Roma behind schedule in squad building, Pruzzo unimpressed by Koulierakis

Donyell Malen is preparing to return to England as a key figure, having been one of the most successful winter signings in Roma's history since joining from the club in January 2026. The Dutch forward has scored 22 Serie A goals in the 2026 calendar year, making him the top scorer across Europe's five major leagues, ahead of Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal. Tonight's clash at Old Trafford could have featured Malen wearing a different shirt. According to Corriere della Sera, in 2024 Ruud van Nistelrooy, then assistant coach at Manchester United, suggested Malen's name to the Red Devils' hierarchy while he was still at Borussia Dortmund. The English club did not follow up on the proposal, and Malen later moved to Aston Villa before joining Roma. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, his impact has been devastating for the Giallorossi. The forward will face the side that could have bought him two years ago. Tonight's match kicks off at 21:00, and given the form he has shown in Roma colours, Malen could leave Manchester with plenty of regrets.

Donyell Malen has become one of the key figures in Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma, but a link to Manchester United, Roma's Champions League opponents, has come to light. As reported by Corriere della Sera, Ruud van Nistelrooy, then an assistant coach at Manchester United, had identified Malen as a possible reinforcement for the Red Devils' attack in 2024. Malen was playing for Borussia Dortmund at the time. The suggestion never led to a transfer. Malen stayed away from Manchester and his career later took him to Roma. The Dutch forward has since become a central figure in the club's attacking system, with his ability to attack the depth of the defence, move across the front line and find the net making him one of the squad's main outlets. He has stood out not only for his consistent goalscoring but also for his contribution in the more difficult games, often influencing the result. Those qualities explain why Van Nistelrooy had considered him for Manchester United, and they are now an important weapon for Roma as they prepare to face the Premier League club in the Champions League.

Donyell Malen has had a devastating impact at Roma and is arguably the best winter signing in the club's history, according to the report. He is currently the top goalscorer in Europe in 2026, ahead of Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal. The Dutch forward could have moved to England a few years ago, when Manchester United were interested, Corriere della Sera reveals. His compatriot Ruud van Nistelrooy, then an assistant coach at the Red Devils in 2024, pushed for Malen's name while he was playing for Borussia Dortmund. The move never materialised, and tonight Bobby could reignite the regrets.

Roma led Manchester United 2-0 at half-time in their Champions League league-phase fourth matchday clash at Old Trafford, with Paulo Dybala's teammate Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen on the scoresheet. Soulé opened the scoring in the 11th minute after a fine pass from Mora, and Malen doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 17th minute after Heaven handled Soulé's shot. Bruno Fernandes pulled one back for United in the 57th minute, after the hosts had been handed a penalty that Vásquez saved before the referee ordered a retake. Roma came into the game with four points from their first three European matches, following a convincing win over Slovan Bratislava, while United, under Michael Carrick, were on three points and in a difficult spell. Gian Piero Gasperini made changes to his starting lineup. Gollini was ruled out at the last minute, so Vásquez started in goal. Balerdi came in for Ndicka at centre-back, and Rensch won the battle for the right-back spot over Molina. Malen and Soulé were confirmed up front with Mora in support. On the United side, Lammens started in goal, with Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes and Diallo behind Cunha. Roma dominated the first half and had further chances to extend their lead. Soulé came close with a left-foot effort that went narrowly wide, and Cristante released Malen, whose right-foot shot was tipped away by Lammens. Bruno Fernandes also fired over from a good position. Roma's defence was tested after Rensch was forced off in the 22nd minute, with Lulli coming on in his place. Malen was booked in the 41st minute for a foul, and Lulli was booked in the 35th minute for handball. Soulé and Bruno Fernandes were both shown yellow cards in the 20th minute after a flare-up on the pitch. In the second half, Gasperini brought on Pisilli in place of Mora at the restart. Baleba was injured in the 47th minute and was replaced by Tielemans in the 50th minute. United then received a penalty in the 55th minute, when Mancini's arm contacted the ball and Cunha went down under contact. Vásquez saved Bruno Fernandes' spot kick, but the referee ordered it to be retaken, and Fernandes made no mistake the second time, in the 57th minute. Shortly afterwards, Mbeumo struck the woodwork twice. By the 65th minute, the momentum had shifted towards United, with the home crowd lifted and United reinvigorated. The match was refereed by Jesús Gil Manzano from Spain, with Guadalupe Porras Ayuso and Diego Barbero as assistants, Juan Martínez Munuera as fourth official, and Carlos del Cerro Grande on VAR. The match remained in progress at the time of the live coverage, and Roma's position in the league phase will depend on how the second half ends.

