Orsi: Çelik's Juventus move is also a defeat for Gasperini

Juventus secured Zeki Çelik on Thursday night after Roma believed a deal was complete. The Turkish defender, whose contract had expired, was set to sign a new accord with Roma worth €3–3.2M per year, but changed course and accepted Juventus's offer instead. His agent had initially sought €4M, making him one of Roma's highest-paid players. Çelik departs after four seasons at the club, totalling 151 appearances with 2 goals and 10 assists. Roma's coaching staff had wanted continuity and viewed him as crucial to their plans, particularly after his return from World Cup duties. The surprise departure forces Roma to rethink their wing strategy and adjust plans to deploy Wesley on the right flank, with the club now needing to accelerate recruitment at the position. Juventus's recent appointment of Frederic Massara, Roma's former director, adds another layer to the departure. While Roma will need to adjust their formation, the club are not expected to be severely damaged by his exit. Çelik was considered useful and reliable, though Roma believe a more offensively gifted winger will suit their system better. For Juventus, operating under financial constraints, the free-agent signing represents a solid acquisition with Luciano Spalletti seeking experienced players.

Roma's departure of Zeki Çelik has forced the club to accelerate plans in the transfer market. Moreira remains the primary target to strengthen the wide positions, and Roma have agreed personal terms with the Belgian player: a contract worth €2.5 million per season. However, Strasbourg are holding firm on their valuation and have not budged despite intervention from agent Mendes, who has been working to persuade the French club to reduce their asking price. Strasbourg are demanding between €40 million and €50 million, while Roma are unwilling to exceed €30 million, leaving a significant gap between the two clubs. The impasse has prompted Roma's recruitment team to begin exploring alternative options. Molina has emerged as a right-back target under consideration, though he is expected to wait until the end of the World Cup before making a decision on his future. Roma will need to recruit at least one more full-back beyond Moreira to address the defensive depth required following Çelik's exit.

Zeki Çelik departed AS Roma for Juventus on 16 July on a free transfer, a move that caught both the fanbase and the club's leadership off guard. Roma had expected the Turkish right-back to remain in the capital to sign a contract extension. Juventus announced his arrival, sparking backlash across social media. Flavio Cobolli, a prominent Roma supporter, responded by sharing a photograph on Instagram of Devyne Rensch in tears at the moment he signed with Roma in January 2025. Cobolli captioned the post "Forza Roma" and paired it with the track "Roma (non si discute, si ama)" by Antonello Venditti, the post quickly went viral among the fanbase. The contrast between Çelik's unexpected exit and Rensch's emotional commitment to the club became a focal point of fan sentiment.

Juventus secured Zeki Çelik on Thursday night after Roma believed a deal was complete. The Turkish defender, whose contract had expired, was set to sign a new accord with Roma worth €3–3.2M per year, but changed course and accepted Juventus's offer instead. His agent had initially sought €4M, making him one of Roma's highest-paid players. Çelik departs after four seasons at the club, totalling 151 appearances with 2 goals and 10 assists. Roma's coaching staff had wanted continuity and viewed him as crucial to their plans, particularly after his return from World Cup duties. The surprise departure forces Roma to rethink their wing strategy and adjust plans to deploy Wesley on the right flank, with the club now needing to accelerate recruitment at the position. Juventus's recent appointment of Frederic Massara, Roma's former director, adds another layer to the departure. While Roma will need to adjust their formation, the club are not expected to be severely damaged by his exit. Çelik was considered useful and reliable, though Roma believe a more offensively gifted winger will suit their system better. For Juventus, operating under financial constraints, the free-agent signing represents a solid acquisition with Luciano Spalletti seeking experienced players.

