Palermo attempted to sign Dybala after promotion push, but Argentine rejected move

Roma continue negotiations with RB Leipzig and the representatives of Nusa as Gian Piero Gasperini pushes the club to strengthen the attacking wing position. According to transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà, the Giallorossi have maintained contact with both the Norwegian winger's agents and the Bundesliga club, though no agreement has yet been reached. The pursuit of Nusa comes as Roma look to bolster the offensive department following the arrival of Castro and with defender Koulierakis close to completion. Gasperini has made an additional attacking midfielder his priority requirement for sporting director D'Amico. Nusa has been on Roma's radar for several days, though the club may have initially used interest in the player as cover for work on alternative targets. Pedullà stressed that while dialogue continues between Roma, the player's agents, and Leipzig, no deal is currently in place. Ezzalzouli remains another option being considered, but that avenue is presently proving difficult to pursue.

Roma are maintaining their interest in Endrick, the 2006-born striker currently owned by Real Madrid, as they look to add further reinforcements to their attacking department this summer. The move would follow Roma's acquisition of Santiago Castro, with Endrick identified as one of several targets on the club's shortlist. Endrick recently featured for Brazil at the World Cup and spent the previous season on loan at Lyon. Real Madrid are open to allowing the forward to leave on loan again to secure more regular playing time. Roma's interest forms part of a broader summer recruitment plan as the club seeks to strengthen its offensive options under the direction of recruitment staff.

Roma remain interested in signing Real Madrid forward Endrick as they continue to strengthen their attacking options. The Brazilian, born 2006, is not expected to feature regularly at the Bernabéu in the coming season, and Real Madrid are exploring a loan move to develop the player. Roma have already moved to secure midfielder Castro, with an official announcement expected soon, and are close to agreeing a deal for defender Koulierakis, but priority remains upgrading the forward line. Endrick comes fresh from a positive spell at Lyon and now appears on Roma's radar alongside other targets identified in recent weeks. The proposed structure would see the Brazilian join on loan with an option to buy valued at approximately 45 million euros, plus a counter-option reserved for Real Madrid to reclaim the player. The loan-with-obligation framework reflects both clubs' flexibility in the current transfer window.

Santiago Castro has completed his medical assessment at Campus Biomedico and arrived at Trigoria to begin life as AS Roma's new number 9. The Argentine forward, signed from Vélez, embodies the profile favoured by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini—combining the dynamism that reminds the manager of Donyell Malen or Luis Muriel from his time at Atalanta. Castro will undergo his official presentation, take his first training session under Gasperini, and link up with Roma's Argentine contingent of Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala before joining the squad for their pre-season training camp in Wales. Gasperini views Castro's arrival as a significant boost to Roma's attacking options. The 21-year-old can operate as a pure centre-forward, a mobile second striker, or a left-sided attacker, giving the Italian tactician flexibility across multiple competitions and knockout fixtures. With Paulo Dybala positioned as a playmaker, the pairing promises to unlock different offensive configurations. Castro's versatility allows Roma to tailor their formation and approach based on the opposition, strengthening the squad depth and providing certainty during the demanding season ahead.

Santiago Castro has completed his medical at Campus Biomedico and arrived at Trigoria as a Roma player, choosing the number 9 shirt. The striker will be formally presented today and take his first training session under Gian Piero Gasperini. Castro joins a forward line that includes Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, reconnecting with fellow Argentine Matías Soulé at the club. Gasperini has identified in Castro echoes of earlier successful central strikers he has managed—a profile similar to Malen or Luis Muriel during his Atalanta years. Castro inherits a prestigious shirt with deep roots in Roma's attacking tradition. The 23-year-old can operate as a centre-forward, attacking midfielder, or left-sided winger, the position he occupied at Velez. Gasperini has demonstrated at Bergamo that central attackers can coexist and elevate one another's play, particularly when orchestrated by a creative presence like Dybala. Castro's positional versatility will give the coach tactical flexibility and the ability to rotate his forward line based on opposition and match demands, while maintaining continuity in key fixtures.

Santiago Castro has completed his move to Roma on a five-year contract worth €1.5 million plus bonuses per season, with the signing formally concluded today. The deal forms part of a package involving Artem Dovbyk's departure to Bologna. Castro was greeted by crowds at Termini railway station despite the weekday timing, and will now begin training under Gian Piero Gasperini alongside his new teammates. The Argentine will wear the number 9 shirt—the traditional pure strikers' number. Castro, 20, impressed Gasperini during Atalanta's Coppa Italia quarter-final win over Roma in February 2025, a match the Argentine won with a goal that sent Atalanta to the final. Roma face that same Atalanta side again when they begin preparations in Wales this Friday, with friendlies against Cardiff, Newport, and Brighton scheduled before an Ferragosto test against Borussia Dortmund. His competitive debut comes on 24 August. In attack, Castro will initially operate alongside fellow Argentines Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé, who are currently Roma's only playmakers. Soulé and Castro are linked by a strong friendship and spent part of their holidays training together at Comunicaciones, the club owned by Soulé's father. Donyell Malen will also feature, with Castro serving as his primary alternative, though Gasperini may deploy the pair's combined pace and dynamism simultaneously.