Molina emerges as Roma's answer on the right flank under Gasperini

Roman radio stations hosted debate on Roma's transfer strategy, with commentary focused on a potential January move for a midfielder. Piero Torri, speaking on Manà Manà Sport, raised questions about the timing and readiness of Kvernadze as a target. "I don't know if Kvernadze is the right player for January," Torri said. "You have to understand if Gasperini wants a ready-made player, or if he's happy with a gamble. The player seems interesting, seems like a Gasperini type—but is he ready? I don't know what fee Frosinone will ask for now, I think €20–25 million. If you move quickly, the price can't rise much further. But you'll also need to see what Uefa tells Roma in mid-November, and where Roma sits in December." Lorenzo Pes, also on air, defended Roma's recent decision to allow a young midfielder to leave, citing the strength of the club's academy. "Every so often you have to make a choice on young players," Pes said on Tele Radio Stereo. "The coach probably felt protected at midfield by those he had. Romano wanted to play and would have been the fifth midfielder here. You could have loaned him out, but this opportunity came up and in the end you made that choice. When you have an academy as productive as this one, it's inevitable you lose sight of someone occasionally. Keeping control over all the young players becomes difficult." The discussion underscored the dual pressures Roma faces: balancing academy development against first-team needs, and timing potential moves to suit both sporting and financial circumstance.

Roma are already eyeing moves in the January transfer window, with sporting director Tony D'Amico closely tracking two promising Serie A prospects: Giorgi Kvernadze of Frosinone and Darryl Bakola of Sassuolo. No formal approaches or negotiations have been opened, but both players have entered the club's radar as potential additions within head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's system. Kvernadze, 23, is a left-winger from Georgia with a right foot, standing 188 centimetres tall and contracted to Frosinone until 2028. His season has already attracted major clubs' attention, with three Serie A goals, two Coppa Italia goals and two assists. He plays predominantly from the left flank but drifts infield, combining superior physical build for an offensive winger with acceleration, stamina and goal-attacking threat. Frosinone value him at close to €25 million—a steep asking price relative to his current market standing and one likely to fluctuate with his form across the season. Bakola, born in 2007, represents a longer-term investment. He arrived at Sassuolo from Olympique Marseille in February 2026 and operates as a right-sided midfielder with strong attacking ambitions. He can play as a box-to-box midfielder, playmaker or central midfielder, combining close ball control, vertical passing and ability to evade pressure through dribbling and direction changes. He has been likened to Roma midfielder Manu Koné structurally, though the French player remains notably more complete and developed. For now, Roma's interest amounts to observation only. January remains distant and no official contact has been made with Frosinone or Sassuolo.

AS Roma have cancelled their scheduled training session on Friday, 27 September, as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini grants the squad a few days' rest ahead of the next fixture. The group will resume work at the Fulvio Bernardini training ground on Tuesday, 29 September, with players expected to arrive at midday to restart their preparations for upcoming official commitments.

Roma have reached the top of Serie A alongside Inter and Lazio after the opening phase of the season, but attention has already turned to a gruelling month ahead combining league and Champions League fixtures with no respite until November. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has relied heavily on the established core of the squad in the early weeks, with the summer signings introduced gradually, rotating between starting roles and substitute appearances. The intensity of the coming period will require him to call on the full squad of twenty-two players. Among the summer arrivals, Leonardo Balerdi has made an immediate impact, supported by strong performances from Nahuel Molina, the former Atlético Madrid player who provided his first assist against Inter and impressed on the left flank against Torino despite arriving with delayed pre-season preparation due to World Cup commitments. Rodrigo Mora has shown promise in two starts against Fiorentina and Atalanta, though he has found reading the game more difficult as a substitute—though he did score from the bench at Lecce. Gasperini is focused on unlocking the Portuguese midfielder's potential as a player capable of making a difference through his quality. The squad refresh is completed by Koulierakis, Lorenzo Pellegrini and especially Marten de Roon, a signing Gasperini strongly advocated for to strengthen and provide balance to the midfield.

