Roma Bolster Squad with De Roon and Balerdi as Experienced Signings

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.

Roma have stepped up their pursuit of Stuttgart forward Jamie Leweling with a new offer of €30 million plus €5 million in bonuses on a contract until 2031, while withdrawing from the race to sign Luiz Henrique. The club's sporting director D'Amico has decided to prioritise the German international ahead of alternative targets in what are shaping as decisive hours in the final stretch of the transfer window. Roma's first proposal to Stuttgart—structured as a loan with an obligation to buy—was rejected in recent days. The club have since restructured their approach and now tabled a permanent transfer offer. Leweling has not yet made a decision on his future, with interest from Premier League sides including Everton and Liverpool, and a potential stay at Stuttgart also remaining on the table. Roma are pressing for an answer from both the player and the German club as they seek to deliver an attacking option to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The shift away from Henrique represents a significant change in Roma's transfer strategy. Although the club had already secured agreements in principle with both Zenit and the Brazilian winger himself, D'Amico has elected to pursue other avenues. Leweling has now overtaken Henrique in Roma's hierarchy of targets for the wide forward position, though the Zenit option remains open as a contingency should negotiations with Stuttgart fail to reach completion. Roma and Stuttgart continue to work towards finding common ground on the structure and financial conditions of the deal. The coming hours are expected to prove crucial, with the club maintaining multiple solutions while intensifying focus on securing Leweling before the window closes.

Chelsea have placed Manu Koné high on their shortlist under manager Xabi Alonso and plan to intensify negotiations in the coming hours, according to RMC Sport. However, any move hinges on Enzo Fernandez's departure to Manchester City. Although Koné has previously expressed interest in playing in the Premier League, Roma are holding firm with less than a day until the transfer deadline, demanding no less than €55 million to let the French midfielder leave. The tight timeframe and difficulty in sourcing a suitable replacement have pushed Roma's management to prioritize keeping Koné in Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. The club's position reflects their determination to avoid losing a key player at the final hour of the window, despite the midfielder's stated Premier League ambitions.

Roma travel to Lecce this afternoon in their first away fixture of the season, carrying momentum from a commanding 4–0 opening-day victory over Fiorentina. Lecce began their campaign with a 2–0 win at Venezia and will provide stiff opposition at the Via del Mare. Gasperini intends to field a largely unchanged side from the Fiorentina match. A contest remains open at right-back between Lulli and Molina, with the younger Roma player favoured for the match. In attack, Mora is the preferred option ahead of Soulé, Dybala and Malen. Roma will line up in a 3–4–2–1 formation: Svilar in goal; Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso across the back; Lulli, Koné, Cristante and Wesley in midfield; Dybala and Mora in support; Malen leading the line. Koulierakis, Molina, Balerdi, Ghilardi, De Roon, Pisilli, Castro and Soulé are among the substitutes. Lecce will adopt a 4–2–3–1 shape under Eusebio Di Francesco: Falcone; Veiga, Tiago Gabriel, Gaspar, Gallo; Coulibaly, Gorter; Pierotti, Ngom, N'Dri; Geubbels. The match kicks off at 16:30, with Chiffi of Padova as referee, assisted by Imperiale and Cecconi. Di Bello is fourth official, Di Paolo on VAR, and Paganessi as assistant VAR.

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.

Roma travel to Lecce on 31 August at 18:30 seeking to build on their commanding 4–0 opening-day victory over Fiorentina. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini intends to make minimal changes to the starting eleven that earned that emphatic win, with the principal uncertainty centring on the right-back slot where Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli are contending for a starting place. Rodrigo Mora is favoured to retain his position in the attacking line alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, who scored a hat-trick against Fiorentina. Mile Svilar will continue in goal, with the defensive trio of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso set to remain unchanged in front of him. Wesley will operate at left-back, while Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are expected to continue as the central midfield pairing, despite the latter finishing the Fiorentina match with minor physical discomfort. The attacking system allows the three front players considerable fluidity, with Dybala given freedom to drift between the lines and support Malen as the most advanced referential point. Two recent arrivals—Marten de Roon and Leonardo Balerdi—have been included in the travelling squad for Lecce but are unlikely to start. De Roon, officially confirmed by Roma in recent hours, and Balerdi, newly arrived, have had minimal training time with their teammates and will serve as potential substitutes. Gasperini stated that he considered Matías Soulé fully available for the Lecce fixture, though Mora currently holds the edge for the starting role. The ballottage readings suggest Molina leads Lulli 55–45 per cent, while Mora is favoured 65–35 per cent over Soulé. Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch remain unavailable. Roma's tactical setup is expected to mirror the successful pattern from the opening day, with ten positions clearly established and the contest between Molina and Lulli on the right flank representing the main selection dilemma Gasperini faces.

