Roma begin pre-season training at Trigoria; squad list delayed pending Dybala contract ratification

Nicolò Tresoldi, Bruges striker, has signalled his willingness to join Roma, where he would bolster the attack alongside Donyell Malen. Roma are in negotiations with Bruges to lower their asking price, targeting a deal around €25 million. Manu Koné remains a target for Premier League clubs, with Liverpool rekindling their interest after an earlier probe and Manchester United weighing a concrete bid. The French midfielder favours a move to England, but Roma regard him as central to their project. Only an offer near €50 million would convince the club to negotiate. Roma have also announced the consensual termination of Federico Guidi's contract as Primavera coach. The club thanked Guidi for his work developing youth academy players; during his tenure he won a Coppa Italia Primavera, an Italian Primavera Super Cup, and reached the 2024 Scudetto final. Commentary on Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract situation suggests renewal is imminent, with pundit Aspri stating: "I have certainty on Dybala and Celik and also on Lorenzo Pellegrini: I'm putting this card on the table today, there are no problems on this agreement, it just needs fine-tuning. Within today this contract must be announced." Former player Pruzzo offered contrasting views, suggesting Roma would not be overly concerned should Pellegrini leave.

Roma are accelerating their transfer activity ahead of the start of their preseason retreat tomorrow. The club continues to pursue reinforcements tailored to Gian Piero Gasperini's system, with Alexandre Greenwood no longer an option. Alejandro Garnacho remains the priority target for Roma's offensive department, with the club studying a deal structured similarly to the Donyell Malen transfer. Gasperini is untroubled by Garnacho's situation at Manchester United—his contract enters its final year—a lesson learned from Roma's pursuit of Lookman. Roma are also evaluating offers for Diego Moreira from Strasbourg, with the shared ownership structure involving Chelsea potentially working in their favour. Martinelli is unlikely to join, as the Arsenal forward shows no inclination to leave London. On the outbound front, Matías Soulé has attracted substantial Premier League interest, with multiple English clubs making enquiries about the Argentine winger. Roma are holding firm at their €35 million valuation. Manu Koné, the French midfielder, has also drawn attention from elite English sides; after Manchester United's early interest, Liverpool have reignited their pursuit. Roma's recruitment operation is in full swing as the summer window gathers pace.

Roma's squad will return to the Fulvio Bernardini training centre tomorrow morning to begin pre-season preparations. The session marks the official start of the club's new campaign, with all players converging on Trigoria to commence work under the coaching staff. Defender Kumbulla has offered his thoughts on what lies ahead for him at the club. Meanwhile, Federico Guidi has stepped down as head coach of Roma's Primavera side following a consensual termination of his contract. The departure signals a change in the youth setup as the club reshapes its academy structure ahead of the new season.

Nicolò Tresoldi, Bruges striker, has signalled his willingness to join Roma, where he would bolster the attack alongside Donyell Malen. Roma are in negotiations with Bruges to lower their asking price, targeting a deal around €25 million. Manu Koné remains a target for Premier League clubs, with Liverpool rekindling their interest after an earlier probe and Manchester United weighing a concrete bid. The French midfielder favours a move to England, but Roma regard him as central to their project. Only an offer near €50 million would convince the club to negotiate. Roma have also announced the consensual termination of Federico Guidi's contract as Primavera coach. The club thanked Guidi for his work developing youth academy players; during his tenure he won a Coppa Italia Primavera, an Italian Primavera Super Cup, and reached the 2024 Scudetto final. Commentary on Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract situation suggests renewal is imminent, with pundit Aspri stating: "I have certainty on Dybala and Celik and also on Lorenzo Pellegrini: I'm putting this card on the table today, there are no problems on this agreement, it just needs fine-tuning. Within today this contract must be announced." Former player Pruzzo offered contrasting views, suggesting Roma would not be overly concerned should Pellegrini leave.