Lionel Messi has contacted Paulo Dybala to invite him to a special celebratory match marking his official farewell to the Argentina national team, with the Roma forward keen to accept. Messi also wants Nahuel Molina alongside Dybala for the fixture, which will reunite players from Argentina's triumphant 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar. However, the invitation requires approval from Gian Piero Gasperini, Roma's head coach, who must sign off on both players' participation. According to reports, Gasperini is expected to grant clearance for the pair to attend. Molina has made a strong start to the season and has put behind him the uncertainties of the past, while Dybala represents the highest quality in Roma's tactical setup. Any permission from the coach will come with a strict instruction: intelligent management of their fitness and avoidance of any physical strain. Roma face a challenging away trip to Como as they resume their league campaign, followed by a dense block of fixtures. Gasperini is intent on preserving the sharpness of his best players ahead of that demanding schedule.

Roma head into a demanding stretch of fixtures with Gasperini now ready to rely heavily on the summer recruits who have gradually been introduced to the squad. The club closed the first part of the campaign level on points with Inter and Lazio at the top of the table, but a punishing run awaits: between Serie A and Champions League, there will be no respite until November. With only one week in four featuring a European fixture so far, Gasperini has largely favoured the established players while carefully integrating the new arrivals, deploying them either from the start or off the bench. Several summer signings have already made an impact. Balerdi has made a strong early impression, while Molina began well despite arriving physically behind schedule after playing in the World Cup final. He provided his first assist against Inter and showed promising effectiveness when fielded on the left at Turin. Rodrigo Mora presents a mixed picture: the Portuguese midfielder impressed in two starting performances against Fiorentina and Atalanta but struggled when introduced as a substitute, failing to read the rhythm of matches. Paradoxically, he scored when coming off the bench at Lecce. Gasperini intends to gradually unlock the full potential of the talent he strongly pursued. Konstantinos Koulierakis and Marten de Roon will also prove invaluable—the latter was Gasperini's move to shore up the midfield. Lorenzo Pellegrini completes the picture as the squad faces its most testing period of the season.

Gasperini has cancelled Roma's scheduled training session on 25 September, granting the squad four days of rest and resuming work on Tuesday 29 September around midday. The head coach had kept players at Trigoria under a demanding schedule in recent days but opted to give them a break ahead of the international break. When training resumes on the 29th, Gasperini will still be without Malen, Cristante and Wesley as they continue their recovery, with international players expected back later. The next fixture, Roma's match against Como, does not take place until 11 October, allowing time for the squad to reintegrate.

Roma's squad has increased in value by approximately €150 million over the past year, driven by Gian Piero Gasperini's management since his appointment. The club has returned to the Champions League after a seven-year absence, and the upturn extends beyond the pitch into the club's finances. Gasperini, who built a successful nine-year project at Atalanta, is repeating that model at Roma, with improvements visible across every department of the squad. Mile Svilar arrived on a free transfer and remains unchanged in value as an integral goalkeeper, while Evan N'Dicka, also a free signing, is now valued at €35 million. Mario Hermoso has been transformed from a surplus player into a defensive cornerstone worth €15 million. Gianluca Mancini's value has climbed to €25 million, and Leonardo Balerdi, a recent arrival, has already proven his calibre and reclaimed his place in Argentina's squad. Wesley, signed last summer for €25 million, has attracted a €40 million offer from Chelsea that Roma rejected. Young prospect Emanuele Lulli exemplifies the club's emerging talents whose economic value is rising. Niccolò Pisilli, a Roma academy product who rejected potential summer moves, now commands €30 million. Manu Koné, the headline signing of the summer window, remained at the capital despite interest and is valued at €60 million according to Transfermarkt. Donyell Malen's worth has jumped from the €25 million Roma spent in January plus €2 million in loan fees to a current valuation of €50 million. With numerous young players in the squad—including Konstantinos Koulierakis, Rodrigo Mora, Daniele Ghilardi, and Matías Soulé—these valuations are expected to grow further if on-field performance remains strong.

Antonio Carlos Zago, a member of Roma's 2001 Serie A title-winning squad, believes the current team can compete for the championship this season. Speaking to Il Messaggero, Zago reflected on Roma's recent performance against Inter, saying: 'I watched the match on Saturday, Roma had a good first half but when you lose concentration against a side like Inter you pay the price at the end.' He acknowledged the gap between that legendary squad and the present group but remains optimistic about their prospects. 'The Scudetto dream is possible,' Zago said. 'Inter is the only rival. Roma have a great defensive unit. The attack is strong too, they can compete until the final day.' Zago praised Wesley, Roma's Brazilian defender, as one of the world's best full-backs, noting that Real Madrid and Manchester City had also pursued him. 'There is little to say—for me he is one of the strongest full-backs in the world,' Zago remarked, adding that despite scoring less frequently, Wesley's overall performances remain excellent. On head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, Zago was emphatic: 'If he is not the strongest of the last ten years, he is certainly in the top three. In Serie A he is the best. The team must follow him and can aim for great results.'

