Mora impresses with assist as Koné shines again: how Roma's national team players fared

Diego Tavano, agent of Edoardo Bove and others, has spoken about the situation of Slim Bouaskar, the 2009-born goalkeeper whom The Guardian included among the best emerging talents in world football. Speaking to journalist Eleonora Trotta, Tavano said his client's start to the season with Roma has struggled to take off, with just 2 appearances for the Primavera side so far. Bouaskar has also been called up to the senior Tunisia national team, despite the lack of game time at club level. Tavano said Bouaskar has played in every age group for Tunisia and that the senior call-up has now arrived. "Fa piacere che in tanti lo seguano e lo conoscano. Sicuramente lo hanno visto cimentarsi anche in nazionale tunisina, dove ha vestito la maglia di tutte le categorie. Adesso è arrivata anche la convocazione con la nazionale maggiore. Sono scelte tecniche e noi le rispettiamo. Ci resta un anno e mezzo di contratto. È un peccato, perché il suo percorso era stato netto. Ha sempre giocato in tutti i campionati. L'anno scorso sotto età ha giocato nell'Under 18 e ha permesso alla squadra di mister Scala di ottenere ottimi risultati. Sicuramente ci aspettavamo che con la promozione di mister Scala in Primavera, ci fosse continuità. Al momento non è così, ne prendiamo atto. Il ragazzo continua ad allenarsi bene e a fare tutto quello che deve fare. Ripeto, ci resta un anno e mezzo di contratto". On interest from other clubs, Tavano said it is mostly based on what scouts have seen with Roma and Tunisia. "Sicuramente, anche perché il Guardian è uno dei giornali più importanti in Europa, ma non credo sia questo a fare la differenza. Penso che, se stanno prendendo informazioni su di lui, sia soprattutto per quello che hanno visto con la Roma e con la Nazionale. Noi ripartiamo da quello. Il contratto non è lungo, ma non mancherà l'occasione di parlare con la Roma. Ripeto, sicuramente mi dispiace perché oggi i giovani dovrebbero avere più spazio e ci dovrebbero essere persone con più coraggio. Lo immaginavo già stabilmente nel giro della prima squadra e sicuramente a giocare in Primavera". Asked whether Roma's recent struggles have denied him a major shop window, Tavano spoke about the goalkeeping role in general. "Ho avuto a che fare con tanti portieri, ne ho gestiti tanti. È un ruolo un po' particolare. In questo momento, purtroppo siamo l'incudine. Speriamo che un giorno saremo il martello e che possa giocare per un club importante. Il sogno è quello di giocare nella Roma, visto che è cresciuto qui".

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.

Mario Hermoso is close to signing a contract extension at Roma, with negotiations underway and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pushing to finalise the agreement. According to La Repubblica, as reported by TeleRadioStereo, the deal would add two more years with an option. The centre-back's current contract expires at the end of the season. Hermoso has enjoyed a strong run in Rome, scoring 8 goals in 49 appearances for the club, three of them in the current campaign. Gasperini was influential in keeping him at the club in the first place. Hermoso joined as a free agent in 2024 after his time at Atlético Madrid, but he struggled to win regular minutes in his first few months. He was loaned to Bayer Leverkusen in January, and a shoulder injury prevented the German side from buying him outright, so he returned to Roma. Hermoso was reportedly on the chopping block in the summer of 2025, until Gasperini took a liking to him. The coach made him a linchpin of the side, as his skill set and dynamism suited his style well. The Real Madrid product also spent time at Espanyol earlier in his career and has five caps for Spain, although he has not been called up since 2019. Gasperini likes good ball handlers and sound athletes in every position, and especially in the 'braccetti' role. Hermoso's goalscoring is a bonus that has served the team well, as they can bring almost the whole side into the final third when they are firing. The extension is seen as a no-brainer, as the financial sums are not expected to be a problem.

A Porto executive has insisted that the Rodrigo Mora deal is worth €50 million overall, even though the initial transfer was set at a lower figure. He said the club had invested €37 million in the 2026/27 summer window, compared with around €110 million the previous summer, and had made sales worth €78 million, counting Mora at €50 million. He explained the structure: "It was 25 million euros for 50%, but we have an option that depends solely on our will. For us it is a 50 million euro operation." Roma's attention is now turning to the left flank, where the squad is reportedly short of a player with pace. Sporting director D'Amico, formerly of Atalanta, is looking to Brazil to give Gian Piero Gasperini a new piece to complete the squad and make it more competitive. According to market expert Ekrem Konur, Roma like Flamengo's Samuel Lino, and the club have reportedly already offered €25 million, which Flamengo have rejected. Kostas Manolas has looked back on his time in the Capital, with personal memories, behind-the-scenes market stories and views on some of the figures from that period, speaking to Betardes. On Roma's Champions League semi-final against Liverpool, which followed the comeback against Barcelona, he still has regrets. "We go to Liverpool and I have the worst dream I could have in my life. I dream that a tooth falls out. I believe in these things. When I had that dream, I understood it would be a very difficult day. One or two of their goals were offside, but we were very poor. And I was very poor too. I can tell you that it was one of my worst Champions League matches. I was really terrible." Back at the Olimpico, he disputed several refereeing decisions: "We should have won. El Shaarawy shoots and Alexander-Arnold pushes the ball away with his hand before it goes in. It is a penalty and a red card. We could have made it 3-2 in the 55th minute and turned the game around. Then there is another incident: a penalty that is not given for an offside that does not exist. There is no offside. If there had been VAR, we would have gone to the final. We had come back against Barcelona and we would have come back against Liverpool too." Roma are also still tracking Endrick of Real Madrid, a target pursued at length over the summer, who has scored his only goal of the season against Roma. Speaking to GloboEsporte, the 20-year-old said: "I am only 20, so I will see how things evolve. I just want to play, be happy and help my teammates. I don't know what will happen in January; it is in God's hands. I only ask for what is best for my career." He added: "Whatever is meant to happen will happen. I will keep my feet on the ground and continue to give my absolute best. Madrid is a wonderful city, but I will always do whatever is necessary to advance my career."

