Roma confirm Malen permanent signing from Aston Villa for €25m

Roma have made contact with free agent Matteo Darmian as they explore defensive reinforcements during an extended fixture break. The 36-year-old has fielded approaches from smaller clubs during the summer with no result, but would prioritise Roma over potential moves to Parma or Torino. He has also received lucrative proposals to move to Dubai and may not wait long for a decision. The Giallorossi created space after sending Anass Salah-Eddine on loan to Panathinaikos with a €7 million option to buy, despite his solid spell at PSV and a Morocco World Cup call-up. While Roma's wingback options are in reasonable condition—with Emanuele Lulli emerging as an early revelation—Gian Piero Gasperini favours adding experienced players to manage demanding roles. A left-sided defender would be the preference. The former Inter man was not retained by the Nerazzurri after six years and over 200 appearances, starting only nine times in 2025-26 owing to competition and a serious calf injury. Darmian, a Milan academy product, began his career at Palermo before flourishing at Torino. He later moved to Manchester United and returned to Italy through Parma before joining Inter. His veteran status and experience align with Gasperini's preferences, though questions remain about his physical condition after a difficult previous season.

Roma's radio shows dissected Saturday's 2–2 draw with Inter, with commentators praising the first-half performance but questioning the manager's tactical decisions in the second. Gianluca Piacentini argued that Roma should have converted more of their chances and that Gasperini erred in removing Manu Koné, saying: "For me Gasperini was wrong to take off Koné. If we're looking at who doesn't have 90 minutes in them, Dybala doesn't have it more than Koné does." Mario Corsi defended Koné's role in midfield, remarking: "The Frenchman holds the entire midfield on his own—at one point he seemed like Gullit." Roberto Pruzzo expressed disappointment at the substitutions, noting that Rodrigo Mora "cost an absolute fortune and the manager doesn't even bring him on," and citing Koné's missed opportunities as a turning point: "When you see Koné take two shots and score two goals instead of sending it into the corner, that's a moment you can't waste." Roma dominated the opening 45 minutes, creating numerous chances and holding Inter scoreless at the interval, but conceded almost immediately after the restart—a pattern of weakness several analysts highlighted. Alessio Nardo drew a stark contrast to Roma's 5–2 loss at San Siro on 5 April, saying: "Only a few months have passed, and whilst playing away is different, Roma not only didn't lose, they drew and are also disappointed. The real signal is that." Lorenzo Pes pinpointed the problem: "The goals conceded and the lapses at the start of the second half are the issue to solve." Piero Torri suggested Roma are pursuing left-winger Kvernadze, saying: "I have the impression that Roma are looking for him—and as it happens, he's a left-sided player with a right foot. He seems like an interesting player to me. You're short numerically on that type of player there." Checco Oddo Casano noted that Dybala has scored zero goals this season but provides one assist per match, whilst admitting he has squandered at least three goalscoring chances. Francesca Ferrazza warned of the fixture congestion ahead, stressing Roma need ready players before January. Fabio Petruzzi and David Rossi were among those who felt Roma had matched Inter's intensity, with Petruzzi declaring Roma and Inter "the two strongest teams in the league and will fight it out until the end." The consensus was that Roma's first-half dominance and the narrow scoreline represented real progress, though the defensive vulnerability in the second half must be corrected.

Roma will not pursue free-agent signings during the international break, despite rumours around players such as Darmian, Sancho and Guerreiro. Gasperini prefers to work with his current squad rather than add names for their own sake. The club's transfer strategy will shift in January, when Roma will target the two positions that remained unfilled in the summer window: a left-back and an attacking winger. Oosterwolde, a Dutch defender from Parma, is Roma's primary left-back target. He had already begun his move to Roma but was halted by a thigh tendon injury and subsequently underwent surgery. He will be ready for selection in January. Fenerbahçe intends to loan him out, and the position at Roma—filling a gap alongside Molina, Wesley, Lulli and Rensch—suits Gasperini well. The greater priority remains an attacking winger. After missing out on Leweling and Summerville, Roma's attention has shifted to two players reportedly unhappy at their current clubs: Endrick and Gittens, from Real Madrid and Chelsea respectively. Both clubs could be persuaded to loan their players out. Roma are also monitoring new names, particularly Kvernadze of Frosinone. Tony D'Amico had previously said, "We'll see further ahead" regarding free-agent acquisitions to bolster the summer market. The plan to strengthen an incomplete squad will take concrete shape when the January window opens.