Roma head to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, coached by Carrick, in the fourth matchday of the Champions League league phase, with Gasperini forced into a change in goal. Pierluigi Gollini has withdrawn at the last hour, so Devis Vásquez starts. Leonardo Balerdi comes in at centre-back instead of Evan N'Dicka, and Devyne Rensch is the right wing-back. Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli are on the bench. The midfield and attack are unchanged, with Rodrigo Mora starting from the first minute. Manchester United line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lammens in goal, Yoro, Maguire, Heaven and Dalot in defence, Mainoo and Baleba in midfield, Cunha, Fernandes and Diallo behind Mbeumo. Roma play a 3-4-2-1, with Vásquez; Mancini, Balerdi and Hermoso at the back; Rensch, Cristante, de Roon and Wesley in midfield; Soulé and Mora in support of Malen up front. United's bench includes Darlow, Heaton, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Mount, Tielemans, Santos, Lacey, Fletcher, Amass and Zirkzee. Roma's bench features De Marzi, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Pisilli, Ghilardi, Molina, Lulli, Di Nunzio and Castro.

Roma travel to Old Trafford tonight for their fourth League Phase match of the Champions League, facing Manchester United under head coach Michael Carrick, with Gian Piero Gasperini's side looking for points after a comprehensive win over Slovan Bratislava. Roma have four points from their first three European matches, while United sit on three points and are going through a very difficult spell. Gollini has been ruled out, and Devis Vásquez will start in goal in his place. The Roma line-up is a 3-4-2-1 formation: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, De Roon, Cristante, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Leonardo Balerdi is pushing Mancini for a place in the defence, while Rodrigo Mora is set for a starting spot. On the bench for Roma are De Marzi, Gollini, Koulierakis, Mancini, Ghilardi, Lulli, Rensch, Di Nunzio, Pisilli and Castro. Manchester United line up in a 4-2-3-1: Lammens; Yoro, Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Dalot; Mainoo, Andrey Santos; Mbeumo, Tielemans, Bruno Fernandes; Cunha. Their substitutes are Darlow, Heaton, De Ligt, Mazraoui, Heaven, Amass, Baleba, Mount, Diallo, Zirkzee and Lacey. The referee is Jesús Gil Manzano (Spain), assisted by Guadalupe Porras Ayuso and Diego Barbero, with Juan Martínez Munuera as fourth official. The VAR is Carlos del Cerro Grande, with Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez as assistant VAR.

Emanuele Lulli has been one of the surprises of the season, and Gian Piero Gasperini is the coach who insisted on keeping him at Roma and turning him into one of the most interesting wingers in Serie A. After just seven matches in the giallorossi shirt, Lulli has already shown he has what it takes to establish himself: he runs, he fights, he scores and he creates goals for team-mates. He is a complete winger who makes an impact in both phases of play, giving Gasperini exactly what he was looking for. For the coach, it is a return to familiar ground. At Roma he has found the wide players he likes, the same kind that allowed him to build a side capable of making the difference at Bergamo. The greatest credit, though, goes to Gasperini for believing in Lulli when others might have let him go. Looking back shows how much has changed. Turkish full-back Zeki Çelik, who played in that role, collected two goals in 151 appearances for Roma. Lulli needed just seven matches to match that tally. The article describes that gap as enormous, and it says it reflects the weight of this new bet on the young player. Çelik's departure to Juventus, which initially looked hard to swallow, now takes on a different meaning, described as a genuine sliding door moment for the giallorossi season. Roma have found a new protagonist, Gasperini has another winger to back, and the fans have a young player to cherish. Lulli comes from Palestrina, is a 2007-born player and has a world of opportunity ahead of him. Above all, the article concludes, he has already found his place: at Roma, his team.

