Roma bolster defence with Koulierakis signing as transfer window accelerates

Alessandro Romano has been sold to Cagliari for €5 million plus bonuses potentially rising to €6.5 million, but the move has reignited debate about Roma's pattern of disposing of young talent at underdeveloped stages. Signed from Winterthur in 2022 for approximately €70,000, Romano had been viewed at Trigoria as a prospect with significant potential and was developed into a Serie A-standard midfielder within a few years. From a financial standpoint, the transaction is defensible: the enormous profit relative to the initial outlay is straightforward. The deeper question, however, is whether Roma will later regret the sale. The club is not alone in facing pressure to generate revenue from youth players—academies exist partly to produce economic value, and no organization can retain all its talents indefinitely while waiting to identify which ones will flourish. Roma's position has been complicated by UEFA settlement agreement obligations in recent years, making the academy a significant revenue source; since 2022, youth departures have generated tens of millions. Yet a pattern has emerged. Davide Frattesi developed into an internationally competitive midfielder away from Rome; Riccardo Calafiori represents probably Roma's greatest regret. Romano's career trajectory will determine whether Roma sold him at the right moment or too early. The concern is not that he is currently ready to displace Manu Koné or Bryan Cristante, but that a talent still developing is precisely the type a club should attempt to maintain some form of control over when possible. The issue becomes more acute when considering Emanuele Lulli, who came close to joining Avellino during the summer in a deal that could have included a loan with an option to buy. The principle remains constant: when market conditions force a club to seek resources, young players become one of the easiest paths. Romano was sold in a summer when Roma needed to generate plusvalenzas and protect players deemed central to the first team. Romano will reveal through his career whether Roma timed the sale correctly or sold too soon. The lesson from Frattesi and Calafiori should be clear: while some young talent will inevitably escape, when Trigoria develops a player with something extra, maintaining some link to his future may ultimately be worth far more than immediate profit.

Emanuele Lulli will face Torino's Nicolò Cacciamani on Sunday 13 September in what shapes as a duel between two 2007-born Italians, with incoming national team coach Roberto Mancini expected in the stands to observe them both. Roma had targeted Cacciamani during the summer transfer window, offering up to €12 million, but Torino demanded at least €20 million. Lulli remained at Trigoria after Gasperini blocked a potential loan departure and deployed him immediately as a starter. In a separate development, the Salah-Eddine saga has concluded. The Moroccan defender has accepted a transfer to Panathinaikos on a loan deal with a €5 million buy option plus bonuses, with no conditions that would trigger an automatic obligation. His exit follows exclusion from the club's UEFA list and Gasperini's comments ahead of the Atalanta fixture. Roma's women's team will contest the Serie A Women's Cup semi-final against Sassuolo at Stadio Ricci at 12:00, live on Sky Sport. The Giallorosse seek revenge after losing 0–1 to Sassuolo at Tre Fontane in late August. Baldi returns in goal and Oladipo has been called up; Lukasova and Pilgrim are absent, the latter sidelined by knee inflammation.

Endrick is at the top of Roma's wishlist for the January transfer window. The Brazilian forward is expected to see limited playing time at Real Madrid until the new year due to fierce competition, prompting Roma to explore a move similar to the strategy that saw a player loaned to Lyon a year ago. According to Corriere dello Sport, Roma's management is working to reach an agreement with Real Madrid, studying a loan formula and attempting to insert both a redemption clause and a counter-redemption clause into the deal. The negotiations remain in their early stages but represent a concrete objective for the club as it plans ahead. Roma will await UEFA communications expected in November before moving further forward, but the club continues to look ahead strategically to the January market.

Roma's defensive hierarchy may begin to shift. Gianluca Mancini remains one of Gian Piero Gasperini's key figures, but in the last two matches he has shown signs of fatigue, while Leonardo Balerdi has made the most of every minute he has been given from the bench. Against Atalanta and Fenerbahce the pattern was identical: Mancini started and Balerdi came on in the second half. In just two substitute appearances totalling 39 minutes, the Argentine defender has caught attention through his personality, aggression in duels and physical engagement. Gasperini introduced him with a precise description: "A captain"—not merely a reference to the armband Balerdi wore at Marseille, but above all a reflection of a defender who appears to need little time to settle mentally into matches. Mancini remains understandably one of Roma's certainties and it would be premature to speak of a true reversal of the pecking order. However, two consecutive substitutions and the need to manage a third match in a few days could open the door. Against Torino, Balerdi could have his first real opportunity to start. It also signals the depth the defensive unit has reached. With Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso ahead, Gasperini can call on alternatives including Balerdi, Koulierakis and Ghilardi. The Argentine is the one pushing hardest right now to change the hierarchy. Mancini remains the starter and Balerdi has begun to knock on the door. At Torino, Gasperini may decide to open it.

