Mourinho closes door on Endrick and opens hope for Roma

Roma made enquiries for Real Madrid forwards Franco Mastantuono and Endrick during the summer transfer window but left empty-handed on both fronts. Mastantuono, an Argentine, has since made history by becoming the youngest foreigner to score a hat-trick in Serie A after joining Fiorentina on loan. Roma wanted a permanent deal for Mastantuono, but Real Madrid insisted on retaining control of the player, ending talks quickly. The Fiorentina loan includes no option or obligation to buy, with the Viola covering roughly half of his €3.5M wages. Brazilian forward Endrick remained at Real Madrid and did not move, though Roma remain keen on him ahead of January. He stayed largely because of José Mourinho's orders following Rodrygo's injury, but he has yet to play any minutes, sitting behind several established stars and Carlos Espì in the pecking order. His frustration is mounting, and his January departure will gain traction if his situation doesn't improve. Roma rate him highly and are prepared to structure a deal similar to the one used for Nico Paz to bring him in. Roma's inability to sell Matías Soulé hampered most of their summer plans, though he is performing well enough that the club cannot complain about the outcome. They would have preferred greater variety in their attacking options. Mastantuono would have offered something different, but long-term loans of that nature are not palatable, and Roma are not short-handed as matters stand.

Roma's transfer strategy this summer has drawn criticism from sections of the media, particularly the departures and arrivals in defence. Jan Ziółkowski, signed in August 2025 at a low fee following scout Massara's assessment of his potential in Poland, has left to gain playing time elsewhere after Gasperini identified other priorities. Alongside Konstantinos Koulierakis, Leonardo Balerdi arrived late in the window—the former Marseille captain—prompting complaints from observers who questioned why Ziółkowski was sold if money was then spent on a replacement. The logic behind Roma's approach is becoming clearer in the opening weeks of the season. Ziółkowski may return one day ready to compete for a starting place, or he may represent a useful profit for the club's finances. For now, Balerdi is what Roma need. What rankles some commentators is that those now celebrating Balerdi's arrival were among those who dismissed his signing initially, often appearing unfamiliar with his name. Before Turin-Roma, some called for Balerdi to replace Gianluca Mancini, whom they had written off as finished after errors against Atalanta and Fenerbahçe. Mancini, however, produced a monumental display at Turin, exposing the opportunism of those quick to turn on him. The article criticizes media outlets for excitement in watching Roma stumble rather than genuine engagement with the club's direction.

Roma have strengthened their squad depth considerably this summer, moving beyond a reliance on a fixed starting eleven. Leonardo Balerdi has replaced Jan Ziółkowski as a key defender, Nahuel Molina has taken over from Zeki Çelik, and Marten de Roon has arrived to displace concerns about midfield depth. The arrivals of Emanuele Lulli and Konstantinos Koulierakis add further options across the back line. Gasperini, who last season was forced to deploy makeshift solutions—using Baldanzi as a centre-forward and reluctantly fielding Kostas Tsimikas and Zaragoza—now has genuine alternatives. In the match against Torino, Roma demonstrated they possess not eleven starters but at least sixteen capable players. Balerdi showed himself to be a commanding defender and leader in brief outings against Atalanta and Fenerbahce, confirming his qualities across all dimensions of play. De Roon's entrance in yesterday's fixture at Torino displayed the right attitude and the unconditional backing of Gasperini, who brought him to the club; his experience and assurance offset any reservations some may hold. Molina's addition means Roma can rotate their full-back options without sacrifice. Marten Lulli's emergence has made the remaining transfer market gap feel less troubling. Santiago Castro has yet to score but showed his capabilities against Atalanta and a goal will come; Gasperini is pleased with his on-field conduct. The club still awaits a final piece—possibly Rodrigo Mora—but the summer business by director D'Amico and Gasperini has been purposeful, securing functional players with the correct character rather than marquee names.

Roma secured three points at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, with Donyell Malen again proving decisive by scoring the opening goal—his sixth of the Serie A season—before being replaced shortly before the hour by Santiago Castro. The Argentine striker entered with his customary intensity but made less of an impact than in previous appearances. In his post-match analysis for DAZN, Cristian Brocchi drew a striking parallel between Castro and Lautaro Martinez during his early years at Inter, when he competed for playing time alongside Mauro Icardi. Brocchi highlighted the similarities between the Malen–Castro pairing and the 2018–19 Inter front line featuring Icardi and Lautaro. The former midfielder said: "I see that player in him. He has many qualities, even if he still needs to improve in many aspects, just like that young Lautaro who arrived at Inter and nobody expected could become the player he is today." He added: "Santiago is like that and can give a lot to Roma. Malen is impressive, but Roma will play many matches and will also need Castro and his character." Brocchi was drawing on Lautaro's own trajectory: in his first Serie A season in the Inter shirt, the Argentine—then 21, Castro's current age—managed only 9 goals despite Icardi's dominant form in a campaign that yielded 29 goals in 34 appearances for the senior striker. Lautaro's breakthrough came the following season when he finished with 21 goals.

