Mora's impulse, Soulé's tactical edge: radio pundits weigh up Roma's midfield options

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.

Nahuel Molina has become one of Gasperini's most dangerous players in Roma's opening Serie A fixtures, proving to be a decisive summer acquisition for €13 million. The Argentine has demonstrated his impact through aggressive ball recovery in advanced positions—notably helping create Manu Koné's opening goal—and his consistent threat from distance. After five league matches, Molina ranks among Serie A's best for chances created (2.9 per 90 minutes, behind only Dybala and Wesley in giallorosso), ball recoveries (5.04 per 90), and possessions won in the opponent's third (0.78 per 90), according to Sofascore data. Roma have finally secured a right-sided threat matching Gasperini's tactical demands, addressing a weakness from last season when the club saw only sporadic contributions from a combination of Zeki Çelik and Kostas Tsimikas on that flank. Alongside other key acquisitions—Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala and Leonardo Balerdi—Molina is reshaping the team's profile. Some observers outside Rome had already suggested he represented a downgrade compared to Çelik, but offensive and defensive statistics offer no room for interpretation. Molina's record through early September demonstrates substantial improvement across all phases: key passes, dribbling, expected assists, ball recoveries and possessions won in the advanced third all favour the Argentine over his predecessor.

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.

Rome's radio stations have weighed in on three key issues facing Roma as the season progresses: the speculation around midfielder Kvernadze, the development of Rodrigo Mora, and the decision to sell Niccolo Romano to Cagliari. Alessio Nardo criticised the timing of any potential move for Kvernadze. "If you were smart, you would have gone to get him in July or mid-August," Nardo said. "Now he's had an extraordinary start to the season, and after three weeks Frosinone will make you pay triple. Now it's foolish to go and get Kvernadze." Piero Torri added context: Frosinone are likely to demand €20–25 million for the player, but the price could rise further if Roma move slowly. Torri also flagged that Roma's position in the league table in December, and UEFA's verdict on the club's situation by mid-November, will determine whether the ownership feels obliged to invest in January. On Mora, Daniele Lo Monaco offered a technical assessment tempered by concerns about readiness. "From a technical standpoint I think Rodrigo Mora is superior to Matías Soulé," Lo Monaco said. "For me, Mora has only Dybala above him, because he does extraordinary things that others can only imagine. But from a physical point of view you have some doubts, because when he goes into a challenge, opponents push him around. And every so often during the match he loses focus, and with Gasperini you cannot afford that. Today he is not quite ready to play with Gasperini, but he will become ready soon, especially if he does not have the pressure on him of having to prove he is worth €50 million, because otherwise it becomes a problem." Fabio Petruzzi framed the Romano sale as a difficult but necessary choice. "Romano is a good player, I do not say otherwise, but I would be cautious," Petruzzi said. "He would not have played at Roma. Roma had to make a choice: either Pisilli or Romano." Stefano Carina highlighted the oddity of Romano's sale: the initial asking price was €9 million, but the player departed for €5 million. "If you were asking nine million then perhaps this lad is worth something," Carina noted. "Cagliari saw further ahead, and now it seems like a big regret."

Rodrigo Mora has been singled out as one of the season's early disappointments following a substitute appearance, but broadcaster Francesco Repice has pushed back sharply against the assessment. The 19-year-old Portuguese midfielder was grouped among underperformers during a broadcast of Domenica Sportiva, a judgment Repice described as premature given Mora's contribution since arriving at Roma. Mora has already scored once and provided an assist across his early appearances, alongside several quality performances. His recent omission from the squad against Inter was tactical rather than a sign of decline: Gasperini was unable to make attacking changes because defenders had suffered injuries. Repice stressed that five matches into the season is far too small a sample to draw conclusions, particularly about a teenager signed as a long-term investment. Repice said on air: "You're making a mistake. If you put him among the flops you're making a terrible error. The zero minutes against Inter were because the defenders had got injured and Gasp couldn't make changes up front." He added: "Mora has already scored and is an absolute talent—putting him among the flops is wrong. We're at matchday five and I'd point out that Ramos was paid 70 million." Gasperini is integrating the midfielder gradually into the squad.

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.

Nahuel Molina has become one of Gasperini's most dangerous players in Roma's opening Serie A fixtures, proving to be a decisive summer acquisition for €13 million. The Argentine has demonstrated his impact through aggressive ball recovery in advanced positions—notably helping create Manu Koné's opening goal—and his consistent threat from distance. After five league matches, Molina ranks among Serie A's best for chances created (2.9 per 90 minutes, behind only Dybala and Wesley in giallorosso), ball recoveries (5.04 per 90), and possessions won in the opponent's third (0.78 per 90), according to Sofascore data. Roma have finally secured a right-sided threat matching Gasperini's tactical demands, addressing a weakness from last season when the club saw only sporadic contributions from a combination of Zeki Çelik and Kostas Tsimikas on that flank. Alongside other key acquisitions—Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala and Leonardo Balerdi—Molina is reshaping the team's profile. Some observers outside Rome had already suggested he represented a downgrade compared to Çelik, but offensive and defensive statistics offer no room for interpretation. Molina's record through early September demonstrates substantial improvement across all phases: key passes, dribbling, expected assists, ball recoveries and possessions won in the advanced third all favour the Argentine over his predecessor.