Roma lost Celik in the transfer market, a departure that many considered painful, but the positive side has been the emergence of Pierluigi Lulli, who has moved from the Primavera to scoring his first Serie A goal. The development has been described as the defining 'sliding door' of the window. The Italian coverage frames Lulli's breakthrough as the positive counterweight to losing Zeki Çelik, whose exit was widely viewed as a painful one for the club. Lulli's first league goal marks a significant step for a player who has come through the youth ranks to the first team. The report was published on 19 October 2026 and is headlined around the idea that Lulli is the key figure to emerge from the market, as Roma look to build on his progress.

Roma's full-backs have become a cornerstone of Gian Piero Gasperini's push to the top of Serie A, a marked shift from last season when they proved problematic. Wesley and Nahuel Molina are now among the club's key strengths, and both will start when Roma resume the league campaign against Como, where they will face manager Fabregas. The turnaround reflects Gasperini's tactical evolution since arriving at the club: in his first season, Wesley was the only defender fully convincing on the flanks, while Zeki Çelik had to make do elsewhere. Now the picture is entirely different. Gasperini has uncovered Emanuele Lulli in the course of the season, and Molina has gradually built his fitness, delivering quality and assists to Roma's attacking phase. For the Como fixture, Gasperini plans to deploy Molina on the right and Wesley on the left. The selection reflects not just Roma's attacking ambitions but also Gasperini's defensive strategy: by using two attacking full-backs, he aims to stretch Como's wide players—Baturina on one flank and Diao on the other—and occupy them throughout the match. Wesley, the more naturally offensive of the pair, will be tasked with driving forward and supporting the build-up play. Molina is likely to carry greater defensive responsibility, balancing his own contributions with the need to contain Como's threats on the wing.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has drawn up a shopping list as the club looks to strengthen its squad, with three signings reportedly in mind before the international break. Roma face Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo as the last three matches of a gruelling run of nine games in 28 days, and they are doing so short of numbers. Svilar, Dybala and Koné will not be available tomorrow, and only the last two are hoping to return from the next fixtures. The squad is stretched thin. Gasperini said earlier in the season: "La rosa va allungata" ("The squad needs to be lengthened"). While awaiting the UEFA ruling expected in November, the sporting director is already working to reinforce the team. Last January, Malen, Vaz, Venturino and Zaragoza arrived at the club. Gasperini would be content with three targeted signings: an attacking winger, a backup for Wesley and a dynamic central midfielder. For the attacking unit, the names linked are Leweling and Gittens. A surprise could be van Bommel of PSV Eindhoven, a player Roma have been monitoring for some time. Roma are also not giving up on Endrick. Real Madrid have little room for the Brazilian, who wants to leave. D'Amico will need to find the right formula, which could resemble the deal that brought Bobby in a year ago: a loan with an obligation to buy on certain conditions. Attention then turns to the wide midfield. Mendes has offered Balde of Barcelona, while the new name is Pascini of Atlético Mineiro. The most pressing problem, however, is midfield. Pellegrini will return in 2027, and Koné has frequent physical problems. Roma need a energetic runner in the centre of the park, and Moses of Slavia Prague is on the notebook.

