Mancini backs Wesley after impressive debut season, expects left-wing role to continue

Lorenzo Pellegrini will not be available until the end of August at the earliest, as he continues to recover from a right thigh muscle injury. The Roma midfielder will miss fixtures against Fiorentina on Monday 24 August and Lecce on Monday 31 August. From 1 September, Pellegrini will begin training with the squad, with a week needed to regain match fitness. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini had indicated the extent of the layoff following Pellegrini's contract renewal on 8 August, stating: "It will take at least a month. At least. We'll talk about it in September." A call-up for the home match against Atalanta on Saturday 5 September is possible, but the key fixture targeted for Pellegrini's return is the away trip to Torino on Sunday 13 September. The number 7 suffered a recurrence of his muscular injury to the rectus femoris of his right thigh, prolonging his absence from team training and competitive action.

Roma's transfer priorities have shifted following the completion of Rodrigo Mora's signing. The club is now concentrating efforts on the left-back position and has deprioritised other targets, according to reports from Fabrizio Romano and Matteo Moretto. Interest in Malick Fofana has cooled considerably. Roma had an agreement in place with the Belgian winger but has not given Lyon the go-ahead to negotiate further. A proposed deal worth €35 million plus add-ons was deemed excessive by the club. After restructuring the terms to bring Mora to the capital, the Fofana operation has been sidelined. Similarly, pressure on Alessio Cacciamani has been relaxed as Roma refocus their efforts elsewhere. Luis Henrique has become the priority target, with Roma now pressing hard on that front. The challenge now is to find agreement on the financial terms between player and club.

Gian Piero Gasperini is building tactical flexibility into Roma's attack by deploying multiple forward options this summer. The transfer window has brought in players who give the squad genuine alternatives in attacking positions, allowing the coach to rotate his approach and personnel depending on match circumstances and opposition. The expanded attacking depth represents a shift in Roma's squad construction under Gasperini's direction. Rather than relying on a single focal point in the forward line, the club now has the depth to vary its attacking shape and personnel, offering the coach more tactical control and reducing fatigue across a full campaign. This approach reflects Gasperini's preference for tactical adaptability and squad rotation, principles he has applied throughout his managerial career. Roma's transfer strategy this summer has been built around creating multiple paths to attack, giving the coach options to switch formations, playing styles, and personnel to suit different opponents and match situations.

Rodrigo Mora impressed in his first training session and now has four days to convince Gasperini he deserves the starting role in Roma's match against Fiorentina on Monday. The Portuguese forward will compete with Matías Soulé for the trequartista position in a 3-4-1-2 formation that Roma trialled on 19 August. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are set to start as the two strikers, with Mora eyeing an opportunity to stake his claim in the role that suits him best. Soulé's availability for the match remains uncertain as AC Milan continues to press for his signature, alongside English club Sunderland. The competition for places elsewhere in the team appears settled: Molina is ready to make his debut, Wesley will start at left-back, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné will operate in midfield, and the defensive line in front of Mile Svilar will comprise Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso. Gasperini's early feedback on Mora has been positive, giving the forward genuine scope to earn a starting berth.

Rodrigo Mora has been assigned shirt number 86 at Roma, completing a historical milestone for the club. The Portuguese player, a class of 2007 talent, chose the number on 19 August, and it marks the first time the 86 has been worn since Roma introduced fixed squad numbers in the 1995–96 season. Mora wore the number at Porto and had worn the 10 in UEFA Youth League there; across Portugal's national youth levels he has worn 11, 24, 20, 17, 28, and 10 in Under-21, but returns to the 8 and 6 combination familiar from his time at Porto. The 86 was the final unassigned number in Roma's history of squad allocation, a gap that has persisted for three decades. Though some numbers have been selected but never worn in matches—such as the 84 given to Del Bello and Louakima in 2022–23 and the 79 assigned to Edoardo Morucci in European League action last January without deployment—the 86 remained untouched until Mora's arrival. The club's iconic numbers include the 10 retired for Francesco Totti since 28 May 2017, the 21 currently worn by Paulo Dybala, the 23 of Gianluca Mancini, the 22 of Mario Hermoso, the 5 of Falcao, the 6 of Aldair, the 16 of Daniele De Rossi, and the 9 of Roberto Pruzzo. Mora will now seek to make the 86 uniquely his own in Roma colours.