Roma radio stations aired differing assessments of the club's draw away to Fenerbahçe and the squad assembled for the 2026–27 season. Roberto Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio mattina, praised Roma's display as good but not spectacular, and expressed lingering doubts about the expanded squad's overall quality. He acknowledged that Castro is the best option among the substitutes, but highlighted concerns about the club's recruitment strategy. "I had many doubts about this enlarged squad, perhaps it is not qualitatively as good as people say," Pruzzo said. "When you need to change in the second half, a good player comes on but with different characteristics." On the forward Mason Greenwood, he added: "For Greenwood an extra effort should have been made—he is someone who changes the balance of matches. The problem was the wages, but in a season like this you needed certainties like him who in matches like these shakes everything up. I would not have spent money on Koulierakis, a profile Roma already has in the squad. I would have signed a midfielder instead." Pruzzo also offered qualified praise for Leonardo Balerdi, the summer arrival on defence, and said he expects Matías Mastantuono to prove decisive. He stressed that Roma must be competitive across every component of the squad. Nando Orsi, also of Radio Radio mattina, countered that the expanded roster was necessary for rotation across three competitions, and that Roma's single point from Istanbul was a valuable one. Filippo Biafora (Radio Manà Manà – 90.9) was less critical of the draw, calling it unexpectedly tough, and suggested that Manu Koné will be preserved for the match against Torino after a minor complaint, with Bryan Cristante and Niccolò Pisilli expected to form the midfield pairing.

Roma kick off their Champions League campaign against Fenerbahce in Istanbul, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirming a strong starting lineup. Gasperini has retained the core of Roma's winning run this season, with one change: Devyne Rensch starts at left-back in place of Emanuele Lulli. Paulo Dybala takes his regular place in attack, flanking Matías Soulé behind Donyell Malen in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Rodrigo Mora is unused among the substitutes, expected to come on in the second half if needed. Nahuel Molina's first-team debut from the start is postponed. Roma field: Svilar; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Rensch, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Dybala; Malen. Among the squad available from the bench are De Marzi, Gollini, Balerdi, Ghilardi, Koulierakis, Lulli, Molina, De Roon, Pisilli, Mora and Castro. Fenerbahce start with Ederson in goal and deploy Muriqi as their centre-forward, supported by Mason Greenwood and Ferdi Aktörkoglu in attacking midfield. The Turkish side's squad includes Raphaël Varane in their defensive ranks.

Roma's opening week in the Champions League has delivered both significant encouragement and a small warning signal. The club's comeback victory against Atalanta—from 1–0 down to a 2–1 win in four minutes—and a draw away to Fenerbahce have created a picture of a squad with considerable depth and psychological resilience, but also a pattern worth monitoring in the matches ahead. Bryan Cristante emerged as the week's standout performer and the clearest evidence of Roma's evolution under Gasperini. Against Fenerbahce, Cristante scored the opening goal and touched the ball 112 times, completing 91 passes and playing 24 balls into the final third. His rise from useful squad member to gravitational centre of the team's balance, personality and order has become impossible to ignore. The bench itself proved the most interesting development of the week. When Gasperini made changes against Atalanta, the team did not lose force but gained it. Nahuel Molina increased the team's thrust down the flank, Santiago Castro signalled he is ready to make an impact, and Matías Soulé came off the bench to decide the match. Leonardo Balerdi also impressed, intent on climbing the manager's hierarchy. Roma's refusal to accept defeat completed the narrative: at 89 minutes against Atalanta, trailing 1–0, the side won 2–1 in the next four minutes through Mario Hermoso and Soulé. That capacity to keep playing and pushing until the final second is among the week's best signals. Two consecutive early-second-half goals, however, have begun to form a pattern. Ederson scored at 47 minutes in Roma's win over Atalanta; Brown equalised at 48 minutes in Fenerbahce's match against Roma. Gasperini himself acknowledged after Istanbul: "they are two clues." It does not necessarily signal a structural problem, but Roma has taken a few minutes too long to fully switch back on after the interval in both games. Donyell Malen's dip comes not from genuine crisis but from unrealistic expectations. He began the season in exaggerated form—multiple goals, a barrage of them, and the sense that every touch would create a chance. Two scoreless matches were enough to shift perception, though he supplied an assist for Cristante against Fenerbahce. At Istanbul he appeared less brilliant and dominant than in his opening displays. Gianluca Mancini and Wesley, meanwhile, remain undisputed pillars but have not yet shown their best form. Mancini has appeared less dominant and assured than his standard, while Wesley must rediscover the continuity, brilliance and ability to devastate the flank that had made him among Roma's most incisive players. No alarm: simply two important engines not yet running at full revs.