Nahuel Molina has emerged as a key figure in Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma side, playing on the left flank—a position he had rarely occupied in his career. After an initial trial at Torino, Gasperini deployed the Argentine right-back on the opposite flank against Inter, a role Molina has played only nine times overall. The experiment paid off: Molina delivered the assist for Manu Koné's opening goal and impressed enough to convince his manager that the system works. The fullback has since regained ground on his positional rivals, closing a physical gap that had left him sidelined at the start of the season. Gasperini's tactical flexibility is his trademark—the previous season he had shifted Wesley to the left with similar success. Molina possesses greater attacking instinct than Zeki Çelik, and his contributions came through continuous overlaps, off-the-ball movement and crosses from the byline. According to reporting by Niccolò Maurelli in La Repubblica, the Argentine has found the right notes to satisfy Gasperini's demands. Training resumed today with the full squad and continues through Friday, followed by two rest days over the weekend. In the three weeks before Roma face Como, Gasperini plans to arrange friendly matches, possibly against the club's Primavera side, to restore match fitness for those still awaiting playing time. Lorenzo Pellegrini is among those available again after returning from an injury sustained in the final league matches of last season.

Nahuel Molina, signed to play on the right, is earning regular minutes on the opposite flank under Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical redesign. In the match against Inter, Molina operated on the left wing for the second time in quick succession, and his performance yielded immediate reward: his cross set up Manu Koné's opening goal. The position remains almost foreign to Molina's career—he has played on the left just nine times in his entire playing history—yet Gasperini appears increasingly convinced it can become a stable part of his tactical arsenal. Gasperini had signalled this ambition before the season began, describing Molina as a player capable of "playing anywhere". The Argentine world champion brings greater offensive propensity than Zeki Çelik, his predecessor on the right, and offers Roma added tactical flexibility. Molina's early weeks were complicated by fitness demands—he arrived behind in pre-season preparation and had to chase his teammates' conditioning—but that gap has narrowed substantially in recent matches. Against Inter, his movement revealed overlaps, off-the-ball runs and renewed conviction in attacking the byline, the cross for Koné's goal a visible symbol of his growing confidence. Gasperini is retracing a path already worn by Wesley, the Brazilian left-back who also arrived with traits suited to the right before discovering fresh offensive possibilities on the opposite flank. Wesley now operates on both flanks; Molina is heading the same way. Emanuele Lulli continues to press for minutes as well, creating depth in the fullback positions. Gasperini's repeated assertion—that no first-team hierarchy of starters and reserves exists—finds its clearest proof in Molina's trajectory: initially overlooked, he waited, adapted to an almost unknown role, and is now returning forcefully into rotation. The direction may have seemed wrong on paper. The results, so far, appear correct.

Roma's wing positions are now secure. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini no longer faces the tactical problem that troubled him last season: the absence of a quick, technical player on the opposite flank from Wesley. Last year, with Wesley as one of Serie A's strongest defenders on one side, Gasperini had to adapt by repositioning Zeki Çelik elsewhere. That constraint has lifted. Emanuele Lulli, young and rapid, is already providing assurances and proves ready for this campaign. But Roma have also landed another signing that drew less attention yet showed its value yesterday: Nahuel Molina. The Argentine is rising in fitness; the residual effects of the World Cup are passing. In the match against Inter, he was perfect. He contained Diouf, supported the attack, and was decisive in the final third with an assist for Manu Koné's first-half goal. Molina's skillset is there; consistency is the next step. He does not yet have 90 minutes in his legs, but the flanks now have valid masters. Wesley leads them, followed by the former Udinese player and Lulli. Gasperini can rely on all three without losing quality. The improvement from last season is enormous. The Piedmont-born coach plays through the flanks, favouring attacking football with pushing players who can contribute in front of goal. Now he has them on both sides. Molina is a top-level player. Lulli will be. The flanks have an owner on each side, and Gasperini can only be pleased.