Molina to Roma as Everton fans mourn lost target

Alessandro Romano, a Roma academy graduate who departed for Cagliari a few weeks ago, has impressed his new club sufficiently to earn a call-up to the Italy national team at the behest of coach Mancini. Cagliari manager Pisacane highlighted Romano's development after his side's victory over Udinese, drawing a comparison to a former Roma midfielder. Pisacane told Sky: "Romano? I don't think he even knows how strong he is himself. He's a complete player—if I have to give an example, he's a player like Strootman but with more physical impact. Perhaps Strootman had a more educated left foot, but he's a player who understands the game, has sacrifice, has dedication, knows how to play football. He's a complete player. He needs to play a lot, even if he makes mistakes: he surprised me—compared to Palestra, who made two or three mistakes at Udinese, he seems a player much more mature than his age would suggest."

Leonardo Balerdi has explained his departure from Olympique Marseille after six years and his desire to play for Roma. Speaking to DAZN France, the defender reflected on his move to Serie A and what drew him to the Giallorossi. Bareldi said of leaving Marseille: "It was a difficult moment to leave the OM. But I take everything that came with it: the beautiful things and the bad things." He acknowledged the mixed reception from supporters but used that experience as motivation. "I didn't remember being booed in the last match — sometimes people loved me, sometimes they didn't. I took the love they gave me as energy. I felt it was time to go. Six years at a club is a lot. But six years at Olympique de Marseille is something few players do. It was time to discover another league. I wanted to prove my value, try to do something different. I was very happy to leave." Bareldi joined Roma this summer as part of the club's defensive reinforcements for the 2026-27 season.

Leonardo Balerdi's loan deal from Marseille contains a complex purchase structure tied directly to his match appearances. If the Argentine defender plays in at least 55% of Roma's fixtures across all competitions for a minimum of 45 minutes, the buyout becomes mandatory at €14 million. Should his appearance rate fall between 40 and 55%, the obligation drops to €11 million. Marseille has secured a protection clause requiring Roma to pay a minimum €9 million if Balerdi accumulates just 20% of minutes played in the second half of the season. Balerdi will earn €1.5 million annually under the loan agreement—a significantly reduced figure relative to his market value—with a salary increase guaranteed if Roma exercise the permanent transfer option from next season onwards.

Roma close the opening phase of the 2026-27 season unbeaten after their 2-2 draw with Inter, maintaining four wins and two draws across the opening block of fixtures. Manu Koné scored twice in that Inter match and heads the player ratings across Italian media with an average of 7.9, rewarded for his dominant display. Bryan Cristante and Paulo Dybala both averaged 6.7, Nahuel Molina 6.6 and Leonardo Balerdi 6.5, while Gianluca Mancini registered the lowest average at 5.3 after an error that led to Lautaro Martinez's opening goal; among substitutes, Daniele Ghilardi struggled with 5.5. The international break presents a significant challenge to Gasperini's plans. Roma will have only seven players available during the roughly 20-day break: Mile Svilar, Pierluigi Gollini, Mario Hermoso, Molina, Devyne Rensch, Marten de Roon and Dybala. Even Dybala will leave for several days to attend Lionel Messi's farewell international match. With numbers so thin at the training ground, Roma will have to draw on Primavera players and schedule a couple of friendly matches. Training resumes on Monday afternoon after most of the squad departs to join their respective national teams over the weekend. Roma were 2-0 ahead at half-time against Inter before conceding twice in the second half to settle for the draw.

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico, maintaining joint top place in Serie A alongside the Nerazzurri and delivering significant proof points in the 2026–27 campaign. Manu Koné scored twice in the opening forty-five minutes—his first career brace—to become the match's dominant figure. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini said afterwards: "We played it on equal terms." Koné's performance carried particular weight given Inter's sustained pursuit of him over two recent transfer windows. In August 2025, Inter lodged a concrete offer to Roma for the midfielder, with Sommer and Thuram—former teammates from Germany—attempting to persuade him to move. Roma rejected those proposals and removed him from the market entirely. On the pitch against the Nerazzurri, Koné demonstrated the finishing ability his manager had long sought him to add to his existing qualities of pressing, dribbling and physical power. His opening goal came after six minutes: Inter lost possession, Paulo Dybala crossed, Nahuel Molina nodded it down, and Koné struck first time past the goalkeeper. In first-half injury time the pattern repeated—Dybala played a set-piece, Gianluca Mancini touched it on, and Koné inserted himself to fire low under the bar, initially ruled out before the VAR review stood the goal.

Manu Koné scored twice but it was not enough for Roma to beat Inter, according to ratings published by five Italian newspapers. Koné earned an 8 from Corriere dello Sport, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo, with 8 also from Il Messaggero's match assessment, and 7.5 from La Repubblica. He shared best-in-field honours with Bryan Cristante in most outlets' evaluations. The Argentinian defenders Leonardo Balerdi and Nahuel Molina also impressed, as did Paulo Dybala, who received ratings of 7 from Corriere dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, and 6.5 from Il Messaggero and La Repubblica. Gianluca Mancini's defensive error proved decisive, allowing Lautaro to open the scoring for Inter. Mancini was universally marked down across the newspapers, receiving a 5 from Corriere dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, 5.5 from Il Messaggero and La Repubblica, and 5.5 from Il Tempo. He was substituted at the 60-minute mark. Evan N'Dicka replaced him and earned ratings between 5.5 and 6.5. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini received marks of 7, 6.5, 6.5, 6 and 6.5 respectively. Other defenders and midfielders drew mixed assessments. Mile Svilar in goal was rated 6.5 to 7.5, while Mario Hermoso, who also departed early (81 minutes), received 5 to 6. Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen both earned 6 to 6.5 marks. Wesley and Molina's departures at the 60-minute mark saw them replaced by Devyne Rensch and other squad rotation options across the newspapers' 3-4-2-1 formation analysis.