Malen's striking resemblance to Roma fan sparks 'twin brother' comparisons

Roma enjoyed a rest day as Crysencio Summerville's move to the club progressed. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini used the downtime to meet with D'Amico, Scala, and his backroom staff for lunch at Santa Severa, while transfer activity continued in the background. The Curva Sud ultras issued a message ahead of 22 July, stating: "Roma is ours, let us prove it once more." The statement underscored the supporter base's commitment to the club during an active transfer window period. No team action was scheduled, leaving players to recover ahead of forthcoming fixtures.

Roma have submitted a third offer for West Ham winger Summerville worth €47 million plus bonuses after two previous proposals were rejected. The club is awaiting the English side's response. There is no release clause in Summerville's contract, but an agreement exists between West Ham and the player allowing his departure for €53 million. Meanwhile, Roma are close to securing Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract renewal. The club expects to complete the deal within the week after Pellegrini rejected approaches from Juventus and Besiktas. Pellegrini will sign a new contract running until June 2028 on wages of €2.5 million per year. Roma have also identified Paris Saint-Germain winger Ibrahim Mbaye as an offensive reinforcement. The 2008-born Senegal international, who scored three goals and provided two assists in 31 PSG appearances last season, could arrive on loan to gain playing time. Mbaye can operate across the attacking line—on either flank or centrally on the playmaking line. Roma will mark their 99th anniversary on Wednesday 22 July. The Curva Sud announced celebrations beginning at Piazza San Silvestro on the night of 21 July at 22:30, calling on supporters to "demonstrate once again that Roma is ours".

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini seized a rest day for Roma to visit the coast at Santa Severa, where he enjoyed a fish lunch with sporting director Tony D'Amico and the club's coaching staff. Mattia Scala, Roma's Primavera coach, was also present at the gathering. The group's meal was documented by local restaurant Isola del Pescatore, which shared photographs of the occasion on social media. The outing came during a scheduled day off for the squad and allowed Gasperini and his backroom team to unwind away from the training ground. The relaxed setting provided a rare opportunity for the coaching staff to spend time together outside the intensity of match preparation and tactical work.

Artem Dovbyk has begun the 2026–27 season at Roma following a lengthy injury layoff that sidelined him from February onwards. The Ukrainian striker was among the squad members who reported for pre-season training at Trigoria, where he appeared in a friendly against the Primavera and scored twice, with a third goal ruled out for a marginal offside decision. Although he was booed by some supporters reflecting his difficult two seasons at the club, Dovbyk now has an opportunity to rehabilitate his Roma career under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Dovbyk arrived in summer 2024 from Girona for a total fee of around €36 million, making him one of the most expensive signings in Roma's history. His first season yielded a respectable 17 goals across all competitions in 45 appearances, but the 2025–26 campaign proved far more disappointing, yielding only three Serie A goals in 14 appearances and one assist in European competition before his injury. At 189 cm tall, Dovbyk possesses a distinctly different physical profile from primary striker Donyell Malen and could operate as a relief option or even alongside the Dutch forward in certain tactical moments. His substantial wages make a departure difficult to arrange, but if he remains, Gasperini can deploy him as a reserve to provide cover and potentially relieve pressure on the player.

Roma's push to sign Summerville from West Ham dominated Roman radio debate, with negotiations reportedly moving toward a deal worth 40–45 million euros. Francesco Balzani reported that talks between Roma and West Ham are progressing well, with a potential agreement expected between that evening and the following day. He cautioned that while Aston Villa poses a theoretical threat, no formal approach had been made at that stage, and timing is crucial: closing the deal quickly eliminates risk, but delay invites competition. Opinion split sharply on the player's merits and tactical fit. Piero Torri expressed enthusiasm for a three-man attacking unit of Summerville on the left, Paulo Dybala on the right, and Donyell Malen centrally, saying: "Summerville a sinistra, Dybala a destra e Malen al centro: con questo tridente non devi mai alzare il pallone, ma per il resto comincio a sentire un certo piacere molto simile all'orgasmo." Others, including former striker Roberto Pruzzo, voiced scepticism, arguing Summerville lacks the decisive quality required and suggesting Roma should pursue alternatives. Claudio Ranieri's unsuccessful pursuit of Mason Greenwood last summer weighed heavily on radio commentary; multiple voices urged caution about repeating that failed chapter. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's measured stance at his press conference—neither dismissing market challenges nor criticising the club's financial strategy—drew careful analysis from Antonio Felici, who noted the manager's tactical alignment with the board on wage discipline.

Summerville has accepted Roma's offer after lowering his financial demands. The Dutch forward, who had hoped to remain in the Premier League but received offers from Saudi Arabia and Turkey, was convinced by the project under head coach Gasperini and by personal intervention from teammate Donyell Malen. Malen, who plays for Roma, contacted Summerville frequently in recent days and had previously spoken with him during the World Cup camp. Malen highlighted his own rapid improvement in Serie A under Gasperini, telling Summerville: "In Serie A and with Gasp you can score many goals. And then there's me...", while praising the club, city, and fanbase. Gasperini himself held multiple conversations with Summerville, who aims to follow the path of Atalanta's Lookman in Italy. Like the Nigerian, Summerville arrives from the Premier League with modest goal tallies. Lookman transformed into a top-level player at Bergamo, attracting interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Inter before moving to Atlético Madrid. Roma hopes Summerville can achieve similar development under their new manager.