Mancini relaxes on bike ahead of Roma pre-season, contract extension within reach

Matías Soulé's future could take him to the Premier League after his representatives travelled to England to meet with Sunderland and Fulham, both clubs that have expressed interest in the Roma winger. The exploratory mission was aimed at assessing the economic viability of a potential move and understanding the scope for a deal, with the agent evaluating proposals from both English clubs. Roma have not yet opened formal negotiations with either Sunderland or Fulham. The Giallorossi remain waiting for a concrete offer before entering into discussions, and will only consider Soulé's departure if a proposal deemed adequate arrives at the table. At present, no concrete steps have been recorded between the club and either English side. Soulé, born in 2003, joined Roma from Real Betis and has become an important squad option for the club. Any potential transfer would depend entirely on Roma receiving an offer they judge to be acceptable, with the exploratory nature of the current talks suggesting both English clubs are in the early stages of their interest.

Lorenzo Pellegrini will not be present when Roma begin their summer training camp at Trigoria on Monday 13 July under Gian Piero Gasperini. The midfielder's absence is due to his outstanding contract renewal — which has not yet been formally signed — and an injury sustained late in the previous season. Pellegrini is expected to join Gasperini's squad in the days following the opening of the retreat, as his contract extension is close to completion. The same applies to Zeki Çelik, whose renewal negotiations are similarly advanced. Roma are preparing for the new season after appointing Gasperini as head coach.

Mats Hummels shared a photo on Instagram wearing a France shirt gifted to him by Roma midfielder Manu Koné, paying tribute to his former teammate with the caption: "A great thank you to my French friend!" The two players spent one season together at Roma's Trigoria training ground, where their friendship has endured since. Koné drew widespread praise following France's strong performance in the World Cup quarter-final against Morocco, with compliments flowing from across the football world and on social media. Hummels, the former German centre-back, chose to celebrate his friend's achievement by wearing the Bleus strip that Koné had sent him, highlighting the bond that remained intact despite their time together at the Giallorossi being limited to a single campaign.

Roma are pursuing two primary attacking targets to strengthen the forward line under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Diego Moreira and Alejandro Garnacho are the main focuses of the club's recruitment drive, with Tresoldi also on the radar as a secondary option. The Giallorossi are advancing negotiations on both fronts as attacking reinforcement becomes a priority. Simultaneously, Roma are preparing contract renewal announcements for Zeki Çelik, Paulo Dybala, and Gianluca Mancini in the coming days. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation will require further time to resolve. On the outgoing side, Manchester United may move for Manu Koné, while Genoa continue to pursue interest in Artem Dovbyk.

Bryan Cristante, 31, has made 364 appearances for Roma over eight years and reflected on the emotional intensity of playing for the Giallorossi in an interview with Sportweek. Born in Friuli and raised in Milan, Cristante has fully embraced Roman culture and the demands of the capital. He highlighted three standout moments in his Roma career: the two Coppa finals—the Conference League victory against Feyenoord and the Europa League defeat to Sevilla on penalties—plus the final day of this season at Verona when the club secured Champions League football, a competition the entire organisation had missed for too long. Cristante emphasised the unique pressure of playing in Rome, where success and failure exist in sharp contrast. "At Roma you pass too quickly from exaltation to depression, one day you're a champion and the next you're hopeless," he noted. He credited the squad's resilience this season in resetting after each match and moving focus to the next fixture, preventing a single poor result from derailing the campaign. As captain alongside Lorenzo Pellegrini and Gianluca Mancini, Cristante takes pride in transmitting a sense of belonging to younger players at a club so deeply connected to its supporters. On his coaches, Cristante praised José Mourinho for bringing concrete winning mentality and charisma, under whom Roma won a cup and lost another on penalties. Gian Piero Gasperini, under whom Cristante previously played at Atalanta, he described as exceptionally strong. When asked what makes him indispensable to every manager, Cristante replied: "I'm a worker. I like going out on the pitch, working every day, and always being on top of things, doing what the coach asks of me. Since I was a boy I've always given everything."

Roma are preparing to announce three contract renewals in quick succession. Gianluca Mancini will extend his deal until 2029 on 3.5 million euros net per year. Zeki Çelik and Paulo Dybala are at the document exchange stage: the Turkish defender will earn 3 million euros net annually through 2029, while Dybala will sign a one-season contract with an option until 2028 worth 2.5 million euros plus bonuses. Director D'Amico has accelerated the renewal process across multiple fronts. Lorenzo Pellegrini, formally out of contract since the start of the month, faces a different timeline—there remains economic and contractual distance between the club and the captain, and he will not begin pre-season immediately as he recovers from a late-season setback. Bryan Cristante's new contract remains on hold. According to Simone Valdarchi in the Corriere della Sera, the Mancini, Çelik, and Dybala announcements are expected soon. Pellegrini's situation is more complex; talks are ongoing and a resolution will be found, but the number 7's delayed return to training reflects both the ongoing negotiations and his need for recovery time.