Molina bids farewell to Atlético Madrid as Roma move nears completion

Roma are accelerating their transfer activity and focusing their attention on the attack, with Endrick at the top of the list. The Brazilian reportedly wants more playing time after a first spell at Real Madrid in which he did not carve out the role he had hoped for. Roma are pressing to sign him on loan, but the route remains complicated: Milan are also following the situation, and the Spanish club has not yet decided whether to let him leave. Endrick is not the only name on Gian Piero Gasperini's mind. Among the alternatives are Jamie Gittens, for whom Chelsea have reportedly opened the door to a loan move, and Ademola Lookman, a profile that continues to attract interest. The name of Rodrigo Riquelme has also returned to the discussions in recent assessments. The priority has become adding quality and options in attack, temporarily putting the search for an alternative to Wesley on hold. Lulli played an important role in this change of strategy.

Roma's squad news is mixed during the international break: Paulo Dybala and Gianluca Mancini took part in part of Thursday's training session with the group at Trigoria, while Pierluigi Gollini and Mile Svilar trained separately. Eleven Roma players are currently with their national teams. Gian Piero Gasperini continues to work with the rest of the squad, focusing on recovering injured players ahead of the resumption of Serie A. For Svilar, the programme was agreed with the medical staff, and his condition will be assessed daily, with the aim of having him available for the match against Parma. Elsewhere, the future of Endrick may lie away from Real Madrid. According to Matteo Moretto, reporting on Fabrizio Romano's YouTube channel, the decision will rest mainly with the player, even though José Mourinho is in favour of keeping him at the Spanish club. If the Brazilian forward asked for more space and continuity, Real Madrid would be willing to consider a loan departure. The 2006-born player, who previously had a spell at Lyon, is keen to accumulate minutes and keep developing. Two Italian clubs are monitoring the situation, but Roma currently appear to have the advantage: they maintain constant contact and are following developments closely. AC Milan are further in the background, despite good relations with Roc Nation, the agency that manages the Brazilian's interests. The chances of a loan exit are reportedly increasing. In a long interview with Diario Marca, Niccolò Pisilli spoke about his bond with Roma, the coaches who shaped his career and his ambitions. The midfielder warmly recalled José Mourinho, who gave him his first-team debut and his first goal for the club: "He is a truly exquisite person. I will always be grateful to him." He also praised Gian Piero Gasperini, describing him as a master for his work at Atalanta and for the results achieved in his first season in Rome. Pisilli spoke of Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi as legendary figures, stressing the gap between their history and his own few minutes as captain. Among his football role models he named Pedri, admiring his personality and calmness on the ball. On Roma's form, he recalled the performance against Real Madrid, arguing the team has shown it can compete with anyone when it stays focused and compact. Asked what he would do if Roma won the Scudetto, he replied: "We would celebrate in great style." Roma return to action on 21 November to face Parma at the Stadio Tardini. The presence of their supporters in the away section remains uncertain: the Osservatorio Nazionale sulle Manifestazioni Sportive has postponed its assessment on the sale of tickets, without imposing restrictive measures for now. A final decision will only come after further examination. The possibility of restrictions for Roma fans, who risk being unable to follow the team to Emilia, therefore remains open. Further updates will clarify how supporters can access the stadium.

Paulo Dybala has returned to group training at Trigoria and is targeting Roma's trip to Parma on 21 November, while Endrick moves closer to a possible January loan move from Real Madrid. Roma's January market, however, is still waiting on answers from the Friedkin Group. Among the day's headlines, Gian Piero Gasperini is still awaiting clarity from the owners on his budget, and Lookman is back in the frame. Dybala has taken part in part of the session with his team-mates. Mancini is also showing encouraging signs after a problem with his hamstring. Svilar and Gollini are continuing with differentiated work, while Rensch remains out. Journalist Matteo Moretto rates the chances of a loan move for Endrick at 70 per cent, naming Roma as the main Italian suitor. The Brazilian's willingness to find more regular football will be decisive, but the deal would still need the approval of Real Madrid and of Mourinho. Endrick has played only 140 minutes in seven appearances this season, according to Corriere dello Sport, which also reports that he has turned down a move to AC Milan while Sporting Director D'Amico continues to follow him. Roma remain interested, but there is no agreement yet and there is international competition. According to Corriere della Sera, Gasperini and D'Amico do not yet know the budget available for January. A meeting with a representative of the ownership could take place in the coming days. Gasperini wants reinforcements to support the team's ambitions, but without financial guidelines D'Amico is struggling to turn sounding-out into negotiations. Il Messaggero reports a salary threshold of four million euros. Alongside Endrick, D'Amico is evaluating PSV's Ruben van Bommel and Stuttgart's Jamie Leweling, two wide players whose profiles appeal to the coach. Loan formulas remain central to the plans. Repubblica reports that Roma are monitoring Lookman, who has lost ground at Atlético Madrid under Simeone and stayed on the bench for ninety minutes in their most recent match against Barcelona. The Nigerian is a former Atalanta player who has been coached by Gasperini. There has been no transfer request and no official approach from the Spanish club, but his profile matches Roma's attacking needs. Elsewhere, agent Diego Tavano has spoken about Bove's departure from Roma, recalling a tough confrontation in August 2024 with Souloukou and Ghisolfi. According to the agent, Bove never wanted to leave Trigoria and the solutions initially proposed were not welcome. Bove later joined Fiorentina and returned emotionally in front of the Curva Sud. In an interview with Marca, Lorenzo Pisilli's team-mate Niccolò Pisilli described Gasperini as an excellent coach he learns from every day, and expressed gratitude to Mourinho, who gave him his first-team debut. Asked about the captaincy comparisons with Totti and De Rossi, he said: "They made the history of the club."

