Roma balance Gasperini's ambitions with financial caution in summer market

Genoa have lodged a firm bid for Roma striker Artem Dovbyk, with former Roma manager De Rossi leading the push to reunite with the Ukrainian forward in Liguria. Dovbyk has signalled openness to the move, but Roma have imposed strict conditions on any deal: the club will only accept a permanent transfer or a loan with a mandatory or optional buyout clause, rejecting an outright loan with shared wage contributions. Dovbyk earns 3.5 million euros annually, a salary burden Genoa currently struggle to accommodate under their proposed terms. This financial impasse represents the chief obstacle to a deal, though both sides continue to explore solutions. Roma's approach reflects their broader strategy to manage player exits carefully while maintaining financial stability and alignment with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's project. The negotiations remain active, with all parties monitoring developments in search of a formula that satisfies each party's requirements.

Roma are targeting Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho as one of their primary transfer priorities, alongside Diego Moreira. The 22-year-old Argentine is frozen out at Chelsea and the London club are actively seeking his departure, but only on a permanent deal for a fee between 40–50 million euros — a figure that includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause owed to Manchester United. Roma's sporting director D'Amico initially favoured a loan with option to buy, but the fee presents a significant obstacle. To circumvent the challenge, the club plan to structure the move similarly to their recent acquisition of Donyell Malen: inserting performance-based conditions that would trigger an obligation to buy. These could include goals scored or Roma's qualification for the Champions League. The approach proved successful with Malen's arrival weeks earlier. Roma face competition from English, Spanish, and Arab clubs for Garnacho's signature. The striker remains one of the hottest names in the current transfer market and has generated considerable excitement among the Giallorossi fanbase, both for his reputation and the attacking role he fills.

Marash Kumbulla has returned to Roma following two seasons in La Liga with Espanyol and Mallorca, with his future at the club set to be clarified in the coming days during pre-season training at Trigoria. The Albanian defender spoke to Corriere dello Sport about his prospects under new head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, saying: "I don't know yet. For now I'm in Rome, then we'll see if I can play my cards or if, instead, we'll look for a shared solution with the club. In that case I hope to go to a club where I can stay for several years, where there's a project." Kumbulla expressed openness to remaining in Serie A or La Liga, having benefited from his development abroad. He acknowledged facing numerous elite attackers in Spain, singling out Sorloth as particularly difficult. The 26-year-old also reflected on his time under José Mourinho at Roma, describing it as enriching and recalling "one of the most beautiful nights of my life" when the club won the Coppa Italia in his home country of Albania, specifically in Tirana. Regarding his fit under Gasperini's system, Kumbulla said: "I have characteristics that could be suited to Gasperini's football. So yes, I could use my qualities but, I repeat, we still need to talk. Without doubt he is one of the best coaches in Italy and Europe." He also noted maintaining contact with former teammates, including recent congratulations to Stephan El Shaarawy on his wedding.

Roma have shown sustained interest in Diego Moreira for over a month, with head coach Gasperini viewing the Strasbourg winger as a valuable option to pair with Wesley on the flanks. Moreira's versatility—capable of playing in four different roles including attacking positions—appeals to the club, but Strasbourg's elevated asking price for the 2004-born player presents a significant obstacle to any transfer. The club's primary focus remains strengthening the attack, and if Strasbourg do not lower their valuation, sporting director D'Amico will redirect attention to more affordable targets. Alejandro Garnacho has emerged as an alternative, though Chelsea's €50 million asking price is considered excessive by Roma, who have already explored the possibility of a loan with an option to buy or a conditional obligation. Roma are also working to sign Tresoldi from Bruges for €25 million. On the contract front, renewals for Zeki Çelik and Paulo Dybala are complete, while Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation remains unresolved. Pellegrini has not yet recovered fully from injury recurrence and was unable to train with the squad during the first session of the new season.

Roma are pushing forward with moves for two international wingers—Alejandro Garnacho of Chelsea and Diego Moreira of Strasbourg—as the Friedkin ownership prepares to return to the capital next week. The club has concluded that discipline and athleticism alone are insufficient to compete at the highest level in Europe; the squad requires quality and creative spark on the flanks. Gasperini has backed both signings. For Garnacho, Roma are working on a loan deal with an obligation to buy, modelled on the Donyell Malen transfer, with the Argentine marginalised at Chelsea under Xabi Alonso and reportedly open to joining the Giallorossi partly to reunite with friend Paulo Dybala. On Moreira, the coach sees the Belgian as the ideal profile to control the left flank, allowing Wesley to return to his natural right-side position. Strasbourg are demanding 40 million euros, but Roma are targeting a settlement around 35 million euros with add-ons and a sell-on percentage included. Both operations involve BlueCo, Todd Boehly's investment structure, adding complexity to negotiations. The coming days are expected to be decisive, with the American ownership's imminent arrival potentially accelerating the club's concrete market moves.

Roma await the return of their squad to Trigoria as transfer speculation intensifies around potential targets. Alejandro Garnacho, the Argentine forward, is absent from Chelsea's pre-season gathering under Xabi Alonso, fuelling continued reports linking him away from Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Pellegrini is edging closer to signing a new contract with the club, with negotiations progressing positively. Wesley continues his training programme as Roma prepare for the campaign ahead. The developments come as the giallorossi manage their off-season priorities across both playing squad recruitment and existing player retention. Pellegrini, a cornerstone of the club's midfield, represents a key piece of continuity in Gasperini's plans. On the women's side, Rossettini departed Roma Femminile, announcing her farewell on social media.