Rodrigo Mora landed at Ciampino yesterday to a reception of nearly 500 supporters as Roma completed the Portuguese attacking talent's signing. The 19-year-old expressed his gratitude in an official interview: "I want to thank Roma and Porto. I'm very happy to be here, and I thank the fans for the support they showed me at the airport. I'm very pleased and hope to have a great season here." José Mourinho endorsed the move, calling Mora "one of the greatest talents in Portuguese football. Technically very strong, a creative player who unbalances matches. I think Roma fans will love him." Meanwhile, Roma remain in talks over striker Malick Fofana from Lyon. An agreement in principle is in place for €35 million plus bonuses, but the deal is conditional on Lyon's European preliminary round results and awaits approval from the Friedkin Group ownership, who are reluctant to commit such a sum without significant departures or cheaper payment structures, mindful of financial fair play constraints. Defender Gianluca Mancini discussed the challenge ahead under Gian Piero Gasperini in an interview with Sky Sport. On competing in the Champions League for the first time, he said: "Yes, we pursued it for some years. Last season we secured it and we can't wait to take part in this beautiful competition." He added on Gasperini's training intensity: "I think all preparations are tough because you come from a holiday period and when you restart in the heat the first sessions are tough everywhere, what the manager and his staff do is put us in the right conditions to face the season in the best way possible. We as a group follow exactly what he tells us to do." Manu Koné is expected to remain at Roma after Manchester United withdrew from the race for the French midfielder.

Rodrigo Mora impressed in his first training session and now has four days to convince Gasperini he deserves the starting role in Roma's match against Fiorentina on Monday. The Portuguese forward will compete with Matías Soulé for the trequartista position in a 3-4-1-2 formation that Roma trialled on 19 August. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are set to start as the two strikers, with Mora eyeing an opportunity to stake his claim in the role that suits him best. Soulé's availability for the match remains uncertain as AC Milan continues to press for his signature, alongside English club Sunderland. The competition for places elsewhere in the team appears settled: Molina is ready to make his debut, Wesley will start at left-back, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné will operate in midfield, and the defensive line in front of Mile Svilar will comprise Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso. Gasperini's early feedback on Mora has been positive, giving the forward genuine scope to earn a starting berth.

Roma are in the final stages of their summer transfer business ahead of Monday's Serie A opener against Fiorentina, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini overseeing moves for defensive and attacking reinforcements. The club's attacking setup will centre on Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, supported by Rodrigo Mora, who recently arrived at the club. Gasperini has requested a more physical midfielder, with Malick Fofana of Lyon emerging as the top target. An agreement in principle worth approximately €35 million plus bonuses has been reached, though Lyon wish to retain Fofana until 26 August for their Champions League preliminary round against Fenerbahce. The final decision now rests with the Friedkin Group. Parallel to the Fofana pursuit, Roma are exploring left-back options, with Alessio Cacciamani of Torino identified as the hottest lead. Torino's recent closure of defender Fortini in the same position may prompt owner Cairo to soften his initial demands. Alternative targets Udogie and Luis Henrique are considered more complicated, with formulae and costs regarded as prohibitively high. Roma's incoming activity is contingent on outgoings: the club must resolve the situations of Salah-Eddine, Ziolkowski, and Robinio Vaz, while Matías Soulé, valued at approximately €40 million and attracting Milan's interest, remains under monitoring. Gasperini has Niccolò Pisilli available for selection and is assessing Wesley's fitness ahead of Monday's match. The likely starting XI is expected to mirror last season's shape, with Molina on the flank and the Dybala–Soulé pairing behind Malen, while Mora is poised for a substitute appearance.

Roma's pursuit of a left-wing midfielder has hit obstacles as the transfer window enters its final 11 days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has received midfielder Mora and awaits moves to complete the squad, with a backup to Wesley at left-midfield the numerical priority. However, other positions may also be addressed before the deadline. Luis Henrique, the Brazilian leaving Inter, has become an increasingly unlikely target. Inter demands a conditional obligation to buy rather than a loan with purchase option, and values him at no less than €27 million—a fee Roma are unwilling to spend on a position already covered. The situation differs with Tottenham's Udogie, where the English club appears open to a simple loan with the right to buy late in the window; the Italian defender wants to return to Serie A and is keen on joining Gasperini's squad. Torino's Cacciamani remains an option, though a €5 million gap separates the clubs' valuations. Elsewhere, Roma harbour interest in Fofana, the Belgian attacker. His availability depends on Lyon's Champions League playoff return leg against Fenerbahce; the first leg ended 1–1, with Fofana playing the full 90 minutes.