Rome's radio stations have weighed in on three key issues facing Roma as the season progresses: the speculation around midfielder Kvernadze, the development of Rodrigo Mora, and the decision to sell Niccolo Romano to Cagliari. Alessio Nardo criticised the timing of any potential move for Kvernadze. "If you were smart, you would have gone to get him in July or mid-August," Nardo said. "Now he's had an extraordinary start to the season, and after three weeks Frosinone will make you pay triple. Now it's foolish to go and get Kvernadze." Piero Torri added context: Frosinone are likely to demand €20–25 million for the player, but the price could rise further if Roma move slowly. Torri also flagged that Roma's position in the league table in December, and UEFA's verdict on the club's situation by mid-November, will determine whether the ownership feels obliged to invest in January. On Mora, Daniele Lo Monaco offered a technical assessment tempered by concerns about readiness. "From a technical standpoint I think Rodrigo Mora is superior to Matías Soulé," Lo Monaco said. "For me, Mora has only Dybala above him, because he does extraordinary things that others can only imagine. But from a physical point of view you have some doubts, because when he goes into a challenge, opponents push him around. And every so often during the match he loses focus, and with Gasperini you cannot afford that. Today he is not quite ready to play with Gasperini, but he will become ready soon, especially if he does not have the pressure on him of having to prove he is worth €50 million, because otherwise it becomes a problem." Fabio Petruzzi framed the Romano sale as a difficult but necessary choice. "Romano is a good player, I do not say otherwise, but I would be cautious," Petruzzi said. "He would not have played at Roma. Roma had to make a choice: either Pisilli or Romano." Stefano Carina highlighted the oddity of Romano's sale: the initial asking price was €9 million, but the player departed for €5 million. "If you were asking nine million then perhaps this lad is worth something," Carina noted. "Cagliari saw further ahead, and now it seems like a big regret."

Francesco Totti has revealed that AS Roma attempted to persuade him to present the number 10 shirt to Paulo Dybala during his official unveiling in 2022. The club sent Totti an indirect message asking him to hand over the iconic number, but he declined. Totti's response was direct: "But you are all mad." Totti explained that the number 10 carries profound historical weight at Roma and cannot simply be assigned to a player without them first establishing a meaningful journey at the club. The retired captain acknowledged Dybala's quality as both a footballer and a person, but emphasised the significance of continuity and the bond built with the club over time. He stressed that the number 10 of Roma carries weight and would inevitably invite comparisons with himself. Totti told the club: "If you have the courage, give it to him yourselves. Nothing against the player — quite the opposite, I like him very much, and he is a very good lad. If you have this intention, go ahead, without putting me in the middle. The 10 of Roma weighs heavily, and it would bring inevitable comparisons with me. Dybala, if he is fit, can make the difference for you."

Nahuel Molina has become one of Gasperini's most dangerous players in Roma's opening Serie A fixtures, proving to be a decisive summer acquisition for €13 million. The Argentine has demonstrated his impact through aggressive ball recovery in advanced positions—notably helping create Manu Koné's opening goal—and his consistent threat from distance. After five league matches, Molina ranks among Serie A's best for chances created (2.9 per 90 minutes, behind only Dybala and Wesley in giallorosso), ball recoveries (5.04 per 90), and possessions won in the opponent's third (0.78 per 90), according to Sofascore data. Roma have finally secured a right-sided threat matching Gasperini's tactical demands, addressing a weakness from last season when the club saw only sporadic contributions from a combination of Zeki Çelik and Kostas Tsimikas on that flank. Alongside other key acquisitions—Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala and Leonardo Balerdi—Molina is reshaping the team's profile. Some observers outside Rome had already suggested he represented a downgrade compared to Çelik, but offensive and defensive statistics offer no room for interpretation. Molina's record through early September demonstrates substantial improvement across all phases: key passes, dribbling, expected assists, ball recoveries and possessions won in the advanced third all favour the Argentine over his predecessor.

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.

Abel Balbo, the former Roma striker, has praised the club's attacking prowess in an interview with Il Messaggero, backing them to challenge for the Serie A title this season. Balbo said Roma are "beautiful to watch, entertaining and getting results" and predicted "an extraordinary campaign", though he acknowledged Inter remain the stronger squad overall. "Roma is the only one that can compete for the title," he said. Balbo reserved special praise for Dybala and Malen's partnership. On Malen specifically, he said: "He is a simple and effective player and the most difficult thing in football is to play with simplicity and he does it better than anyone. He's quick, he knows how to move, he attacks spaces, he sees goal easily. He is outstanding. He scores goals the way great strikers do." Balbo highlighted Malen's versatility: "He scores in every way. With great play or as he did against Torino by shooting from the ground. The striker is like that — he doesn't care how he puts the ball in the net as long as he scores and reaches the objective." When asked if Malen could surpass the 36-goal record held by Higuain and Immobile, Balbo said: "It's difficult to maintain that goal average but if others have managed it why can't he? I wish it for him because if he does it means Roma would get close to or even actually win the title." On Dybala, Balbo added: "Paulo is a champion and he always improves. This year he is doing extraordinary work, with him on the pitch the team flows better. He is magic and fantasy." Balbo also noted the importance of Roma's Argentine contingent, saying they bring "character and quality" and a "winning mentality that they transmit to the group."