Bryan Cristante, Donyell Malen and Wesley have chosen to remain at Trigoria rather than respond to call-ups from Italy, the Netherlands and Brazil respectively during the international break. The decision reflects the unity Gian Piero Gasperini has built at the club, with all three prioritizing recovery and preparation for a demanding stretch between 11 and 31 October, when Roma will play seven matches in 20 days. The move signals a sharp departure from recent history, when tension between the previous medical staff and coaching team had created friction. With the departure of Petrucci and the arrival of Del Vescovo in the medical department, coordination has improved markedly—each decision is now made with the common good and injury prevention in mind. Gasperini has emphasized that daily work serves as a "vaccine" that builds the squad's resilience. On the pitch, Roma have displayed strong athleticism, though some fatigue in the early stages of the second half suggests room for improvement remains. The cohesion at Trigoria reflects what Gasperini describes as a serene and unified atmosphere across squad, technical staff and the completely restructured medical area. This compactness will be tested during the international break, a window the club intends to use for recuperation and consolidation ahead of the congested fixture schedule.

Paulo Dybala has started all six of Roma's official matches so far this season—five in Serie A and one in the Champions League against Fenerbahce—without being substituted before the hour mark, accumulating nearly 500 minutes. Gian Piero Gasperini had promised: "If he is well, he always plays." For a player whose fitness has been compromised repeatedly in recent years by muscle injuries and two surgical procedures in the last two seasons (one for a tendon injury, the other on his meniscus), this consistency represents a significant shift. The last time Dybala enjoyed a comparable run of consecutive starts was under Claudio Ranieri between November 2024 and January 2025, when he started eleven times in a row. In the first five league matches alone, Dybala played 407 minutes of 450 available—90.4%—a level of continuity at the start of a season he has not achieved for ten years, since 2016–17. Gasperini's tactical approach appears to have uncovered a new dimension to Dybala's game. Against Inter, he covered 9.8 kilometres, outrunning Lautaro Martínez and Donyell Malen, and reached a top speed of 29 km/h—figures that show the coach is demanding far more than just his creative touch. Dybala has provided four official assists already, though the statistics understate his impact: his involvement preceded both of Manu Koné's goals against Inter and Malen's goal in Turin, passes the data does not fully credit. Across his last nine appearances spanning the end of last season and the current campaign, he has delivered eight assists, five of them to Malen, an understanding that is becoming one of Gasperini's principal weapons. The Dybala of a few years ago was primarily a finisher; now he increasingly functions as the team's offensive playmaker, coming deep, opening up space, spotting the striker's movement ahead of others, and accelerating play with a single touch. Gasperini expressed his confidence plainly: "Physically Dybala is a beast. He could often even do extra time." A statement that would have seemed paradoxical not long ago, when managing his physical condition was a recurring theme. What remains absent, however, is the goal. Dybala has not scored since Torino–Roma on 18 January. Eight months have passed on the calendar, though only thirteen appearances have occurred in between because of the meniscus injury and March's surgery. His drought has begun to weigh on a player accustomed throughout his career to making an impact in front of goal. Against Inter he shot four times and, encouragingly, attempted more aggressive finishing options, including a hard strike he has rarely attempted recently—not merely his customary left-footed curl, but renewed confidence in his strike and his body. This moment of returning to goalscoring is probably the final step Gasperini awaits. He has already recovered a Dybala capable of playing with continuity, running, supporting the team, and above all making those around him better. Now what remains is for him to resume doing what came most naturally for years: scoring.

Twelve Roma players have been called up to their respective national teams during the international break, leaving Trigoria semi-empty: Ghilardi, Mancini, Balerdi, Soulé, Castro, Mora, Pisilli, Lulli, De Marzi, Koné, N'Dicka and Koulierakis will join their countries. Bryan Cristante, Donyell Malen and Wesley will remain in Rome, though their physical problems are not causing concern and they are expected to be available for the return fixture against Como. The extended pause—roughly twenty days of useful preparation—will allow many players to recover and recharge before a demanding run of fixtures begins. Marten de Roon, who arrived at the club in the closing stages of the transfer window, stands to benefit significantly from the break. The midfielder is not yet at full fitness and has yet to start a match under Gasperini, partly due to the coach's reluctance to rotate and partly because he accumulated zero minutes in his first two appearances under Sarri at Bergamo over the summer. De Roon is an established Gasperini player who understands the manager's tactical demands, and he is gradually carving out space in the Roma squad. The upcoming international break will provide crucial recovery time before the club faces an intense fixture schedule after the Como match, when the depth of the full squad will be needed.