Roma and Fiorentina lead the market spending race with €120m each

Roma's hopes of signing Jamie Bynoe-Gittens from Chelsea could cool following fresh interest in Mykhaylo Mudryk. Leeds are preparing a new loan offer for the Ukrainian winger to present to Chelsea imminently, according to Fabrizio Romano. If Mudryk leaves Chelsea on loan, the Blues are unlikely to release Gittens as well, as the English winger currently represents the primary alternative available to Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso. Roma's pursuit of Gittens has already encountered resistance from Chelsea. The club rejected a proposal from Roma director D'Amico offering €3 million for a loan plus €40 million for a permanent deal in recent days. However, Roma are preparing a counter-offer with more acceptable terms for London, potentially including an obligation to buy rather than an optional clause. The Gazzetta dello Sport reports Roma are working on improved conditions to break Chelsea's resistance.

Jayden Oosterwolde is expected to arrive in Rome in the coming hours to serve as Wesley's deputy. The versatile Fenerbahce defender can operate as a centre-back in a three-man defence or as a left-back in a four-man setup, a flexibility that has prompted Roma to move Jan Ziółkowski toward the exit door. The Polish centre-back is among the primary candidates to leave the club in the final eight days of the transfer window. An offer from Saudi Arabia is anticipated, with Neom reportedly the most active team in pursuing him. Roma are seeking €20 million for the 21-year-old, who will also need to evaluate the destination.

Roma are monitoring several attacking targets as the transfer window continues, though progress remains uncertain on multiple fronts. Malick Fofana, the Belgian forward at Lyon, features prominently after his side's 1–1 draw with Fenerbahçe in the Champions League preliminary round first leg. A potential advance to the next round could facilitate a deal between the clubs, possibly structured as a loan with a conditional obligation to buy. Fofana's recent form in Lyon colours—he celebrated in the 2–0 league victory on Saturday—suggests he is comfortable at his current club, complicating negotiations. Mbaye is another player offered to Roma. The attacking midfielder has been sidelined by Luis Enrique at Paris Saint-Germain and is available for departure. A loan move is considered more realistic than other targets, given both his youth and Roma's recent arrival of Rodrigo Mora at the position. Rafael Leao's availability remains speculative despite agent Jorge Mendes's apparent efforts to broker a deal between Milan and Roma; the economic demands and uncertainty over the Brazilian's fitness status present substantial obstacles. Christopher Nkunku is close to joining RB Leipzig, with the French forward's desire to return to Germany—where he excelled before his Premier League move—proving decisive. Roma have not made a concrete bid for Luis Henrique, the Inter Milan winger. Although valued at the club for his versatility, Inter's asking price rules out the possibility of a move, despite some reports suggesting an imminent agreement worth €30 million—more than Inter paid for him one year earlier.

Roma are monitoring several attacking targets as the transfer window continues, though progress remains uncertain on multiple fronts. Malick Fofana, the Belgian forward at Lyon, features prominently after his side's 1–1 draw with Fenerbahçe in the Champions League preliminary round first leg. A potential advance to the next round could facilitate a deal between the clubs, possibly structured as a loan with a conditional obligation to buy. Fofana's recent form in Lyon colours—he celebrated in the 2–0 league victory on Saturday—suggests he is comfortable at his current club, complicating negotiations. Mbaye is another player offered to Roma. The attacking midfielder has been sidelined by Luis Enrique at Paris Saint-Germain and is available for departure. A loan move is considered more realistic than other targets, given both his youth and Roma's recent arrival of Rodrigo Mora at the position. Rafael Leao's availability remains speculative despite agent Jorge Mendes's apparent efforts to broker a deal between Milan and Roma; the economic demands and uncertainty over the Brazilian's fitness status present substantial obstacles. Christopher Nkunku is close to joining RB Leipzig, with the French forward's desire to return to Germany—where he excelled before his Premier League move—proving decisive. Roma have not made a concrete bid for Luis Henrique, the Inter Milan winger. Although valued at the club for his versatility, Inter's asking price rules out the possibility of a move, despite some reports suggesting an imminent agreement worth €30 million—more than Inter paid for him one year earlier.

Roman radio stations analysed Gasperini's post-match demeanour and Roma's transfer window on 24 August, with the coach reportedly venting frustration after a pre-match press conference. David Rossi of Rete Sport said Gasperini "attempted to maintain composure during the conference, so much so that once it finished he let off steam—we have audio of what he said after the conference, but we won't play it because we're decent people—but hearing the post-conference outburst tells you he is not serene." Gasperini has been actively involved in the market alongside D'Amico, reiterating his desire for a left-footed winger and left-sided striker, though the station noted that if those signings do not arrive, it is not a failure to pursue them but a failure to secure them. The broader consensus across the stations was mixed. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport identified Fofana as "the best option that remains," better than other targets, suggesting Lyon's potential Champions League qualification could enable a deal structured as a loan with a conditional obligation to buy. Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista offered strong backing of the existing squad, stating: "With him you would not win the Champions League, but you would not have won it either with Summerville; in fact, I think you have more chances with Mora than with the Dutchman. If you signed Gittens, you would have Gittens, Mora, Dybala, Soulé, Castro and Malen… Last year you had Venturino, Zaragoza, Baldanzi, Dovbyk, Ferguson… and we finished third. This is why I tell you we must be very satisfied with what is happening, very satisfied. And all of this without selling players. But guys, what more do we want? For me, if the market completes in this manner, it will be the best since the days of Batistuta." Analysts debated the likely formation and deployment of recent arrivals. Lorenzo Pes suggested Roma could play with a trequartista behind two strikers, noting uncertainty over whether Soulé or Rodrigo Mora would occupy that role. Mario Mattioli expressed scepticism about Mora's involvement, predicting he would not start and questioning whether he could break through substantially. Roberto Pruzzo backed Santiago Castro as a strong addition who would receive more minutes than expected, while Checco Oddo Casano voiced concern that Roma was not equipped to compete for the Champions League, predicting a third- to sixth-place finish in Serie A. Alessio Nardo highlighted Dybala's history of injury problems at Roma, noting that last season his meniscus injury was mismanaged; he added that should Dybala complete the season without significant injury, "it would be a sort of miracle of Gasperini and his staff." The match against Fiorentina was set for the evening of 24 August. Pes cautioned that Fiorentina would be difficult to assess as an opponent, having conducted an ambitious transfer window under new management. The window closes on 31 August, with Gasperini's requirements for additional signings still unmet.

Gian Piero Gasperini has won on the opening day of Serie A in each of the past eight seasons, a run unbroken since losing 1–0 at home to Roma on 20 August 2017 when he was Atalanta manager. Last season, Gasperini secured a 1–0 victory against Bologna on the Olimpico courtesy of Wesley, and Roma will host Fiorentina tonight in similar conditions. An opening-day win carries weight both for morale and the longer championship picture, particularly as Roma prepare for a return to Champions League in a season expected to demand sustained effort. Roma hold a positive record in opening-day fixtures against Fiorentina. Their previous two meetings on the season's first weekend came in 2014–15, when they won 2–0 through Nainggolan and Gervinho, and 2021–22, when José Mourinho's side triumphed 3–1, with Veretout scoring twice after goals from Mkhitaryan and Milenkovic. Gasperini seeks to reach nine opening-day victories of his own and extend the pattern that has defined his managerial record.