Roma are accelerating their transfer activity ahead of the start of their preseason retreat tomorrow. The club continues to pursue reinforcements tailored to Gian Piero Gasperini's system, with Alexandre Greenwood no longer an option. Alejandro Garnacho remains the priority target for Roma's offensive department, with the club studying a deal structured similarly to the Donyell Malen transfer. Gasperini is untroubled by Garnacho's situation at Manchester United—his contract enters its final year—a lesson learned from Roma's pursuit of Lookman. Roma are also evaluating offers for Diego Moreira from Strasbourg, with the shared ownership structure involving Chelsea potentially working in their favour. Martinelli is unlikely to join, as the Arsenal forward shows no inclination to leave London. On the outbound front, Matías Soulé has attracted substantial Premier League interest, with multiple English clubs making enquiries about the Argentine winger. Roma are holding firm at their €35 million valuation. Manu Koné, the French midfielder, has also drawn attention from elite English sides; after Manchester United's early interest, Liverpool have reignited their pursuit. Roma's recruitment operation is in full swing as the summer window gathers pace.

Paulo Dybala has recommitted to AS Roma following his automatic contract renewal, capping a resurgence that helped secure the club's return to the Champions League for the first time in seven years. The Argentine playmaker delivered decisively in the final stretch of the 2025–26 season, recording assists for Malen and El Shaarawy in matches against Verona—the goals that sealed Europa League qualification and promotion to the group stage. Over 27 appearances in that run, Dybala posted 3 goals and 8 assists. Since joining Roma in 2022, Dybala has compiled 140 matches, 45 goals and 30 assists across all positions—attacker, second striker, attacking midfielder and creative fulcrum. His debut campaign (2022–23) proved prolific with 18 goals and 8 assists before injury despite a standout display against Inter and a vital Europa League goal against Feyenoord. The following year brought 16 goals in 39 matches with 10 assists. A proposed summer transfer to Al-Qadsiah fell through when Dybala chose to remain in the Eternal City, but form and fitness suffered under successive managers, leaving him sidelined until early 2026. After knee surgery in March forced another layoff, his timely return proved crucial. The lingering scar from the 31 May 2023 final—a missed opportunity to change Roma's history—remains, but the coming seasons offer fresh chances to heal that wound.

Gian Piero Gasperini has reason to be pleased with his two World Cup-bound midfielders, Manu Koné and Neil El Aynaoui, after their displays in recent weeks. Despite their quality, the pair started together only five times during the previous season under Roma's coach: three occasions in Europa League against Nizza, Viktoria Plzen, and Midtjylland, and twice in Serie A. The limited partnerships stand in stark contrast to their recent performances on the international stage in the USA. The World Cup traditionally reshapes team dynamics and attracts attention from rival clubs, particularly if nations progress deep into the tournament. Koné faces heightened interest should France reach the final stages, while El Aynaoui has long been the subject of admiration from other sides. Should both continue at Roma, however, Gasperini will command two midfielders in peak condition—a resource valuable both on the pitch and potentially in financial terms should circumstances demand a sale.

Manu Koné produced an outstanding performance as France defeated Morocco 2-0, showcasing the intensity and ball-winning prowess that have marked his tournament. Deployed in midfield as Tchouameni faced repeated fitness issues, Koné made his fourth World Cup start across six appearances, playing 71 minutes before being replaced by Zaire-Emery. His display was characterised by relentless pressing and tactical discipline, recovering possession at crucial moments—including one key intervention early in the second half on a Brahim Diaz counter-attack that could have shifted the match's trajectory. Koné's statistics underlined his control of the middle ground: 35 completed passes from 38 attempts (92% accuracy), one key pass, six ball recoveries, four tackles won, and one shot attempted. His energetic contribution drew praise from supporters on social media. The Roma midfielder's combative style marks a departure from his domestic approach, where he typically operates with more restraint. Notably, his Roma teammate Neil El Aynaoui also featured in the fixture. France now advance to the semi-finals, where they will face either Spain or Belgium.

