Roma complete De Roon deal from Atalanta as El Aynaoui departs to Leipzig

Roma are pursuing reinforcements on three fronts with three days left in the transfer window. Sporting director Tony D'Amico has reached agreement with Zenit Saint Petersburg for Luiz Henrique on a paid loan with a conditional right of redemption that converts to an obligation, pending the Brazilian's final approval. Other options for a left-sided attacking midfielder remain under consideration: Jamie Gittens, with Chelsea evaluating a loan opening; Jamie Leweling of Stuttgart; and Ecuadorian prospect Keny Arroyo from Cruzeiro. In midfield, Neil El Aynaoui is set to leave for RB Leipzig in a deal worth €4 million for the loan, €25 million for the right of redemption, and a percentage of any future resale. To replace him, Roma have secured Marten De Roon. The Dutchman has asked Atalanta to release him to reunite with coach Gian Piero Gasperini and play in the Champions League. The transfer could be completed in the coming days through a gentlemen's agreement worth €1 million with the Bergamo club, though the deal has drawn some scepticism from supporters on social media. Gasperini, appointed in 2025, is overseeing a significant reshaping of Roma's squad ahead of their Champions League campaign this season.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is pressing AS Roma to complete the signing of a winger before the transfer window closes, with the club's latest target reportedly Luiz Henrique, a 25-year-old Brazilian at Zenit Saint Petersburg. The search for an external defender remains a priority for Gasperini, who is counting down the final hours of the market. Roma have blocked the loan move of Robinio Vaz to Hull City, keeping the young French forward at the club until the manager secures his desired winger. Gasperini will not release Vaz while still hunting for an attacking reinforcement. Fofana, another target, appears unlikely to materialise as Lyon will only consider permanent sales rather than loans. The situation has become increasingly uncomfortable for Roma, with further complications arising from Sunderland's interest in Matías Soulé; should the Argentine depart, the club would be forced into a last-minute search for a replacement. One piece of business has been confirmed: Leonardo Balerdi, an Argentine defender, has arrived in Rome to complete Gasperini's central defence options.

Roma are moving to strengthen their squad in the final three days of the transfer window with two major pieces in place. Marten De Roon has agreed terms with Roma and asked Atalanta to release him so he can join his former manager Gasperini for the Champions League campaign. De Roon would replace Neil El Aynaoui, who is heading to Leipzig on a deal worth 4 million for a loan and 25 million for the right to buy, plus a sell-on percentage. The clubs could reach a gentlemen's agreement that sees Roma pay Atalanta 1 million to complete the move, with De Roon potentially arriving in the city as early as today. In parallel, Roma have targeted a left-sided attacking player as a priority and have now opened negotiations for Luiz Henrique, a Brazilian at Zenit Saint Petersburg who was brought to the World Cup by Ancelotti. Although Henrique played on the left early in his career at Fluminense, he now operates primarily on the right wing, where he favours cutting inside with his left foot. Roma have tabled an offer to Zenit structured as a loan with a conditional right to buy that converts to an obligation; the clubs have agreed terms, and now the player's approval is needed. Roma continue to explore other options on the wing. Jamie Gittens at Chelsea remains a target, with Chelsea apparently open to a loan arrangement for the English winger. Roma's recruitment staff are also tracking Jamie Leweling of Stuttgart and have made enquiries about Keny Arroyo, an Ecuadorian prospect born in 2006 now at Cruzeiro, through intermediaries.

Roma are pursuing reinforcements on three fronts with three days left in the transfer window. Sporting director Tony D'Amico has reached agreement with Zenit Saint Petersburg for Luiz Henrique on a paid loan with a conditional right of redemption that converts to an obligation, pending the Brazilian's final approval. Other options for a left-sided attacking midfielder remain under consideration: Jamie Gittens, with Chelsea evaluating a loan opening; Jamie Leweling of Stuttgart; and Ecuadorian prospect Keny Arroyo from Cruzeiro. In midfield, Neil El Aynaoui is set to leave for RB Leipzig in a deal worth €4 million for the loan, €25 million for the right of redemption, and a percentage of any future resale. To replace him, Roma have secured Marten De Roon. The Dutchman has asked Atalanta to release him to reunite with coach Gian Piero Gasperini and play in the Champions League. The transfer could be completed in the coming days through a gentlemen's agreement worth €1 million with the Bergamo club, though the deal has drawn some scepticism from supporters on social media. Gasperini, appointed in 2025, is overseeing a significant reshaping of Roma's squad ahead of their Champions League campaign this season.