Roma's loan players had a busy week across the Champions League, the Bundesliga, the German Cup, La Liga, Serie C and the Europa Conference League. Neil El Aynaoui was involved in three matches for RB Leipzig, while Luigi Cherubini was back in the Benevento starting line-up and came close to scoring twice. Robinio Vaz has returned to action after a physical problem he suffered against Fulham, and Mohamed Seck helped Foggia to a win. El Aynaoui, a Moroccan midfielder on a loan deal with a buy option, started Leipzig's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, a 4-1 loss, and played until the 63rd minute. On Saturday he played the full 90 minutes of a 4-0 win over Elversberg. His most eventful match came on Tuesday against Rot-Weiss Essen in the German Cup last 16. He began on the bench, but came on at half-time with Leipzig trailing 1-0 and reduced to ten men after Seiwald was sent off in the 44th minute. Baumgartner scored twice, in the 78th and 82nd minutes, to complete the comeback and send Leipzig through 2-1. El Aynaoui was booked in the 76th minute and played 45 minutes without a goal or assist. The win came after heavy defeats to Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Cherubini, a winger born in 2004, returned to the starting line-up on Saturday in a 3-0 win at Arezzo. He played 74 minutes and twice came close to scoring, first with a spectacular scissor kick that was saved by goalkeeper Nunziante, then with a shot that hit the post. He started again on Tuesday in a 1-1 home draw with Catanzaro. He won the decisive penalty early in the second half, which Salvemini converted in the 51st minute after Candela fouled him, a decision confirmed by VAR. He was substituted for Saio in the 86th minute. Buso equalised for Catanzaro in added time, in the 92nd minute. Cherubini did not score or assist, but BeneventoNews24 and CalcioBenevento both gave him a 6.5. Mattia Mannini, a midfielder born in 2006, was an unused substitute for both matches, with Floro Flores opting for other players during the second-half changes. Mannini had played for Italy's Under-20 side during the previous international break. Mohamed Seck started at centre-back in Auteri's three-man defence as Foggia beat Cavese 1-0 at the Zaccheria, ending two straight defeats to Potenza and Giugliano. Foggiacalciomania gave him a 6 for a solid performance, noting his willingness to move forward from the defensive line. Goalkeeper Saro saved a penalty from Orlando, and Ravasio scored the winner in the 87th minute. Federico Nardin, a defender born in 2007, started for Pescara in a 2-1 win at Perugia, playing all 90 minutes without a booking. Merola scored twice for Pescara, first from open play and then from a penalty, after Carriero had given Perugia a lead inside the first minute. Radoslaw Zelezny, the Polish goalkeeper for Perugia, played the full match but conceded both Pescara goals, with Merola scoring in the 47th and 51st minutes. Marash Kumbulla, an Albanian defender on loan with a buy option, started for Rayo Vallecano in a 3-2 extra-time win over Recreativo Huelva in the first round of the Copa del Rey. He played 80 minutes after being on the bench for the 3-0 home defeat to Elche. Alemão scored Rayo's equaliser from the penalty spot and then the winner in extra time, with De Frutos also scoring. Anass Salah-Eddine, a Moroccan left-back playing for Panathinaikos, was not used in the 5-1 Conference League win over Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan on Thursday. He started on Sunday in a 1-0 league win at Volos.

Roma's first team is running smoothly under Gian Piero Gasperini, with well-targeted signings, a recognisable style and young players developing well. The problem lies with the players out on loan in Serie A and abroad, who have struggled to establish themselves. Some were signed under the previous management of Massara, others under Ghisolfi, and some have been drifting between clubs since the Mourinho era. Many of them, if not all, could return to the club in June without having been redeemed, which the article calls a clear loss. Goalkeeper Zelezny is on loan at Serie C side Perugia. He has started every match, but his figures are less impressive: 17 goals conceded in 11 games for a side that was expected to be among the leaders. In defence, Angelino, Ziolkowski and Kumbulla are out on loan. Angelino, who has recently suffered serious health problems, returned to Deportivo La Coruña. He has made only one start, against Sevilla, and was sent off in the 59th minute. Kumbulla has not played a minute for Rayo Vallecano in La Liga and has made just one appearance in the Copa del Rey. Ziolkowski has one appearance on record, due to a serious plantar fascia injury, and is expected back in November. In midfield, El Aynaoui is a regular starter for Leipzig, but his performances have been unexceptional, with a single assist. Leipzig are fifth in the Bundesliga and 29th in the Champions League. Setting aside Romano and Baldanzi, who both have an obligation to buy, Cherubini has made 7 appearances and scored one goal for Benevento. Salah Eddine, who moved to Panathinaikos in September, has four appearances in total, and it is still too early to judge him. Robinio Vaz's start at Hull City has been disappointing: no starts, only a few minutes late in matches, and no goals. The Frenchman cost 25 million in January and is not finding a place in the side as he did under Gasperini. Mannini, who has also moved to Benevento, has no starts. Dovbyk risks returning as early as January. Palladino never picks him, preferring Osteegard in the unusual role of centre-forward given Piccoli's absence. The Ukrainian has scored one goal in four matches, all under Tedesco while he was still in charge at Bologna.