France reached the World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a 2–0 victory over Morocco, with Roma midfielder Manu Koné playing a central role in the triumph. Adrien Rabiot, his partner in France's midfield, publicly praised Koné's display after the match, highlighting their dominance in the middle of the park. Rabiot said: "Me and Manu were devastating, we ate them up," referring to the midfield duel. He added broader context on France's control: "We had the feeling that in moments when we didn't have the ball and let them have it, they weren't very dangerous. We had little to fear from this team. That's the feeling we had on the pitch. It's surprising. But they remain a team that can make a difference at any moment because they have extraordinary individual players. That's why we always stayed alert." French media gave Koné equally strong marks. Le Parisien called him "omnipresent", while L'Équipe praised his dominant performance and complete display. The match carried special significance for Roma: Koné and fellow club teammate Neil El Aynaoui faced each other with a semi-final berth at stake. The Frenchman advanced while the Moroccan's tournament ended at the quarter-final stage. After the final whistle, the two Roma players embraced in a show of mutual respect, a gesture later shared on social media by Koné's partner.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has identified a centre-back as a priority addition to Roma's squad, according to his list of targets presented to ownership. The search is not limited to attacking reinforcements; Gasperini wants an experienced central defender aged 28 or above to serve as a deputy to Mario Hermoso, giving the Spanish defender rest when needed. He has ruled out pursuing young prospects requiring development, such as Jan Ziółkowski, in favour of an established player. Roma enquired about Leo Ostigard in recent weeks, though the Norwegian would only arrive if Evan N'Dicka departs the club—a scenario ruled out with N'Dicka currently viewed as non-transferable. The defensive overhaul is not urgent, with attacking reinforcements taking priority in the coming window. However, the backline will be reinforced before the season progresses further.

Roma's pre-season training camp begins on 13 July at Trigoria with a reduced squad. As preparations commence, three key players—Zeki Çelik, Paulo Dybala, and Lorenzo Pellegrini—remain in talks to finalize contract terms. Çelik's deal is complete but he will miss the opening week due to post-World Cup recovery, as will Dybala. Pellegrini's signature is still pending; club director D'Amico will return to the capital today for talks with the player's agent to reach a final agreement. With younger players and goalkeepers excluded, thirteen outfield players are currently available to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini for 13 July. Donyell Malen and Evan N'Dicka are expected to return around 22 July, while the arrival dates for Neil El Aynaoui, Salah-Eddine, and Manu Koné remain to be confirmed. Wesley is pushing to be available immediately as he recovers from injury. Matías Soulé is awaiting clarity on his future after a recent meeting with a member of his entourage in Argentina. Legend Bruno Conti has departed the club, prompting Roma to review youth development structures. The squad overhaul continues as the club prepares for the new campaign under Gasperini's leadership.

Roma successfully resisted attempts by rival clubs to acquire key players on June 30th. Juventus approached the club for Mile Svilar, while Inter and Porto both made offers for Niccolò Pisilli. Additionally, Matías Soulé rejected a move to Saudi Arabia, with his agent expressing frustration over how the negotiations were handled. Despite pressure from multiple directions, Roma declined all approaches and maintained their squad. UEFA has granted Roma a one-month extension on the deadline for including player sales in their financial records due to World Cup scheduling, though this grace period does not apply to new acquisitions. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has made clear his desire to retain Wesley, Evan N'Dicka, and Manu Koné as cornerstones of his squad, and the club hierarchy has prioritized keeping the manager satisfied. Roma intends to argue to UEFA that they can manage financial losses through peripheral transactions if necessary. Failure to meet Financial Fair Play requirements could expose Roma to fines exceeding €10 million and squad restrictions in 2027–28, though harsher penalties are considered unlikely. The club's strategy appears focused on retaining its top-tier players while strengthening the squad around the margins in the coming weeks.