Roma are moving to strengthen their squad in the final three days of the transfer window with two major pieces in place. Marten De Roon has agreed terms with Roma and asked Atalanta to release him so he can join his former manager Gasperini for the Champions League campaign. De Roon would replace Neil El Aynaoui, who is heading to Leipzig on a deal worth 4 million for a loan and 25 million for the right to buy, plus a sell-on percentage. The clubs could reach a gentlemen's agreement that sees Roma pay Atalanta 1 million to complete the move, with De Roon potentially arriving in the city as early as today. In parallel, Roma have targeted a left-sided attacking player as a priority and have now opened negotiations for Luiz Henrique, a Brazilian at Zenit Saint Petersburg who was brought to the World Cup by Ancelotti. Although Henrique played on the left early in his career at Fluminense, he now operates primarily on the right wing, where he favours cutting inside with his left foot. Roma have tabled an offer to Zenit structured as a loan with a conditional right to buy that converts to an obligation; the clubs have agreed terms, and now the player's approval is needed. Roma continue to explore other options on the wing. Jamie Gittens at Chelsea remains a target, with Chelsea apparently open to a loan arrangement for the English winger. Roma's recruitment staff are also tracking Jamie Leweling of Stuttgart and have made enquiries about Keny Arroyo, an Ecuadorian prospect born in 2006 now at Cruzeiro, through intermediaries.

Neil El Aynaoui has completed his move from Roma to RB Leipzig on a deal structure of a paid loan worth €4 million with a purchase option set at €25 million. The agreement also includes a percentage on any future resale. The Moroccan midfielder departs after joining Roma last summer, and his exit clears the way for Marten de Roon to arrive at the club to strengthen the midfield under manager Gian Piero Gasperini. El Aynaoui had been identified as a potential departure in the final days of the transfer window. Leipzig had presented Roma with a formal proposal based on a paid loan with a purchase option, a structure Roma had shown greater openness to in recent days compared to an outright permanent sale. The move marks the end of El Aynaoui's brief spell in the Giallorossi colours as the club reshapes its midfield. The transfer came after contact between the two clubs in what had been fluid negotiations. Roma had previously indicated a preference for either an option to buy or different terms entirely, but Leipzig's structure ultimately satisfied both parties in what sources attribute to Fabrizio Romano.

Roma travel to Lecce on 31 August with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini intent on maintaining tactical consistency after the Fiorentina match. The team will keep the same attacking structure, with Rodrigo Mora operating in the trequarti alongside the forward pairing of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, who are expected to develop their understanding further. Wesley is certain to start on the left flank. On the opposite wing, Nahuel Molina is set to make his first start, having fully recovered and winning the contest with young squad member Emanuele Lulli. Devyne Rensch remains unavailable due to a muscle complaint, while Lorenzo Pellegrini is not expected to return until September. The midfield will be marshalled by Manu Koné and Bryan Cristante. The defensive line will see Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso deployed in front of goal, with Konstantinos Koulierakis ready to come on during the match. The change from the previous fixture appears limited to Molina's elevation to the starting eleven, underlining Gasperini's confidence in the team's recent form and tactical setup.

Neil El Aynaoui is in concrete danger of leaving Roma, with Crystal Palace having made an official opening bid structured as a loan with a right of purchase that could become mandatory on certain conditions. The offer does not satisfy Roma's valuation of €30–35 million, which demands either an outright sale or a guaranteed obligation to buy. Bayer Leverkusen has also registered interest, while Saudi Arabian clubs approached the player in recent days. The significance of a potential departure extends far beyond a single transaction: it would mark the near-complete dismantling of the squad assembled by sporting director Frederic Massara just one year ago. El Aynaoui was signed from Lens for €23 million plus €2 million in add-ons in summer 2025, representing one of Massara's principal investments alongside a lengthy pursuit of midfielder Richard Rios, who had been identified by coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Within twelve months the landscape has shifted entirely. El Aynaoui has not become a central figure in Gasperini's Roma, and a sale in the €30–35 million range would recover the original investment and generate a profit useful for UEFA financial compliance. Yet the sale would crystallise a broader pattern: the systematic removal of Massara's summer 2025 recruits—Wesley, Daniele Ghilardi, Evan Ferguson, Bailey, Jan Ziółkowski, and others—in favour of a squad more precisely aligned with Gasperini's demands. Of that original cohort, only Wesley and Donyell Malen (signed in January 2026) remain unchallenged, both having received Gasperini's direct endorsement. Bailey departed in January; Ferguson and Kostas Tsimikas returned to their parent clubs; Zaragoza, Venturino, and Zelezny have left; Ziółkowski is bound for Monza; Robinio Vaz has reached an agreement with Hull City on a paid loan with a right of purchase. The article frames the matter as a fundamental mismatch between Gasperini's precise tactical requirements—intensity, one-on-one strength, athleticism, aggression, defensive commitment in open play, and position-specific qualities—and Massara's recruitment trajectory. El Aynaoui, at 25 years old and in his prime with genuine international market interest from Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen, is scarcely a failed signing; a €35 million sale on a €25 million net spend is not a financial disaster. Yet the underlying tension is unavoidable: when a coach considers almost all his sporting director's signings from one year expendable within the next twelve months, something fundamental in the original construction has failed. A sale of El Aynaoui would convert a principal investment from the previous summer into capital to reinvest in a midfield and attacking flank now sought by Gasperini. The article poses a critical question as Roma seek to correct course: how much would it have cost to build a coherent squad aligned with Gasperini from the outset, rather than spending a year acquiring, waiting, selling, and repurchasing? Sporting director Tony D'Amico must construct a roster that is recognisable, coherent, and durable, because Roma has already consumed a year absorbing marketplace misalignment. Should El Aynaoui depart, Wesley and Malen will stand as the principal survivors—both chosen with Gasperini's strong approval.