Roma produced a commanding tactical display to defeat Torino, with Leonardo Balerdi marshalling the defence throughout a performance that saw Gasperini's side control proceedings from the opening exchanges. Four changes from Roma's midweek Champions League fixture—Balerdi, Pisilli, Lulli and Molina—maintained the team's standard, with Pisilli closing out the match in a critical moment despite one of his less polished displays, while Lulli and Molina remained creative and showed clear room for improvement. The victory came as Roma prepare for their next major test against the Serie A champions in the coming days. Roma's suffocating press set the tone immediately. Gasperini's team opened with an aggressive 3-4-2-1 that targeted Torino's attempts at possession-based build-up, with Cristante pressing Mandragora, Pisilli tracking Fitz-Jim, and the three centre-backs—Balerdi on Simeone, Mancini on Vlašić, and Hermoso dealing with Gineitis—marking tightly in advanced positions. The giallorossi dominated territory and possession early, disrupting Torino's passing rhythm through relentless pressure and recovering the ball high upfield for dangerous breaks. Although Roma failed to convert their early superiority into goals, a key moment came at the thirty-minute mark when Soulé and Dybala swapped positions; the fluency of Roma's football through the middle improved when these adjustments allowed Dybala to move closer to support Malen. The breakthrough arrived late in the first half when Mancini's recovery from Torino's loose build-up released Dybala, whose through-ball found Malen. The Dutch forward's lethal instinct from a low position gave Roma the lead. Torino emerged from half-time with tactical adjustments—Abate raised Mandragora and Vlašić wider alongside Simeone, introduced the excellent Bragança to midfield control in place of Gineitis, and switched Cacciamani for Belghali—but around the hour mark, Bragança began threading meaningful patterns that loosened Roma's pressing intensity. Gasperini countered by withdrawing Soulé and Malen for Mora and Castro, shifting Roma to a 5-3-2 shape with Koné and De Roon replacing Cristante and Dybala in a conservative but decisive adjustment. Torino's momentum faded as Balerdi, alongside De Roon—who dominated through recoveries, interceptions, dangerous passing line disruptions, and decisive individual pressure—ensured Roma's back line remained unbreakable. The match closed with Mancini orchestrating the final attacking phase, his calmness in possession setting up Pisilli's finishing touch. Gasperini later described the imminent big fixture against the defending champions as merely "an opportunity to measure ourselves," words the coach framed as releasing unnecessary tension and a reminder that a match played at the end of September cannot carry ultimate significance.

Rome's radio stations offered a broad consensus on Roma's credentials after the team's victory on 14 September. Multiple commentators, including Lorenzo Pes of Teleradiostereo, positioned Roma as genuine Scudetto contenders. Pes stated: "The squad has become a certainty, together with Como and Inter." Gasperini's squad depth and tactical flexibility drew widespread praise. Simone Valdarchi noted that "the level of the squad is higher than last year and Gasperini has several formation choices without lowering the quality threshold." Stefano Agresti highlighted the coach's player management, explaining: "Gasperini is giving a great lesson in handling players. He needs to have players like Castro and Mora in form. He wants to bring everyone to good condition and this allows him to have Malen and Dybala more rested." However, Alessandro Vocalelli identified a potential weakness in attacking alternatives, arguing that whereas Inter can replace Calhanoglu and Lautaro, Roma's Castro and Mora do not have the same calibre of backup to Dybala and Malen. Defensive solidity emerged as a source of confidence. Commentators highlighted Roma's record of conceding only one goal in four matches and praised individual performances. Sandro Sabatini noted the difference between Roma and Inter lay in defence, citing Inter's vulnerabilities stemming from Madrid. Balerdi received particular acclaim—Sandro Sabatini remarked: "With some surprise like Balerdi: I didn't think he was that strong." Ugo Trani observed that "this Roma is one of the best in recent years" owing to its "balance, solidity, mentality and physicality," though he urged the club to pursue two additional players before December. Francesco Balzani suggested that in "points and play, Roma is actually ahead of the other two," while Luciano Moggi described Roma as "a squared-off squad" with "something good in all departments," adding that it was "a squad that can play for the title." Roma faces Inter next, a fixture commentators framed as a direct test of the club's championship credentials despite Inter remaining favourites. Moggi noted: "Beating Inter will be difficult but there will be competition."