Roma awaits UEFA ruling on budget projections as 30 June deadline looms

Roma completed two signings to strengthen their roster experience after failing to land their initial targets. Marten de Roon arrived from Atalanta after requesting to leave when manager Maurizio Sarri took charge, while Leonardo Balerdi joined on loan from Olympique Marseille with a €15M conditional obligation to buy. The club abandoned pursuit of fullback Jayden Oosterwolde from Fenerbahce after discovering the severity of his injury was worse than expected and declined to revise terms; youth product Emanuele Lulli has since proven serviceable at the position. Morato remained at Marseille after Nottingham Forest insisted on a permanent deal rather than the loan arrangement Roma sought; the defender departs having made 200 appearances over six seasons. The De Roon signing represents a strategic pivot away from signings made by the previous director that lacked head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's backing. De Roon will replace Neil El Aynaoui in the midfield, though El Aynaoui never quite fulfilled the potential he demonstrated at Lens. Roma are exploring additions to the forward line should opportunities arise, working on moves for Zenit's Luiz Henrique and Stuttgart's Jamie Leweling, according to reports. These potential signings could accelerate if Matías Soulé departs the club. El Aynaoui is headed to RB Leipzig for a potential €29M package, Sky reports. The strategic direction reflects Roma's preference for established performers unlikely to cause disruption while delivering solid contributions when selected.

Roma have signed midfielder Marten de Roon from Atalanta and defender Leonardo Balerdi from Olympique Marseille, but failed to complete moves for fullback Jayden Oosterwolde and defender Morato. The deal for Oosterwolde collapsed after Fenerbahçe's injury proved more severe than expected and the club refused to renegotiate terms; Roma are not pursuing alternative options as academy product Emanuele Lulli has proven serviceable. Morato joins on loan with a €15 million conditional obligation to buy after Nottingham Forest demanded an immediate permanent transfer—he had been a cornerstone of Marseille's plans for six seasons with 200 appearances. De Roon arrives as a replacement for Neil El Aynaoui, who is heading to RB Leipzig for a reported potential €29 million package. The midfielder asked to leave when his manager Maurizio Sarri called, and Atalanta allowed his departure without obstruction. Roma's recruitment reflects a broader shift away from signings made by the previous director that lacked Gian Piero Gasperini's approval, selecting instead established players unlikely to disrupt the group. Roma are also working on signings from Zenit's Luiz Henrique and Stuttgart's Jamie Leweling, according to reports from Alfredo Pedullà, with the possibility of adding both if Matías Soulé departs. El Aynaoui, who joined from Lens, never fully realised the potential he had shown in Ligue 1, and the club have opted to move forward with proven commodities expected to deliver solid contributions when called upon.

Serie A has officially confirmed that Roma's fixture against Torino will take place on Monday 14 September at 18:30. The scheduling change follows Roma's Champions League commitment: the club will face Fenerbahce away on Thursday 10 September, meaning they will play the Serie A fourth-round match in the Monday Night slot. The Champions League calendar has reshaped the domestic schedule for this round. Elsewhere in Serie A that weekend, Lazio will host Milan at 18:00 on Saturday, Napoli will play Bologna at 18:00 on Sunday, and Juventus will face Sassuolo at 20:45 on Sunday. Como will also compete on the Monday, having faced Lipsia in the Champions League at home on Thursday.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has identified a striker and a left-back as the remaining pieces needed to complete the squad ahead of tomorrow's away fixture at Lecce. Gasperini said: "To complete the team we need a piece that closes that section. A left-back and a forward have remained. Lulli has filled in somewhat, I have always believed in him, he is giving important responses but we cannot load such large responsibilities on him. Last season we had Angeliño, Tsimikas, Çelik, Wesley and also Rensch." Gasperini has most of his squad available for the trip to Via del Mare, with Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch expected to return to group training next week. Leonardo Balerdi was officially confirmed as a new arrival this morning, joining fellow recent additions Konstantinos Koulierakis, Rodrigo Mora, Santiago Castro and Nahuel Molina among the squad.

Gian Piero Gasperini defended Roma's transfer approach at his pre-match press conference on 22 August, two days before the Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico. The coach confirmed that UEFA financial regulations have forced a strategic shift in the market, compounding constraints that stem from years of previous spending. "The profile is only that of UEFA; there are no other possibilities," Gasperini said. "There are situations that UEFA imposes and from which our ownership, even wanting to, cannot escape. I thought that after six months or with arrival in the Champions League the situation would be resolved, but it is not so." Gasperini emphasised that Roma remain the only Italian club currently under UEFA supervision. "Roma has already had two deferrals and probably cannot have any more," he noted. "Now the reckoning has arrived, but we will do well anyway." Despite those constraints, he expressed satisfaction with arrivals in the window. Álex Molina replaced Zeki Çelik after winning the World Cup two months earlier; Christos Koulierakis joined as a defensive profile the squad lacked; and Rodrigo Mora arrived as a young long-term investment. Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson departed, replaced by Mateo Castro. El Shaarawy, Bryan Zaragoza, Angeliño and Kostas Tsimikas also left. Gasperini stated: "All the players who arrived have strongly wanted to come to Roma. They have also reduced their salaries—and under this aspect I believe very positive work has been done. There are still ten days of the market left and we hope to complete everything." On the left wing position that Roma had pursued, Gasperini offered flexibility: "Only if he can be added value, otherwise I am not going to load myself with players just for the sake of it." Numerically, two squad slots remain available from a full complement of 23. He praised Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante for accepting significant wage cuts. On Dybala's fitness prospects, Gasperini said: "I am certain, because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He completed a pre-season perhaps for the first time without injuries." Dybala suffered two serious injuries last season—one requiring meniscus surgery that sidelined him for three and a half months. Gasperini stated that further squad exits may follow only if they represent tactical switches rather than pure departures. "If there are other exits it is only for changes, to switch," he said. "In this moment there is nothing certain." The window closes in ten days. Roma finished last season on 73 points and third place in Serie A, but Gasperini stressed the slate resets: "Every year you start from zero. What was done was very positive and satisfactory for all, but when the season starts everyone begins at 0 points and the 73 points from last year must be played again."

Roma's head coach Gian Piero Gasperini addressed the squad ahead of the Serie A season opener against Fiorentina in two days at the Stadio Olimpico. The club has registered four new arrivals and still has two squad slots available for the 23 permitted by UEFA. Gasperini outlined the summer changes: Molina, the World Cup winner who reached the final two months ago, has come in as a replacement for the departed Evan Ferguson; Dovbyk and Ferguson have left while Castro has arrived; Koulierakis joined to fill a gap in defence; and Mora completed the signings. El Shaarawy, Venturino and Zaragoza have also departed since May. Angeliño and Kostas Tsimikas have left, with Gasperini hoping replacements arrive. The coach stressed that wage costs have been reduced by necessity and said he remains hopeful of further progress in the remaining ten days of the window. "Ridurremo dunque sicuramente la rosa, cercando di renderla però più competitiva," he said, adding that all new signings wanted the club strongly. On the prospect of promoting youth, Gasperini highlighted Mora as particularly significant: "Mora è un ragazzo giovanissimo che ha già raggiunto numeri importanti. Due anni fa al Porto ha raggiunto dieci gol." The coach described the young forward as an important investment for the future with the characteristics to emerge and perform well.