Jayden Oosterwolde's move to Roma may not be permanently over. The Dutch defender came close to signing during the summer before medical issues during his examination caused the deal to collapse. On Thursday he attended Fenerbahce's match against Roma and met with people he had encountered during his brief time in the capital in August. When asked about a return to Roma, Oosterwolde said: "I hope to come back in Rome in any months," signalling his desire to join in the coming months. Roma have not entirely ruled out reviving the transfer, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. The club intends to first monitor how Oosterwolde's recovery progresses after his operation. Should those signs be positive, sporting director Tony D'Amico could reopen talks with Fenerbahce in the January transfer window. The original deal structured in August involved a €1 million loan with a €16 million purchase option conditional on certain criteria being met. If negotiations resume, the formula could be reworked in light of the injury and the months that have passed. Oosterwolde could also represent an investment not just for January but with the 2027–28 season in mind, given that Mario Hermoso's contract expires in June and other defenders' futures may be evaluated based on the club's technical and financial needs. No new negotiations are currently underway, but the door that appeared firmly shut this summer may have been left slightly ajar. Oosterwolde himself makes clear which outcome he prefers: to return to Roma and complete what was interrupted in August.

Roma's defensive hierarchy may begin to shift. Gianluca Mancini remains one of Gian Piero Gasperini's key figures, but in the last two matches he has shown signs of fatigue, while Leonardo Balerdi has made the most of every minute he has been given from the bench. Against Atalanta and Fenerbahce the pattern was identical: Mancini started and Balerdi came on in the second half. In just two substitute appearances totalling 39 minutes, the Argentine defender has caught attention through his personality, aggression in duels and physical engagement. Gasperini introduced him with a precise description: "A captain"—not merely a reference to the armband Balerdi wore at Marseille, but above all a reflection of a defender who appears to need little time to settle mentally into matches. Mancini remains understandably one of Roma's certainties and it would be premature to speak of a true reversal of the pecking order. However, two consecutive substitutions and the need to manage a third match in a few days could open the door. Against Torino, Balerdi could have his first real opportunity to start. It also signals the depth the defensive unit has reached. With Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso ahead, Gasperini can call on alternatives including Balerdi, Koulierakis and Ghilardi. The Argentine is the one pushing hardest right now to change the hierarchy. Mancini remains the starter and Balerdi has begun to knock on the door. At Torino, Gasperini may decide to open it.

Emanuele Lulli will face Torino's Nicolò Cacciamani on Sunday 13 September in what shapes as a duel between two 2007-born Italians, with incoming national team coach Roberto Mancini expected in the stands to observe them both. Roma had targeted Cacciamani during the summer transfer window, offering up to €12 million, but Torino demanded at least €20 million. Lulli remained at Trigoria after Gasperini blocked a potential loan departure and deployed him immediately as a starter. In a separate development, the Salah-Eddine saga has concluded. The Moroccan defender has accepted a transfer to Panathinaikos on a loan deal with a €5 million buy option plus bonuses, with no conditions that would trigger an automatic obligation. His exit follows exclusion from the club's UEFA list and Gasperini's comments ahead of the Atalanta fixture. Roma's women's team will contest the Serie A Women's Cup semi-final against Sassuolo at Stadio Ricci at 12:00, live on Sky Sport. The Giallorosse seek revenge after losing 0–1 to Sassuolo at Tre Fontane in late August. Baldi returns in goal and Oladipo has been called up; Lukasova and Pilgrim are absent, the latter sidelined by knee inflammation.

Roma have completed another outgoing transfer despite the market being formally closed. The club and head coach Gasperini had decided in recent weeks to sell Salah-Eddine, but the player rejected four high-profile destinations in succession: PSV, Monaco, Olympiakos and West Ham all saw their moves fall through. Panathinaikos emerged as the eventual destination, tabling a loan deal with a right of purchase worth approximately €5–6 million plus bonuses. Salah-Eddine has already travelled to Athens for his medical examination.

Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli embody Roma's academy excellence — both young, Roman-born romanisti developed through the club's youth system. Pisilli, born in 2004, has amassed 81 appearances in a Roma shirt and will make his 82nd against Torino tomorrow, starting in midfield alongside Bryan Cristante for the first time this season. Lulli, 19 and born in 2007, was rested during Roma's Champions League fixture at Fenerbahce to protect him, and will face Torino with Cacciamani — another Roma summer target of identical age — opposing him. The pair represent the calibre of talent being developed within the club. Marten de Roon, among the recent arrivals, is gradually being integrated into the squad rotation, while Nahuel Molina — not yet at full condition — is expected to feature more regularly in the starting eleven after the international break. The Stadio Olimpico will host the clash against Atalanta, where national team coach Mancini was present to observe Roma's players. On the transfer front, Salah-Eddine has left Roma to join Panathinaikos on loan with a purchase option set at 7 million euros plus 1 million in add-ons, completing the final operation of the summer window.