Roma will not strengthen their wing-back options before the transfer window closes, barring late surprises. With Devyne Rensch sidelined by a left flexor injury, Gian Piero Gasperini will rely on four defenders to cover the flanks until January: Giorgio De Marzi and Nahuel Molina on the right, and Wesley on the left. Molina featured prominently in Roma's opening match against Fiorentina last Monday, while Lulli has also impressed in recent action. The Oosterwolde deal collapsed following additional medical checks, and with Balerdi's arrival imminent to complete the centre-back contingent, Roma have decided against further recruitment in the defensive ranks. The club's focus has instead shifted to signing an attacking left winger rather than a fourth midfield full-back, a decision made in light of the positive performances from Lulli. Any further wing signings remain possible in the final days of the market, but none is planned at present.

Roma travel to Lecce on 31 August with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini intent on maintaining tactical consistency after the Fiorentina match. The team will keep the same attacking structure, with Rodrigo Mora operating in the trequarti alongside the forward pairing of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, who are expected to develop their understanding further. Wesley is certain to start on the left flank. On the opposite wing, Nahuel Molina is set to make his first start, having fully recovered and winning the contest with young squad member Emanuele Lulli. Devyne Rensch remains unavailable due to a muscle complaint, while Lorenzo Pellegrini is not expected to return until September. The midfield will be marshalled by Manu Koné and Bryan Cristante. The defensive line will see Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso deployed in front of goal, with Konstantinos Koulierakis ready to come on during the match. The change from the previous fixture appears limited to Molina's elevation to the starting eleven, underlining Gasperini's confidence in the team's recent form and tactical setup.

Roma will learn the full league-phase schedule for the UEFA Champions League on 29 August, with the phase running from 8–10 September through 27 January. Real Madrid, Sporting, Lille and Slovan Bratislava will visit the Olimpico, while Roma travel to face PSG, Manchester United, Fenerbahçe and AEK Athens. The club has already sold 40,000 cup subscriptions, with the Curva Sud and Distinti Sud sections sold out. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini appears set to keep the starting eleven largely intact following Roma's convincing opening display against Fiorentina, fielding it again away at Lecce on Via del Mare. Rodrigo Mora is on course to start alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack, with a battle between Giorgio De Marzi and Nahuel Molina for the right-back position. Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, Mario Hermoso, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are expected to retain their places. Defence headaches persist: Devyne Rensch will miss the Lecce trip due to a left-flexor problem and continues treatment, while Lorenzo Pellegrini continues his recovery work on an individual programme.

Roma will not strengthen their wing-back options before the transfer window closes, barring late surprises. With Devyne Rensch sidelined by a left flexor injury, Gian Piero Gasperini will rely on four defenders to cover the flanks until January: Giorgio De Marzi and Nahuel Molina on the right, and Wesley on the left. Molina featured prominently in Roma's opening match against Fiorentina last Monday, while Lulli has also impressed in recent action. The Oosterwolde deal collapsed following additional medical checks, and with Balerdi's arrival imminent to complete the centre-back contingent, Roma have decided against further recruitment in the defensive ranks. The club's focus has instead shifted to signing an attacking left winger rather than a fourth midfield full-back, a decision made in light of the positive performances from Lulli. Any further wing signings remain possible in the final days of the market, but none is planned at present.