Roma close in on Rodrigo Mora and complete Nahuel Molina signing

Manu Koné is back at Trigoria after a month at the centre of transfer speculation. United, Chelsea, Atlético Madrid and Saudi Arabia all made enquiries, but only Atlético Madrid made a concrete offer—€43 million—which Roma rejected. The midfielder returns following the World Cup and a brief spell away, including a visit to his former club, and will train with Gasperini today as he works to regain match fitness. Koné's absence has left a void in Roma's midfield during pre-season. Defeats to Cardiff and Brighton exposed a lack of balance and quality in the centre of the park, with Gasperini visibly waiting for the French midfielder's return to provide the rhythm and intensity his side has lacked. After spending the summer in limbo, Koné's stay in Rome is now secure. He has consistently stated his contentment in the capital and his desire to continue his story in giallorosso, never pushing for a move away despite the interest. Following personalised training to catch up with his teammates, Koné will reclaim the midfield role that is rightfully his. Fiorentina lies ahead, and with Koné's return, Gasperini has recovered the engine that will drive Roma's campaign forward.

Roma are pressing to close a deal for Alessio Cacciamani, the 2007-born Torino left-back who impressed in Serie B last season. The club has tabled an offer of around €12 million, cutting the gap with Torino's asking price to just €2 million. Cacciamani would provide depth on the left flank behind Wesley as Roma prepare for the new season under Gasperini. To generate funds and offset spending, Roma are simultaneously working on player sales. Jan Ziolkowski is expected to receive an official offer from Saudi Arabia worth approximately €20 million—a substantial profit on his €6 million summer purchase. That deal could unlock further investment in the squad. Matías Soulé remains a possible departure to finance additional signings, though no official offers have been received so far; Milan had shown some interest in recent days but nothing concrete has materialised. Tony D'Amico continues to manage multiple fronts across the transfer market, with the aim of delivering Gasperini a complete and competitive squad ahead of the season's start.

Real Madrid have decided to keep Endrick and rule out any sale or loan move this summer. The Brazilian forward has impressed José Mourinho and will have an opportunity to prove himself at the Bernabéu. However, his long-term future remains uncertain. According to The Athletic, if Endrick fails to find regular playing time in the coming months, Madrid could revisit a loan arrangement — a model they already employed last season when he spent time at Lyon. Roma had maintained regular contact over a potential deal but have been rebuffed by Madrid's stance. The Giallorossi may attempt another approach in January, though the club's resolve appears firm. Endrick himself has not yet committed to staying; he retains the option to request a transfer if he feels sidelined. The Brazilian's participation and minutes will be the decisive factor in whether he remains in the Spanish capital or seeks an exit when the winter transfer window opens.

Roma are working to sign Tottenham left-back Udogie, an Italy international and former Verona and Udinese player, after he gave his availability to return to Italian football. The move is positioned as a reinforcement on the flanks following the departures of Angeliño, Çelik and Tsimikas from last season, with only Molina having arrived so far to fill that void. Negotiations are currently on hold, however, as Roma's director of football must resolve two preliminary tasks. The first is to complete a deal for winger Mora — expected to be Gasperini's next signing — from a London club asking around 30 million euros, which would free up funds to pursue Udogie. Fiorentina have also targeted the Tottenham player, but the club do not appear inclined to make an investment of that scale. Roma are more committed to the pursuit. Udogie was previously approached by Fiorentina through Paolo Paratici, the former Tottenham executive, and has indicated willingness to join. His agent, Emeka, is understood to be facilitating the move. The agent is keen to rehabilitate his reputation following what is characterised as poor handling of negotiations over Sancho last season.

Roma's pre-season tour of England ended in a heavy 3–0 defeat to Brighton. Goals from Georginio and a double from Ayari condemned the Giallorossi to a sluggish, listless performance that prompted immediate concern from head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. "Terrible: a poor performance, lacking the right concentration. We're struggling to switch on, but we think we can fix it soon," Gasperini said after the match. The squad returns to Trigoria on Tuesday for group training, which will mark Nahuel Molina's first session with the team. Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury layoff extends beyond initial expectations, with Gasperini warning recovery will take at least a month and the matter will be reassessed in September. The coach also urged patience for players returning from international duty—Evan N'Dicka, Neil El Aynaoui, and Donyell Malen among them—as Roma prepare for Serie A's start in a fortnight. On the transfer front, Gasperini confirmed changes to the squad. "We replaced Çelik with Molina and Dovbyk with Castro, then Koulierakis arrived. But numerically we still need something. D'Amico is negotiating very young but important players," he said, referencing director Tony D'Amico's ongoing dealings in the market.

