained positive on 30 September, with Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina among the smiling faces in footage released by the club. The pair had been withdrawn the previous day from an event organised in Argentina to mark Lionel Messi's retirement, a decision that appeared to cause no ill feeling based on the images distributed by the club. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini maintains a calm environment despite ongoing absences. Wesley, Donyell Malen and Bryan Cristante have not yet returned to full group training and continue their recovery programmes, while international players remain away on duty with their national teams. Lorenzo Pellegrini is working hard to regain peak condition during the extended break and may feature in a friendly against the Primavera to build match fitness ahead of competitive action. Roma face Como in eleven days, providing Gasperini with adequate time to prepare for the Sinigaglia fixture and monitor the recovery of unavailable players. The objective is to have the largest possible squad available when the league campaign resumes.

Gian Piero Gasperini has changed his approach to Roma's three-week break between the Inter match and the Como fixture on 11 October. The coach had previously indicated he wanted to arrange two friendlies at Trigoria to keep the squad sharp during the layoff, telling reporters: "We would like to do two." However, Gasperini has now opted instead to organize only an internal match against the Primavera. The decision stems from a shortage of available players. Several squad members are away on international duty, while Bryan Cristante, Wesley and Donyell Malen are dealing with injury problems. Rather than attempting to arrange competitive warm-up matches under these circumstances, Gasperini judged a single training fixture against Roma's youth team the more practical solution.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has reversed his intention to arrange friendly matches during the international break, citing a shortage of available players. Gasperini had said in a press conference that Roma would like to play two friendlies, but changed course after assessing his squad. With attacking depth particularly thin—Paulo Dybala is the only recognised forward currently at the club—the plan has shifted. According to Corriere della Sera, Roma are now considering an internal test match against the Primavera instead, though nothing has yet been confirmed. From next week, international players will begin returning to the capital. Evan N'Dicka is expected to arrive on Sunday, followed by the gradual return of Donyell Malen, Wesley, and Bryan Cristante to group training.