Roma travel to Lecce this afternoon in their first away fixture of the season, carrying momentum from a commanding 4–0 opening-day victory over Fiorentina. Lecce began their campaign with a 2–0 win at Venezia and will provide stiff opposition at the Via del Mare. Gasperini intends to field a largely unchanged side from the Fiorentina match. A contest remains open at right-back between Lulli and Molina, with the younger Roma player favoured for the match. In attack, Mora is the preferred option ahead of Soulé, Dybala and Malen. Roma will line up in a 3–4–2–1 formation: Svilar in goal; Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso across the back; Lulli, Koné, Cristante and Wesley in midfield; Dybala and Mora in support; Malen leading the line. Koulierakis, Molina, Balerdi, Ghilardi, De Roon, Pisilli, Castro and Soulé are among the substitutes. Lecce will adopt a 4–2–3–1 shape under Eusebio Di Francesco: Falcone; Veiga, Tiago Gabriel, Gaspar, Gallo; Coulibaly, Gorter; Pierotti, Ngom, N'Dri; Geubbels. The match kicks off at 16:30, with Chiffi of Padova as referee, assisted by Imperiale and Cecconi. Di Bello is fourth official, Di Paolo on VAR, and Paganessi as assistant VAR.

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.

Roma travel to Lecce on 31 August at 18:30 seeking to build on their commanding 4–0 opening-day victory over Fiorentina. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini intends to make minimal changes to the starting eleven that earned that emphatic win, with the principal uncertainty centring on the right-back slot where Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli are contending for a starting place. Rodrigo Mora is favoured to retain his position in the attacking line alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, who scored a hat-trick against Fiorentina. Mile Svilar will continue in goal, with the defensive trio of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso set to remain unchanged in front of him. Wesley will operate at left-back, while Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are expected to continue as the central midfield pairing, despite the latter finishing the Fiorentina match with minor physical discomfort. The attacking system allows the three front players considerable fluidity, with Dybala given freedom to drift between the lines and support Malen as the most advanced referential point. Two recent arrivals—Marten de Roon and Leonardo Balerdi—have been included in the travelling squad for Lecce but are unlikely to start. De Roon, officially confirmed by Roma in recent hours, and Balerdi, newly arrived, have had minimal training time with their teammates and will serve as potential substitutes. Gasperini stated that he considered Matías Soulé fully available for the Lecce fixture, though Mora currently holds the edge for the starting role. The ballottage readings suggest Molina leads Lulli 55–45 per cent, while Mora is favoured 65–35 per cent over Soulé. Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch remain unavailable. Roma's tactical setup is expected to mirror the successful pattern from the opening day, with ten positions clearly established and the contest between Molina and Lulli on the right flank representing the main selection dilemma Gasperini faces.

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.

Roma are targeting one, possibly two more signings before the transfer window closes, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini seeking a left-back and an attacking winger to complete his squad. Gasperini said: "I don't know if it will be possible, but it is always what I have asked for: a left-back and an attacking winger." The left-back search stalled after Dutch prospect Oosterwolde was sent back to Fenerbahçe due to physical problems. The hunt for an attacking winger now centres on Luiz Henrique, the Brazilian at Zenit Saint Petersburg, though Botafogo—the club where Henrique played in 2024—is also pursuing him. Roma are simultaneously working on alternative targets in the Bundesliga. Jamie Leweling of Stuttgart has emerged as a serious option; the German winger is under contract with Stuttgart until 2029, but German sources reported a valuation of €50–55 million. Chelsea's Jamie Gittens is also being tracked as a third option. Any arrival depends partly on the possible departure of Matías Soulé, though Gasperini effectively ruled that out. Soulé's agent is exploring last-minute solutions, with the Argentine keen to secure regular playing time.

Leonardo Balerdi is set to complete his move to Roma, landing at Ciampino airport at 17:40 this afternoon. The Argentine defender's arrival marks the decisive step towards concluding the operation with Olympique Marseille. After landing, Balerdi will complete Roma's required procedures before signing his contract. The transfer is structured as a loan with an obligation to buy subject to specific conditions, with final details agreed between the clubs in recent hours. Balerdi will sign a deal potentially tying him to Roma until 2031. He becomes a new defensive reinforcement for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, following Roma's decision to abandon their pursuit of Jayden Oosterwolde after medical concerns emerged during his evaluation.