Mijnans back in focus: Roma, Bologna and Milan battle for AZ midfielder

Leonardo Balerdi has made an immediate impression at Roma following his move from Olympique Marseille this summer. Speaking from his national team camp, the defender praised his reception: "At Roma I was welcomed very well. The challenge with Lautaro? I already knew him, so I knew it would be very complicated. And indeed it was, but it was a good match." Bareldi has already won over head coach Gasperini, appearing as a starter in two matches and contributing further appearances off the bench. He finished the fixture against Inter cramping in his calf, prompting a precautionary approach to manage the injury. Though still working toward full match fitness, his appearances for his national team are expected to aid his physical development. The defender has two further opportunities to establish himself before Como, with no serious calf concerns reported.

Roma came close to signing Genoa defender Johan Vasquez over the summer but the transfer fell through after a change in the club's sporting director role. Ricky Massara, who was pushing the deal forward, left the club in June and was replaced by Tony D'Amico, who had worked extensively with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini at Atalanta. The shift in leadership altered Roma's transfer priorities entirely, with Massara's successor abandoning the pursuit of Vasquez and other targets the outgoing director had been tracking. Massara had been actively pursuing Vasquez, the Genoa captain and leader under former Roma manager Daniele De Rossi. Roma made concrete moves towards the Mexican defender and came closest to securing him among all interested clubs, despite competition from across Europe. However, Massara's exit and D'Amico's arrival ended all negotiations. The same sequence played out with other Massara targets: Kerim Alajbegovic, who subsequently joined him at Juventus, and Franck Kessie, whom Massara negotiated for on behalf of the Bianconeri. Vasquez ultimately remained at Genoa. Other clubs that had inquired about the defender included Eintracht Frankfurt, Besiktas, and Atlético Madrid, with interest also arriving from Germany, Turkey and Spain. The shift in Roma's hierarchy removed the club from consideration just as they had positioned themselves as the frontrunners for his signature.

Roma's summer transfer window proved lengthy and difficult as Gasperini pursued reinforcements sought by the head coach, with many negotiations faltering over financial disagreements with other clubs. Givairo Read of Feyenoord was among the wingers Roma worked on for several days, but no agreement was reached and the Dutch player remained in the Netherlands. However, his future at Feyenoord beyond the current season is uncertain, as multiple elite English clubs have now turned their attention to him. According to teamtalk.com, Liverpool are leading the chase for Read and have been monitoring him for some time, but Arsenal and Manchester City are also watching closely. The interest from English top-flight sides has been fuelled by Read's strong start to the season in the Eredivisie, where he has recorded five assists in seven matches. Liverpool in particular have been impressed by his performances and could see him as a solution to a need on the right flank. Roma's pursuit fell away after requesting a fee of over €30 million just weeks ago, a figure that is now likely to rise further. A concrete move for Read could arrive as soon as January, when the player's valuation will have climbed even higher given his continued progress.