N'Dicka ruled out of Roma's clash with Verona after first-half injury in derby

Lorenzo Pellegrini has resumed training with a physiotherapist after recovering from a shoulder injury, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirming his recuperation. The midfielder, born 1996, spent his break working alongside medical staff and is now back in full preparation ahead of fresh contract negotiations with the club. Roma's sporting director D'Amico is prioritising Pellegrini's renewal after completing deals for Paulo Dybala, Gianluca Mancini, and Bryan Cristante. The club is determined to avoid a repeat of the Zeki Çelik situation, where the defender was close to extending his contract before moving to Juventus. Pellegrini wants to stay at Roma, and Gasperini is waiting for him to be fully available. The sticking point remains the contract length. Pellegrini's agent is requesting a three-year deal, but both sides remain confident a resolution will be reached. The parties are working to find common ground as the club moves through its renewal cycle.

Roma cruised to a 6–0 victory over the Primavera in their first friendly of the new season, with Artem Dovbyk and Paulo Dybala each scoring twice. Bryan Cristante and Matías Soulé added the other goals. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini used the match to assess his squad after the opening week of pre-season training. One concern emerged when Mario Hermoso left the pitch after a knock to the knee; his condition will be monitored. On the transfer front, Roma has accelerated pursuit of Summerville and is preparing a second offer to the Dutch target following an initial rejection. These are described as decisive hours for the move. Meanwhile, negotiations over Moreira remain stalled, with Strasbourg holding firm in their stance.

Roma played their opening pre-season friendly at Trigoria under Gasperini, welcoming back Paulo Dybala and Wesley following recent absences. Dybala was formally a free agent until days ago, while Wesley returned from injury that caused him to miss the World Cup. Robinio Vaz remained unavailable through injury, and Zeki Çelik travelled to Turin, leaving Gasperini with a limited squad for the session. The main concern came when Mario Hermoso, the Spanish defender, left the pitch with ice applied to his right leg just below the knee late in the friendly. The issue appeared to stem from a knock, though Roma will monitor his condition closely over the coming hours. With few outfield players fit and available, Gasperini will be hoping the injury proves minor.

AS Roma earned over 1 million dollars from FIFA's Club Benefits Programme during the 2026 World Cup, ranking sixth among Serie A sides in total club payments. The FIFA scheme, run jointly with the European Football Clubs association, distributed 355 million dollars (300 million euros) to compensate clubs for releasing players to international duty. Each club received a minimum of approximately 5,000 dollars per day (4,300 euros) for every player loaned to their national federation. Roma fielded five players across the tournament held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico: Evan N'Dicka, Zeki Çelik, Neil El Aynaoui, Manu Koné, and Donyell Malen. These five accumulated 211 days of competition, generating 1.055 million dollars for the club. Milan topped Serie A's earnings with over 2.3 million dollars from ten players, followed by Atalanta (1.6 million from eight players) and Inter (1.55 million from seven). Juventus collected 1.2 million and Bologna 1 million. Among individual Roma players, Koné was the most valuable, earning 280,000 dollars for the club—second only to Lautaro Martinez of Inter and Nico Paz of Como, who each generated 285,000 dollars.

Zeki Çelik's unexpected departure has created an urgent tactical void at Roma, forcing the club to completely revise its transfer strategy. The Turkish defender's exit has left head coach Gian Piero Gasperini short-handed across both full-back positions and the centre-back line, with only Daniele Ghilardi and Jan Ziółkowski available as backup defenders. The current starting trio of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso cannot carry the entire defensive load alone, prompting the sporting director to accelerate recruitment across multiple fronts. Roma is now actively pursuing two external fullbacks and a central defender to shore up the squad. Dodo of Fiorentina remains a hot target, valued at over €15 million, alongside the versatile Carlos Augusto and Diego Moreira of Strasbourg, for whom a gap persists between Roma's €30 million offer and the French club's higher demands. Fenerbahçe centre-back Oosterwolde has moved back into focus as a priority signing to bolster a defence suddenly bereft of depth and certainty following Çelik's surprise exit.

Gianluca Mancini is on the verge of signing a contract extension that will bind him to Roma until 2029, with only official confirmation outstanding. The defender has already signalled his intention to stay by posting a message on social media featuring himself, the Curva Sud, and nothing else—a deliberate statement of his bond with the club's supporters who have made him one of their symbols. Mancini is preparing for his eighth season in a Roma shirt, a campaign he views as special given the club's return to the Champions League. He intends to play a leading role in that European run, anchoring the defence alongside Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso. The renewal underscores his desire to remain at the Stadio Olimpico despite interest from other suitors, cementing a relationship that has grown far beyond the pitch.

Zeki Çelik's unexpected departure has forced Roma to accelerate their search for reinforcements on the flanks, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini requiring at least two new fullbacks to complete the defensive unit ahead of the new season. Wesley remains the main established option alongside Devyne Rensch, but concerns linger over Angeliño following a difficult campaign and evident lack of match fitness, while a departure is already confirmed for Salah-Eddine. Roma is hunting for defensive cover that can provide the positional flexibility lost with Çelik's exit, with one target capable of operating as a centre-back as well. Diego Moreira of Strasbourg remains the club's primary target, though negotiations have stalled over his €50 million valuation, which Roma consider excessive. Nicolò Savona of Nottingham Forest is also being monitored and fits the profile, but concerns about his physical readiness following a recent knee injury are tempering enthusiasm. Alternative options at Molina and Dodo are not currently gaining traction. The push for strengthening the fullback positions comes as Roma also pursue Louis Summerville to bolster the attacking department.

Gian Piero Gasperini's wing options have been severely depleted after Zeki Çelik's surprise departure, leaving the Roma boss to pursue reinforcements in that area. The squad reported for pre-season with Wesley, Devyne Rensch, and Angeliño as available options. While Wesley remains reliable and Rensch offers a capable alternative, Angeliño has failed to convince. Last season was troubled for the Spanish left-back, who started Roma's opening five league matches but managed only thirty minutes in the field across games against Lecce and Pisa in March and April, hampered by persistent physical problems from which he never recovered. Gasperini has been monitoring him closely during pre-season training, but even in Thursday's friendly against the Primavera, Angeliño showed no encouraging signs. Kostas Tsimikas, who departed to Liverpool without lingering regret, will not be available this season, though Salah-Eddine is expected to return. Gasperini has identified the wing positions as requiring a complete overhaul, given that attacking midfielders have historically been central to his tactical approach. The club's primary target is reportedly Moreira, though Strasbourg's demands of at least 50 million euros present a significant obstacle. Roma are also interested in Savona and Belghali. The club needs to recruit at least two wide players, with at least one capable of operating as both full-back and centre-back, or across both flanks—a versatility Çelik possessed before his sudden exit despite a verbal agreement to extend his contract through 2029.

Crysencio Summerville has fuelled Roma transfer speculation with an enigmatic social media post as the Dutch forward edges closer to joining the club from West Ham. The attacker shared a series of recent photographs accompanied by the caption "Infinitely blessed, forever grateful" — a message that has sparked excitement among the Roma fanbase. Devyne Rensch, a current Roma player, liked the images, adding further intrigue to the posting. Summerville has been closely linked with a move to the Giallorossi in recent weeks, with the West Ham striker representing a significant attacking prospect for the capital club. The post's vague but emotional tone has become the subject of intense speculation among supporters, who are eager to interpret its deeper meaning regarding the player's future. The timing and wording of Summerville's message suggest developments may be imminent, though the player stopped short of making any explicit announcement. His activity on social media will likely intensify focus on the transfer corridor between Rome and England as negotiations continue.