Porto halt Mora talks, demand stronger payment guarantees

Santiago Castro is searching for his breakthrough at Roma after a subdued start to the 2026-27 season. The Argentina forward, signed this summer from Bologna for €36 million plus 10 per cent of any future resale, has managed just 105 minutes in Serie A and none in cup competition, with zero goals to his name. Donyell Malen, his rival for the forward position, has already scored six times in five league matches and has started every game in both Serie A and the Champions League. Castro knew when he agreed to join Roma that he would compete for a starting place against an elite talent. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has shown no interest in discussing a pecking order, but Malen has consistently been handed the opening lineup slot. Fortune has not favoured Castro either: he struck the woodwork twice in the match against Atalanta. His limited playing time has made it difficult to build momentum, though Gasperini and the club expect his opportunities to increase when the international break ends. Francesco Totti, the Roma legend, has publicly backed Castro and revealed a behind-the-scenes connection to the signing. In his book *Oltre*, Totti recounted a dinner meeting with Gasperini in March and explained his recommendation: "I suggested to him an attacker who was Santiago Castro, a winger and a midfielder, all foreigners. He thought for a moment, then said: 'The winger costs a lot, I hadn't thought about the midfielder and he wouldn't be bad, I really like the attacker. I think we see football the same way, as you did then.' I said: 'It's not about taste, boss. I based it on the philosophy of your teams, especially how you got Atalanta to play for so many years.'"

Roma are weighing a move for Frosinone attacker Giorgi Kvernadze, who has scored three goals already this season and caught the attention of bigger clubs. The Georgia international is valued at over €20 million after joining Frosinone for around €1 million, and is believed to fit Gian Piero Gasperini's system. Roma conducted exploratory research on the player and see him as both a capable acquisition and one offering room for growth. The club pursued several attacking signings in the summer but none materialised. Kvernadze is expected to be a target again in the summer window, as Roma look to strengthen their attacking options. Beyond his ability on the pitch, the player is viewed as a sustainable target with development potential. Hull City have also enquired about Kvernadze, and Roma are hoping his value does not escalate further. The club is evaluating the possibility of executing a favourable January move for the forward.

Roma's Serie A fixture at Bologna on 4 December could be played without Roma supporters in attendance. The match clashes with a Virtus Bologna basketball fixture against Partizan Belgrade in the EuroLeague on the same evening, and authorities are concerned about public order given the rivalry between the two clubs' fanbases. Officials are considering a ban on Roma fans traveling to the Stadio Dall'Ara. In the transfer market, Roma are preparing concrete moves for the January window. Giorgi Kvernadze, a Georgian winger, fits the club's criteria for young signings and has emerged as a potential target. Roma's management would be willing to move toward the €25 million asking price set by Frosinone to accelerate negotiations, though Hull City and Borussia Dortmund have also registered interest in the player. Manu Koné continued his strong form with France in a 1–0 Nations League victory over Turkey, deployed as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3 formation—a different role from his usual position. Zinedine Zidane praised the Roma midfielder after the match, saying: "Manu is not used to playing in that position, I wanted to see this side of him and he was very good in terms of balance." Two analysts also discussed Roma midfielder Nico Pisilli, with one noting his five appearances have included good performances but a normal pattern of variation, while the other highlighted errors in his latest outing despite generally strong displays.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is spending Roma's four-day break in Tuscany with his family before returning to action. The midfielder, sidelined by an injury sustained in the final stages of last season that prevented him from taking part in summer preparation, was pictured at the seafood restaurant La Dogana by Enoteca La Torre in Capalbio alongside chef Ricardo Takamitsu. Roma return to work on Tuesday with their sights set on the Como fixture at the Sinigaglia. Pellegrini's comeback carries significance for Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. If the 7 appears against Como, he will reach 350 Roma appearances, moving to within one of Tommasi's tally, currently 12th in the all-time list. With nine matches in 27 days ahead, Gasperini intends to call on Pellegrini in a role that has been shared between Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora this season.

Antonio Carlos Zago, a defender from Roma's Serie A championship-winning squad, shared a special anecdote about Francesco Totti on a day dedicated to marking 50 years of the club legend. Zago revealed the close bond that remains between them, saying: "I wish Francesco all the happiness in the world, he is a wonderful guy and the relationship between us has stayed very strong." Zago recalled his early days at Roma, when he and Totti were initially roomed together during a retreat. The former defender recounted: "I remember very well that when I arrived at Roma they initially put me with Francesco in a retreat room." Zago went on to describe a memorable incident from that first night, hinting at a prank Totti played that gave him quite a shock.

Rodrigo Mora produced an eye-catching performance for Portugal U21, laying on a decisive assist and displaying moments of outstanding quality as the team's number ten, though Portugal still lost 2–1 to Bulgaria. Mora was man of the match for his side in the fixture, deployed as a central attacking midfielder behind striker Varela in a 4-2-3-1 formation that appeared to suit his strengths. The performance is welcome news for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who has backed Mora since the midfielder's arrival at Roma. His central attacking midfield role — his most natural position — brings out his vision of play and ability in the final pass. However, a tactical puzzle remains: while Mora's qualities are beyond question, his best position is a 4-2-3-1 setup that Gasperini employs only sporadically as a match-in-progress tactical change. Finding tactical common ground will be the crucial step in coming weeks. With the restart of the league campaign and a packed fixture list spanning Serie A and European competition, Mora will have plenty of opportunities to stake a claim for a significant role in the squad.