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 Stefano Desideri, speaking exclusively to Retesport, has backed Gian Piero Gasperini's side and said the gap to Inter is closing. He said he was proud to have worn the Roma shirt and described the current team as strong, with players focused and committed on the pitch. "Roma of Gasperini? A strong side, a joy to watch on the pitch. All the players are focused and on it, it's really a beautiful Roma." He added that he is enjoying watching the team after years of matches that were less enjoyable. Desideri drew comparisons with his own Roma side, which surprised opponents with a zonal press using one fewer forward and one extra midfielder, removing the markers of their opponents. He said the players then were willing to step forward, much as Gasperini's players are doing now. On the gap with Inter, he said something is always missing and that a few more players would help, but the club must find players capable of absorbing Gasperini's work, which he said is producing exceptional things. "We must keep trusting the coach," he said. He added: "I'm not afraid of anyone, I'm confident in this Roma. Lazio are the biggest surprise, Inter are a battleship but have levelled off a little, while the giallorossi have improved, so the gap is closing." On Lorenzo Pellegrini's fellow midfielder Niccolò Pisilli, Desideri said: "Good player, a complete midfielder who is good in the tackle and gets forward. He just needs to play as much as possible. A serious lad from Rome, I am proud of him." On European competition, he said the team lacks experience, with many players having little of it. He said that against Real Madrid the side played excellently with personality for 84 minutes, but then experience was lacking. "Managing the result is not part of this team's DNA." On Donyell Malen, Desideri compared him to Voller, describing him as a driving force for the team with different characteristics. "He has an execution speed that leaves defenders stranded, a fundamental quality. We have discovered a strong player." On Rodrigo Mora, he said: "A talent, he struggled at first. In recent outings we have seen him chasing opponents, he is entering the coach's mentality and it is perfect for him."

Thirteen Roma players have left Trigoria for the November international break, a squad-wide exodus that will see the club's men return to Rome only a few days before the match against Parma. Only Inter, Frosinone and Torino have had more players called up by their national teams (14), while Roma sit level with Milan and Como. The number could have been higher, given the less than ideal condition of Mancini and Koné. Daily work at Trigoria under Gasperini was the reason Koné said no to France. Cristante is also out, as explained by Italy coach Mancini: "I didn't need to test him because I know him." Molina will not be going to Argentina; the full-back had been called up at the last minute by coach Scaloni, but Roma and Gasperini opposed the move. Malen is among the most anticipated players, and on his role with the Netherlands, Xavi was clear: "I see him as a centre-forward." The mood around Trigoria is different, with Gasperini wanting to get all his starters back to fight for the Champions League and the derby. The headline also carries a comment from Francesco Totti on the Scudetto: "Something is missing to win the Scudetto." The break brings a mix of departures and returns for Roma, with the squad's fitness and availability becoming the main focus before the next fixture against Parma.

Roma are working on a contract extension for Mario Hermoso, with talks reportedly already under way for a deal running to 2029 with an option for 2030, according to Angelo Mangiante. Three goals this season and increasingly convincing performances have accelerated the process under Gian Piero Gasperini, with the Spaniard described as a pillar of the side. Elsewhere, Paulo Dybala's future may lie in the United States. Piero Torri reports that Inter Miami have already made contact with the Argentinian's entourage, while New York City are reportedly weighing up an offer. No agreement has been reached, but Dybala's contract, which expires in 2027, is fuelling the speculation. Roma are also looking to the January window, with Gasperini hoping for reinforcements. The club's strategy is to target a quick attacking winger, possibly on loan in the mould of Donyell Malen, while Endrick and Gittens remain under observation and Højbjerg has returned as an option for midfield. On the injury front, Mile Svilar and Dybala are aiming to return for the trip to Parma on 21 November, with Gasperini expected to regain two key players during the international break. Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini are also in good shape, while Devyne Rensch remains in doubt. Lorenzo Pellegrini has decided against surgery on his tendon and will continue with conservative therapy, with his return not expected before January. Roma's Argentina international Nahuel Molina has been kept at Trigoria: the club refused Argentina's call-up after his FIFA suspension was reduced, with the invitation arriving only on Saturday during the Roma-Sassuolo match, too late for a long trip for what could be a single friendly. Lorenzo Dattilo, a left-back born in 2010, has signed a three-year contract, turning down Atletico Madrid. The former Under-17 European champion with Italy is already playing for Roma's Under-18 side. In Serie A, Roma sit third, unbeaten in the league and two points behind leaders Lazio, having scored 31 goals and conceded just ten in eleven matchdays. At Frosinone, the club is preparing a move to keep winger Kvernadze, who is being followed by Roma. According to Tuttomercatoweb, a deal worth one million euros a season, five times his current salary, is ready. Behind it sits a four-million-euro release clause, activatable from next summer, which Frosinone could seek to change.

