Pellegrini contract extension nears completion as Roma secure captain's future

Roma's pursuit of Brazilian forward Endrick has become significantly more complicated. Despite the club's interest shown in recent weeks, the young attacker now appears set to continue his season away from Serie A. Real Madrid have decided to loan Endrick out, but have opted to send him to the Premier League rather than Serie A, effectively closing the door on Roma's interest. The decision blocks Roma's path to securing an attacking reinforcement for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The club must now look elsewhere for the forward they hoped to bring in. According to journalist Ramón Álvarez de Mon, writing for RadioMarca and LaGalerna, the Premier League destination chosen by Madrid's hierarchy has left Roma's management forced to redirect their search for an offensive option to strengthen the squad.

Roma's pursuit of Endrick has stalled, with Real Madrid opting to send the Brazilian talent on loan to the Premier League rather than Italy. According to RadioMarca and LaGalerna, the Spanish club have decided against a move to the Giallorossi, closing the door on a transfer that had been on Roma's radar for several weeks. The development represents another setback in Roma's attempts to strengthen their attacking options this summer. The club will now need to redirect their recruitment efforts elsewhere as Endrick remains out of reach. Real Madrid's preference for a Premier League destination over a Serie A move underlines the competitive landscape for loan placements at elite level.

Evan Ferguson could return to Italian football. The 21-year-old Irish striker, currently sidelined by an ankle injury sustained in January, spent time on loan at Roma last season but has not featured since. According to Football Insider, Torino have opened talks with Brighton to sign Ferguson, with the English club open to discussing his departure. Ferguson's Roma spell was disappointing and cut short by injury. He arrived on loan from Brighton during the 2025–26 season but struggled to make an impact before the ankle problem ended his time at the Stadio Olimpico. Torino have identified him as an attacking reinforcement, in a move that coincides with Roma's own interest in acquiring Torino's Cacciamani.

Roma captain Bryan Cristante spoke to Sky Sport from the club's pre-season camp in Wales, ahead of a friendly at Brighton tomorrow that concludes the week's matches overseas. Cristante expressed pride at Roma's return to the Champions League after a prolonged absence. "We've been wanting to play in the Champions, we'd been close a few times, we're proud to play it," he said. "It's important to have the society's presence, which gives an extra gear even in the market; we talk about it daily." Cristante highlighted his desire to face Real Madrid in Europe and revealed that Lorenzo Pellegrini, expected to rejoin the squad soon, remains a key part of the project. "I'd like to play at the Bernabéu in the Champions, it would be nice to play in the new stadium and see Mourinho again," he added. The midfielder also confirmed he and Paulo Dybala had resolved a disagreement that arose during Roma's pre-season match in Cardiff. "We cleared it up straight away, it was a small disagreement that happened on the pitch and ended there," Cristante explained. On domestic ambitions, Cristante acknowledged the Serie A title as Roma's dream objective but cautioned about the campaign's difficulty. "The Scudetto is the dream but it's still early, the league is difficult and very competitive. We want to have a good Champions, we hope to be in the fight in January to try to play for the championship." Cristante also reflected positively on his experiences under Italy manager Mancini, saying the goal is to "be reborn and return to where we belong."

Bryan Cristante, Roma's captain and midfielder, spoke to Sky Sport from the club's pre-season training camp in Wales ahead of a friendly against Brighton. The 2026-27 season is approaching, and Cristante outlined his ambitions: "We have a strong desire to play in the Champions League, we've been waiting for it for a long time and came close several times. We're proud to be playing it. The presence of the society is important—it gives extra momentum in the market too, and we discuss things daily." Cristante acknowledged that Roma have been chasing European qualification for some time and stressed the significance of finally securing Champions League football. Regarding Lorenzo Pellegrini's expected return, he said: "We've been in touch with him in recent days, we can't wait to have him back with us." On potential Champions League matchups, Cristante added: "In the Champions League I'd like to play at the Bernabéu, it would be nice to play in the new stadium and see Mourinho again." On domestic ambitions, Cristante said: "The Scudetto is the dream but it's still early. The league is difficult and highly competitive. We want to do well in the Champions League and hope to be in contention in January to fight for the title." He also confirmed that a minor on-field disagreement with Paulo Dybala in a Cardiff-Roma match was quickly resolved. Looking ahead to his international role under Mancini, Cristante stated: "With Mancini the memories are only beautiful ones. We hope to do well to make everyone happy. The goal is to be reborn and return to where we belong."

Lorenzo Pellegrini has signed a new contract with Roma, turning down offers from Juventus and Besiktas to remain with the club. The midfielder, born in 1996 and formally out of contract from 1 July, will be welcomed back by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini on his return from Roma's pre-season training camp in Wales and England, where a friendly against Brighton is scheduled for 8 August. Pellegrini has used recent weeks to recover from injury, a period that Sky Sport reports helped all parties involved reach the best decision. The club is expected to announce the renewal on 7 August. The deal is structured as a one-year agreement. The midfielder's decision to commit to Roma underlines his importance to Gasperini's plans for the 2026-27 season. Pellegrini, who wears the number 7, was free to negotiate with any club after his previous terms expired but chose to stay at the Giallorossi rather than pursue moves elsewhere.