Emanuele Lulli is set to enter substantive negotiations over a contract extension with Roma in the coming days, with talks scheduled at the club's Trigoria training ground. The 19-year-old defender, who has emerged as a key option for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini this season after an eventful summer transfer window, will put pen to paper on a new deal that both player and club are keen to conclude. His current contract expires in June. Lulli's rise has come amid Roma's struggles to secure reinforcements on the flanks. The club pursued multiple targets to provide cover and competition at full-back—initially to replace Zeki Çelik, before Nahuel Molina arrived, and then to offer an alternative to Wesley—but settled instead on promoting the academy product into senior football. Gasperini's faith in the youngster has vindicated that decision. During the current international break, Lulli is on duty with Italy's under-21 squad under head coach Baldini. His agent and Roma's sporting director D'Amico have already begun preliminary discussions on the renewal, but the substantive negotiation phase will begin only in the coming days when the parties meet at Trigoria. A positive outcome is not in doubt, with both sides aligned on extending the relationship.

Roma's attacking threat from full-back positions has transformed under Gian Piero Gasperini this season, with the discoveries of Emanuele Lulli and the arrival of Nahuel Molina — described as a clear upgrade on Zeki Çelik — providing multiple offensive weapons beyond Wesley alone. Last season the giallorossi often struggled on the wings, but now rank among Serie A's most dangerous teams in wide areas. Lulli has created 4 chances, Molina 7 and Wesley 13 from their full-back positions, totalling 24 opportunities for Gasperini's side. This figure is surpassed in Italy only by Inter, whose wing-backs Dimarco and Diouf have combined for 26.

Nahuel Molina has become one of Gasperini's most dangerous players in Roma's opening Serie A fixtures, proving to be a decisive summer acquisition for €13 million. The Argentine has demonstrated his impact through aggressive ball recovery in advanced positions—notably helping create Manu Koné's opening goal—and his consistent threat from distance. After five league matches, Molina ranks among Serie A's best for chances created (2.9 per 90 minutes, behind only Dybala and Wesley in giallorosso), ball recoveries (5.04 per 90), and possessions won in the opponent's third (0.78 per 90), according to Sofascore data. Roma have finally secured a right-sided threat matching Gasperini's tactical demands, addressing a weakness from last season when the club saw only sporadic contributions from a combination of Zeki Çelik and Kostas Tsimikas on that flank. Alongside other key acquisitions—Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala and Leonardo Balerdi—Molina is reshaping the team's profile. Some observers outside Rome had already suggested he represented a downgrade compared to Çelik, but offensive and defensive statistics offer no room for interpretation. Molina's record through early September demonstrates substantial improvement across all phases: key passes, dribbling, expected assists, ball recoveries and possessions won in the advanced third all favour the Argentine over his predecessor.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina want to attend a farewell match for Lionel Messi with Argentina on 6 October, but the timing poses a logistical and sporting problem for Roma. The event is scheduled for 22:00 in Argentina, and factoring in travel, time zones and recovery, both players would not be available until 8 October. Roma face Como three days later on 11 October at 12:30 in a crucial fixture for the top of the league that also opens a demanding run of consecutive Serie A and Champions League matches. The question of whether the pair should travel has become one of the most delicate issues during Roma's current international break. Reports differ on where the resistance lies. According to Il Messaggero, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini gave approval for Dybala and Molina to depart, recognising the special significance of the occasion for two players who won the 2022 World Cup with Messi. However, Corriere dello Sport reports that the Friedkin family themselves have applied the brakes, judging the cost in fatigue, travel and recovery too high ahead of such an important match. No final decision has been made. The situation remains open, though the lean of opinion is currently towards preventing the trip. A definitive resolution is expected on Tuesday when training resumes at Trigoria, when the club, Gasperini and the players must weigh sporting demands against personal wishes and reach a shared conclusion. Meanwhile, other Argentina internationals will attend the Messi event regardless. Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi are all on regular national team duty and will participate in the farewell ceremony, meaning they will be among the last national team players to return to Rome ahead of the Como fixture.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina face uncertainty over attending Lionel Messi's final Argentina match, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini having approved the trip but the club moving toward blocking it. The two Argentine players, not called up for Argentina's opening international break friendlies, were invited to the farewell friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. Both would not return to Italy until 8 October, leaving only three days before Roma's away fixture against Como on 11 October—the start of a gruelling run of nine matches in 27 days. The decision will be made on Tuesday when training resumes at Trigoria. Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi will definitely return, as all three have been called up and are the last to arrive back in Italy.

Roma have decided to deny Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina permission to travel to Buenos Aires for a friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental stadium, organised by the Argentine Football Association to mark Lionel Messi's farewell from the national team. Despite the symbolic weight of the occasion—particularly for Dybala, who won the 2022 World Cup with Messi—the club has rejected the request. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini was decisive in his opposition, viewing the intercontinental round trip to South America as excessively demanding at a critical point in the season, just five days before Roma's Serie A match at Como on 11 October. Dybala had hoped to make the trip a rapid visit, but no authorisation came from the club's Trigoria training ground. The club's rigid stance reflects broader concerns among Italian sides about the match's timing and short notice. Both Inter and Fiorentina have formally registered their disapproval with the AFA over the scheduling, which they regard as poorly timed during the European campaign. Gasperini's firmness was the decisive factor, with the club unwilling to release two key players for an unofficial fixture. The decision marks a firm boundary as Roma prepare for the resumption of their season.