Roma have kept Mancini at Trigoria and decided not to send Nahuel Molina to Argentina, meaning Italy coach Mancini will be without the Roma defender for the matches against France and Belgium. Mancini returned to the club with problems after Italy's Nations League games in late September and early October, and Gasperini has never had him at full fitness. Before the Sassuolo match, Gasperini decided not to call him up, which left the Italy coach with no option but to forgo his presence against France and Belgium. Molina is still serving a suspension for one match, following the reduction of his ban from seven matchdays to four. Roma's decision on Molina came on Saturday evening. Sending him to Argentina would have meant a long journey for just one of two friendlies, with the first test on Friday in Buenos Aires against Uruguay and the second in Córdoba against Costa Rica. Molina would then have had a long, tiring trip back to Trigoria, due next Thursday, which the club judged unworkable. The Argentine FA accepted the decision and will rely on Balerdi, Soulé and Castro. The international break has long concerned club coaches, who are forced to accept few training sessions and plenty of injuries. Roma's approach reflects that problem: protecting fitness for the club's own schedule rather than releasing players for every national team request.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante has been left out of Italy coach Roberto Mancini's 31-man squad for the Nations League matches against France and Belgium, despite a strong start to the season with Roma. Mancini addressed the decision at a press conference today at Coverciano, where the squad is gathering. Mancini said: "We know Cristante, there is no need to prove him. When we need him, we will call him." He stressed that the decision was not technical. Instead, he said, it was aimed at giving more room to young players who will have the chance to show what they can do in the senior national team shirt. Two Roma players have been called up: Daniele Ghilardi and Niccolò Pisilli.

Roma head into the international break with a near-perfect run to protect, and Gian Piero Gasperini has used a demanding stretch of nine matches in 27 days to rotate his squad. Gasperini admitted the schedule had been tough but said it had allowed him to use the whole squad: "We had tough clashes like Como, Napoli, Manchester and Real Madrid. The management was not a problem, and this allowed us to rotate the whole squad." During that intense spell, players who had been on the fringes stepped forward. Rodrigo Mora took advantage of Paulo Dybala's extended absence to win a key role, scoring in three consecutive matches. De Roon showed why Gasperini wanted him in the capital, while Ghilardi, Gollini and Vásquez also got their chances. Gasperini gave everyone a run-out, partly out of necessity. Both the coach and D'Amico have acknowledged that the squad is thin, and with a few injuries it risks becoming very thin indeed. The debate over whether the break is a blessing may therefore be answered by the players Roma get back when the league resumes. Roma are among the clubs that could benefit most from the pause. Their injuries have required fairly long recovery periods, but few players have been affected. The problem is that nearly all of them are key figures in the Giallorossi set-up. Chief among them is Mile Svilar, who has been out since 10 October and has kept training both at Trigoria and in individual sessions with a fitness coach, without managing to speed up his recovery. Tests carried out about ten days ago led the club and the goalkeeper to choose caution. The aim is for him to return against Parma, and then reach peak condition for the highly delicate trip to Paris. Dybala is on the same timetable. The calf injury he suffered against Real Madrid kept him out longer than expected, but the Argentine is now ready to return and make a difference, perhaps also finding a goal he has not scored since 18 January. Manu Koné has already returned, playing 66 excellent minutes against Sassuolo. The Frenchman was not called up by his national team and will use these days to regain his best condition. He will have an extra incentive compared with his team-mates: to impress at the Parc des Princes, a stadium a few kilometres from the home where he grew up. Gasperini hopes to get back the Roma of the "first lines", because he refuses to talk about starters. The coach remains torn about the break: "It interrupts the league again, although this time only for a week. I like international matches when they play for something important. For friendlies or matches of little consequence, it is a pity to lose so many players." Roma face another demanding run: seven matches in 29 days, during which the Giallorossi will play a major part of their season. The fixtures include the already mentioned trip to Paris Saint-Germain, the home match against Sporting, the game against Juventus and, above all, the derby against Lazio on 13 December. The next month will be crucial in measuring Roma's real ambitions, with the January transfer window expected to bring fresh impetus.