Roma's departure of Zeki Çelik has forced the club to accelerate plans in the transfer market. Moreira remains the primary target to strengthen the wide positions, and Roma have agreed personal terms with the Belgian player: a contract worth €2.5 million per season. However, Strasbourg are holding firm on their valuation and have not budged despite intervention from agent Mendes, who has been working to persuade the French club to reduce their asking price. Strasbourg are demanding between €40 million and €50 million, while Roma are unwilling to exceed €30 million, leaving a significant gap between the two clubs. The impasse has prompted Roma's recruitment team to begin exploring alternative options. Molina has emerged as a right-back target under consideration, though he is expected to wait until the end of the World Cup before making a decision on his future. Roma will need to recruit at least one more full-back beyond Moreira to address the defensive depth required following Çelik's exit.

Zeki Çelik departed AS Roma for Juventus on 16 July on a free transfer, a move that caught both the fanbase and the club's leadership off guard. Roma had expected the Turkish right-back to remain in the capital to sign a contract extension. Juventus announced his arrival, sparking backlash across social media. Flavio Cobolli, a prominent Roma supporter, responded by sharing a photograph on Instagram of Devyne Rensch in tears at the moment he signed with Roma in January 2025. Cobolli captioned the post "Forza Roma" and paired it with the track "Roma (non si discute, si ama)" by Antonello Venditti, the post quickly went viral among the fanbase. The contrast between Çelik's unexpected exit and Rensch's emotional commitment to the club became a focal point of fan sentiment.

Gianluca Mancini has signalled his total commitment to Roma by announcing an imminent contract renewal extending his deal until June 2029. The vice-captain's statement came via Instagram in the aftermath of Zeki Çelik's shock departure to Juventus, aimed at reassuring the club and supporters during a turbulent period in the transfer market. Mancini's decision to publicly reaffirm his loyalty carries particular weight as a show of leadership from within the dressing room. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini had been pushing for the extension since the end of last season. The move shuts down weeks of speculation from Inter, who had made multiple enquiries about a potential transfer to Milan. Both Mancini and Roma's hierarchy resisted those overtures, choosing instead to build continuity around the defender. The renewal also arrives amid wider market concerns at the club, including reports linking Lorenzo Pellegrini with interest from other quarters. By securing Mancini for another three years on a consolidated contract, Roma has anchored one of its senior defensive pillars and sought to project stability to supporters rattled by Çelik's departure. The timing of Mancini's public commitment underscores his role as a senior figure willing to stake his future on the project.

Roma radio pundits Roberto Pruzzo and Riccardo Orsi have weighed in on the club's recent departures, with contrasting takes on the state of the squad and coaching responsibility. Pruzzo told Radio Radio that Çelik has always conducted himself professionally, noting that modern football has changed the dynamic between players and their clubs. "The football of today is like this. There is no longer that attachment of the past," Pruzzo said, crediting the defender with maintaining his standards throughout his time at Roma. Orsi, also speaking on Radio Radio, framed Çelik's departure differently, suggesting head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and technical director D'Amico bore responsibility for failing to retain the Turkish defender. "Çelik is also a defeat for Gasperini. Roma was not able to keep him. You can see he was not that interested," Orsi said. "Gasp and D'Amico did not have the strength to make the contract for the Turk." Orsi also raised the possibility that captain Lorenzo Pellegrini could follow a similar path, suggesting that a move to Juventus would represent a successful coup for the Serie A champions.

Juventus has made an official contract offer to Lorenzo Pellegrini as the Roma midfielder weighs his future, with the Turin club demanding a response by evening. The approach comes days after Juventus completed a transfer for Zeki Çelik, a move that has infuriated coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who had personally worked to convince the Turkish defender to renew his Roma contract. Çelik was expected in Rome for medical checks before the unexpected transfer to Juventus. The situation has created fresh anxiety at Trigoria. Juventus director Ricky Massara has leveraged his personal relationship with Pellegrini from their time together at Roma to push the midfielder towards a switch. Pellegrini is understood to be examining the proposal with serious consideration, though he continues to give preference to remaining at Roma under Gasperini, pending the club's willingness to close the financial gap and retain him. The midfielder now faces a critical decision between the competing offers on the table.