Roma are targeting Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho as one of their primary transfer priorities, alongside Diego Moreira. The 22-year-old Argentine is frozen out at Chelsea and the London club are actively seeking his departure, but only on a permanent deal for a fee between 40–50 million euros — a figure that includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause owed to Manchester United. Roma's sporting director D'Amico initially favoured a loan with option to buy, but the fee presents a significant obstacle. To circumvent the challenge, the club plan to structure the move similarly to their recent acquisition of Donyell Malen: inserting performance-based conditions that would trigger an obligation to buy. These could include goals scored or Roma's qualification for the Champions League. The approach proved successful with Malen's arrival weeks earlier. Roma face competition from English, Spanish, and Arab clubs for Garnacho's signature. The striker remains one of the hottest names in the current transfer market and has generated considerable excitement among the Giallorossi fanbase, both for his reputation and the attacking role he fills.

Roma have identified Diego Moreira as their primary transfer target to strengthen the squad under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The club views the Belgian winger not simply as a new wide player but as a tactical asset capable of operating on both flanks with flexibility—a versatility Gasperini values highly. Roma are prepared to table an offer worth approximately €30 million to prise Moreira away from Strasbourg, with Tony D'Amico working to bring the deal to completion in the coming days. Moreira's appeal lies in his tactical adaptability: he can function as a full-width option in a three-man defensive system or occupy a more advanced role in a 4-2-3-1 setup. This duality makes him an ideal fit for Gasperini's tactical demands. Beyond Moreira, Roma continue to monitor other market opportunities to complete their recruitment drive. For the vice-Malen position, Roma's preferred candidate is Nicolò Tresoldi, the Bruges striker. In attack, the club awaits a response from Chelsea regarding Alejandro Garnacho, having already proposed a loan deal with a purchase option to the Blues.

Nine players assembled during Gian Piero Gasperini's first season at Roma have combined for 100 appearances across Serie A and cup competitions but have failed to establish themselves as regular contributors. Pierluigi Gollini featured only once, against Panathinaikos in January's final Europa League group stage match. Angeliño made brief appearances against Celtic and Panathinaikos before a March return to the Olimpico against Lecce, where he saw limited action in the run-in. Robinio Vaz, signed for 20 million euros plus 5 million in bonuses in January alongside Donyell Malen, scored his sole Roma goal against Lecce but has proven too raw for immediate impact as deputy striker. Bryan Zaragoza arrived on loan from Bayern Munich in January and impressed on his second appearance, starting against Napoli and providing an assist for Malen's opening goal from the seventh minute, yet proved costly when he came on in Roma's Europa League elimination against Bologna in extra time. Lorenzo Venturino, an 18-year-old winger on loan from Genoa, saw limited use due to his age. Evan Ferguson, signed on loan with a purchase option from Brighton, closed the season with 40 combined appearances across both strikers; the 20-year-old's campaign ended in January after injury and limited backing from Gasperini. Artem Dovbyk meanwhile struggled to meet the technical demands of the role and reappeared late in the season with only two minutes in the final two matches.

Roma's official 2026–27 season begins Monday 13 July at Trigoria under Gian Piero Gasperini, with squad training and friendly matches scheduled until 31 July, when the club moves to a second phase of the summer schedule in Wales (running until 8 August). Paulo Dybala is expected to sign a one-year contract with an option to extend until 2028 in the coming hours. Defender Zeki Çelik and midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini will both be absent from the start of pre-season, though their absence extends beyond renewal negotiations. Both players are currently uncontracted but in talks to extend their Roma deals. For Çelik, agreement is essentially complete; Pellegrini's negotiations continue, with a gap of €500,000 between the club's offer and his asking price, though optimism is filtering through. Çelik will have additional rest days following Turkey's early exit from the World Cup, as is standard for all returning international players. Pellegrini will not train on Monday regardless of contract matters—he is still troubled by a recurrence of the injury he sustained in training before May's derby match, which forced him to miss the final weeks of the season.

Ryan Friedkin is returning to Trigoria after two months away, signalling an acceleration in Roma's summer transfer activity. His arrival will trigger a series of operational meetings aimed at converting strategic ideas into concrete decisions. The ownership is preparing to intervene on several open dossiers and back head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's ambitions alongside Tony D'Amico's vision during a critical phase of squad planning. The club's agenda is crowded with priorities. Contract renewals for Lorenzo Pellegrini and Zeki Çelik are considered essential to securing the dressing room. However, the main focus is reinforcing the attacking wide positions, where Roma is working intensively on two fronts. The Diego Moreira pursuit is currently the hottest track: Roma is attempting to bridge the financial gap with Strasbourg by offering approximately €40 million including bonuses, while proposing a significantly more sustainable wage package for the player than other available options. The Alejandro Garnacho negotiation is more complex, with Chelsea refusing a loan with option to buy and insisting on a permanent €55 million sale. Despite strong foreign competition, Roma remains actively engaged thanks to the Argentine's firm desire to join. Garnacho sees Italian football and his friendship with Paulo Dybala as the ideal opportunity to revitalise his career and become a key player at a passionate club.

Paulo Dybala has accepted a salary reduction of over one-third to remain at Roma, earning two million euros for the coming season. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pressed strongly for the Argentine forward's stay. Dybala's renewal option for the following year is contingent on him playing at least 45-minute appearances, with additional bonuses tied to performance metrics. Two years ago, Dybala rejected lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia that would have tripled his wages; today he accepts substantially less to stay at the club. The decision underscores the commitment Dybala has shown to Roma since his arrival. Gasperini championed his retention through both the previous summer and this transfer window, with the club backing the manager's judgment. Dybala would earn roughly one-tenth of what he might command elsewhere, a sacrifice that reflects his emotional connection to the Giallorossi. Lorenzo Pellegrini, the club captain, has similarly agreed to a wage cut to remain at Roma. Pellegrini, who turned 30, is negotiating contract length with his representatives: the club seeks two years while his entourage requests three, though any new deal will be at a reduced salary.