Roma's priorities have shifted: a backup for Wesley is no longer a priority, and the club are now focused on strengthening their attack ahead of the winter window. The January market opens early this year, on 28 December, between Christmas and New Year, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is reportedly hoping for at least two signings, both in attacking roles. The forward line is short of numbers, and reinforcing it is the absolute priority. Lorenzo Pellegrini will not return until 2027, while Paulo Dybala remains a question mark over his physical condition. Gasperini wants two attacking players. Compared with the summer, the priorities have changed. In the final days of the summer window Roma had also looked at a backup for Wesley, but that is no longer a priority. The coach is willing to keep his group of four wide players, largely thanks to the emergence of Lulli. The 2007-born player has quickly become a fixed point for the Giallorossi and sits ahead of Rensch in the pecking order on the right, often putting pressure on Molina. Balde was recently offered for that role, with his agent the same as Mora's, but all talks are currently frozen. Part of the reason is that a proper transfer summit has yet to take place, and part is that Roma will hunt for forwards to strengthen the attacking unit. Endrick is at the top of the list, but Gittens, van Bommel and Leweling are also under close watch. Kvernadze is considered more difficult to land.

Roma's summer recruits have been involved in 36.5% of the club's goals this season, with 15 of the team's 41 strikes involving one of them. Gian Piero Gasperini has relied heavily on seven players who were not part of the squad in the last match of the previous campaign: Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Leonardo Balerdi, Rodrigo Mora, Emanuele Lulli, Santiago Castro and Konstantinos Koulierakis. Lulli came up from the Primavera. Molina has been the most-used player, with 751 minutes, one goal and two assists. He is followed by De Roon (732 minutes), Balerdi (639), Mora (595), Lulli (546), Castro (370) and Koulierakis (225). Gasperini has given minutes to every summer arrival, including the Primavera graduate, showing confidence in the quality of the new players. Mora has been the most productive, with four goals and two assists. His recent form, with a sharp improvement in the latest matches, has eased doubts about the investment made in the summer, reported at €25 million plus 50% of a future resale, for a valuation of €50 million. Across all competitions, the new players have taken part in 15 of Roma's 41 goals. By comparison, at the same stage of last season, Massara's summer signings from that campaign had contributed to just three goals: Wesley with one goal, Ferguson with one assist and Tsimikas with one assist.

Former Roma player Vincent Candela has urged the club not to settle for less, backing Gian Piero Gasperini's approach and insisting the side can push Inter until the end of the Serie A title race. Speaking to Il Messaggero, Candela praised Gasperini's work, the progress of Matías Soulé and the solidity of the midfield, while also highlighting the impact of Donyell Malen. He also sent a message to the transfer market: "If a couple of missing pieces arrive, we can have even more fun." Roma return to training at Trigoria tomorrow afternoon, and Gasperini is set to gradually bring back Paulo Dybala and Mile Svilar. Svilar, recovering from a stress fracture in the fifth toe of his foot, will undergo a new check-up. Koné and Nahuel Molina will remain at Trigoria during the break. Molina's recall to the national squad has been halted by the club, a call-up that would have meant returning to the capital just two days before the league resumes. Gasperini's side have set a new record in the club's history, scoring 31 goals in the first 11 Serie A matchdays, a figure never previously reached. The previous best was 28 goals in the 1960-61 season. Roma remain unbeaten in Serie A, as are Lazio, and among the top five European leagues they share this record only with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Roma have also not lost at the Stadio Olimpico for over a year.