Roma lost 3–0 to Brighton in a pre-season friendly at the American Express Stadium, their final test during their warm-weather camp in England. Goals from Rutter and Ayari in the first half, and a second from Ayari in the second, secured the home side's victory. Despite a decent opening 45 minutes, Roma's display deteriorated markedly after the interval. Gasperini fielded several academy players and made experimental changes, including replacing Çelik with Molina and Dovbyk with Castro. After the match, Gasperini addressed the media about the transfer market. He said: "If I do the count at the moment we are few. We have replaced Çelik with Molina. We have replaced Dovbyk with Castro, who I think will give us good satisfaction and for me it was a good operation. And then this boy (Koulierakis) arrived to complete the defence, and he seems interesting to me." The coach acknowledged further work remains: "If you count numerically it seems to me we still need something, but you know who to go for and how to close. There are good possibilities. D'Amico is searching and negotiating very young but also very important players. That is the indication." Lorenzo Pellegrini has signed a contract extension keeping him at Roma until June 2027. Roma announced the deal, describing Pellegrini—developed through the academy—as embodying the club's sporting vision and values. The squad returns to Trigoria before Roma's Serie A opener against Fiorentina on 24 August. Real Madrid's Endrick remains a target for the attacking midfield, with Gasperini viewing him as a priority to strengthen the forward line.

Roma continue their pre-season preparation in England on Saturday 8 August, facing Brighton at the American Express Stadium with kickoff at 16:00. Head coach Gasperini will be without Molina, who will join the squad directly at Trigoria, though Malen is available. Pisilli and Bah remain sidelined through injury. The friendly forms part of Roma's summer training schedule following their time in Wales. Gasperini has confirmed his squad composition for the match, with the unavailability of two key players due to injury requiring tactical adjustments. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN, accessible via the app or official website through smartphone, PC, or tablet.

Roma face Brighton on Saturday 8 August at 16:00 at the Amex Stadium in their sixth pre-season friendly. The match will be the third and final test of Roma's summer tour. Following victories over Primavera and Trastevere, a draw with Cannes, a defeat to Cardiff City, and a win against Newport County on Tuesday, Gian Piero Gasperini's side continue their build-up to the 2026–27 season. Roma will be without two players for the fixture. Niccolò Pisilli is sidelined by injury and expected to return the following week, while Bah faces a longer absence due to a cruciate ligament rupture. Brighton, managed by Hürzeler, will provide the final acid test before Roma's competitive campaign begins. Brighton vs Roma will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN with a 16:00 kickoff on Saturday 8 August. Viewers can access the stream via the DAZN app on smart TV, Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, or TIM VISION Box. Live coverage and social media updates will also be available on Forzaroma.info, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Roma completed their final day of training in Wales on 6 August with a double session at Hensol, the first at 10.30 and the second at 16.00. Donyell Malen returned to group training after working separately the previous day, while Niccolò Pisilli remained unavailable and will rejoin the squad the following week. The club flies to London on 7 August before heading to Brighton for the final stage of their pre-season tour in the United Kingdom. Roma will face Brighton in a friendly on 8 August at 15.00 (16.00 Italian time), a rematch of their 2024 Europa League encounter. The squad will return to Rome immediately after the match. Two further pre-season fixtures follow: a test against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August, and their Serie A opener against Fiorentina on 24 August.

Roma continues to struggle in finding an attacking left winger, prompting head coach Gian Piero Gasperini to evaluate a significant tactical overhaul for the 2026–27 season. High costs and a lack of suitable profiles have left the position unfilled despite sustained efforts, pushing the club to consider a strategic change in formation. The proposal would move away from two attacking midfielders supporting a single striker toward a system with one attacking midfielder behind two forwards. This tactical shift would align with Roma's recent recruitment priorities, including reported interest in players such as Rodrigo Mora and Endrick. With attacking options like Donyell Malen, a forward identified as Castro, and Robinio Vaz already in the squad, alongside creative midfielders of the calibre of Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini, Roma would have the versatility to reshape its attacking setup to suit the strengths of its available players and adapt the system to their characteristics.

Roma resumed training at Trigoria on 11 August following a spell at a Welsh training camp, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini welcoming back key figures and new arrivals. Manu Koné returned from post-World Cup leave and is set to remain at the club barring an irresistible offer, with Chelsea having made only a tentative enquiry. Argentine winger Nahuel Molina arrived at Ciampino on 10 August in front of approximately 200 celebrating supporters and signed a four-year contract on 11 August, becoming immediately available for selection. Lorenzo Pellegrini, fresh from renewing his contract, will not yet feature, as he completes final physiotherapy for a right thigh muscle injury recurrence. The midfielder will rejoin the squad only after 15 August. Pellegrini's absence is the sole notable absence from an otherwise buoyant day at Trigoria, where Gasperini begins preparations with a reinforced squad ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has returned to Roma's training base at Trigoria but will not participate in Wednesday's session following the club's pre-season retreat in Wales. The midfielder is in the final phase of physiotherapy treatment for a muscular injury to the rectus femoris of his right thigh and will rejoin group training after 15 August. Manu Koné has completed his post-World Cup break and will be available for selection immediately. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will have access to both players as Roma prepare for the campaign ahead. Koné remains at the club despite a light enquiry from Chelsea, and is expected to stay at Roma barring any surprise developments. Pellegrini, who recently signed a new contract, was previously captain of the club. His recovery means Roma will have two key midfield reinforcements ready soon as Gasperini builds towards the opening fixtures of the season.