Roma continue to track Doumbia as Juventus and Premier League clubs circle

Roma director D'Amico has identified central defender Gabriel Zarrella as a target for the future, according to reports. The 2008-born player, who has an Italian father and Brazilian mother and was born in Cologne, currently plays for Stuttgart's Under-19 side and has featured in two Youth League matches for the German club. Zarrella's contract with Stuttgart expires on 30 June next year, though the club holds an option to renew for another season. With Roma managing their workload across Serie A and the Champions League, the club is also planning ahead for January and beyond. Zarrella's father, Giovanni, previously spent time in Roma's youth academy, adding to the club's familiarity with the family. Roma are monitoring the defender's development, as is the Italian Football Federation, which is keen to convince him to represent Italy at international level.

Endrick came off the bench to inflict Real Madrid's comeback victory against Roma at the Olimpico on Wednesday night, turning the tables on a club that had pursued him extensively during the summer transfer window before Madrid refused to let him leave. The Brazilian, a 2006-born prospect, had started the season with just four minutes of action and his frustration was evident. For the entire summer Roma and Endrick came close to agreement, only for José Mourinho to block the deal from Madrid's end. Now, after a devastating half-hour display down the wing—dribbling and attacking that exhausted Mario Hermoso and Nahuel Molina before exposing Konstantinos Koulierakis—the landscape has shifted dramatically. Roma has maintained contact with Endrick's entourage throughout, aware that a January window reopening could provide a second opportunity to land the forward. Real Madrid invested in Endrick when he was still a teenager. The scenario, however, has now been altered by his commanding performance at the Olimpico, which made Mourinho's return to Roma all the more memorable. Roma will hope their strong interest in January can reignite a deal that slipped through their fingers in the summer.

Roma's collapse against Real Madrid on Wednesday exposed a critical weakness: the absence of potent attacking alternatives on the bench. José Mourinho was able to deploy Arda Güler, Carlos Espí and Endrick to reshape Madrid's attack and mount their comeback, while Gasperini had to manage a squad already stretched by the injuries of Koné and Dybala, limiting his ability to shift the match through substitutions. The disparity underscores gaps in Roma's summer recruitment and points to unmet requests from the coaching staff. The club's priority remains a left-sided attacking winger, preferably right-footed, capable of beating defenders, creating numerical superiority and offering a concrete alternative to the regular starters. Roma also needs a left-footed full-back to broaden the manager's tactical options. Endrick would have represented one of the most appealing opportunities, as he demonstrated against Madrid, but Mourinho has publicly restated his determination to keep the Brazilian, declaring that anyone wanting to take him away in January will have to "fight" with him—language that makes any deal particularly difficult. Inspection has turned to other targets. Jamie Gittens at Chelsea has accumulated only 56 minutes in official competitions this season and may be open to a move in the next transfer window due to limited opportunities. Jamie Leweling at Stuttgart decided to stay over the summer but has not secured a regular starting place; in the first five Bundesliga matches he started only once, though he played over seventy minutes in the last fixture against Paderborn. His situation remains unresolved. New names on the radar include Kvernadze and Van Bommel. Tony D'Amico's task in the coming weeks will be to assess which opportunities can materialise—either from targets already monitored in summer or from new situations involving discontented players, those with limited game time, or those who become suddenly available. In January, Roma will seek above all another signing in the mould of Malen: a ready-made reinforcement to slot into rotation and immediately strengthen attacking depth. Wednesday's match against Real highlighted once more how heavily alternatives can weigh, especially when a contest is decided in the final twenty minutes.

Roma will face Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico on 17 October in Serie A matchday 8, with Daniele De Rossi in charge of the visiting side. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad, with Rodrigo Mora returning to the starting lineup after providing an assist in the Champions League against Real Madrid. Matías Soulé will play alongside the Portuguese midfielder, while Emanuele Lulli is expected to replace Nahuel Molina at left-back, with Wesley confirmed on the opposite flank. Pierluigi Gollini will start in goal behind a three-man defence of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso, with Leonardo Balerdi pressing for a place. Niccolò Pisilli and Marten de Roon complete the midfield four. Santiago Castro leads the attack. Roma's expected formation: 3-4-2-1.

Aleandro Rosi, a former Roma defender who trained under Gian Piero Gasperini at Genoa, has said Roma have the credentials to fight Inter for the Serie A title despite their Champions League loss to Real Madrid. Rosi told Retesport that Roma dominated the match but Real Madrid exploited a collapse to score three goals with ease. He drew a parallel to last season's defeats against Inter and Juventus, describing the capitulation as unacceptable at Champions League level. Rosi identified defensive substitutions as a critical issue. "I would not have removed the centre-backs, Mancini and Hermoso, as happened against Inter," he said. "Central defenders should only come off when they are dying on the pitch." He also highlighted set-piece vulnerability, noting that zonal marking proved ineffective and suggesting Gollini, at 190cm tall, could have taken greater command of the area with his fists or a punch clear to support his teammates. Rosi observed that Roma played a "sensational" 70 minutes, similar to the Inter fixture, but changes in personnel made the difference. On Wesley, Rosi suggested the right-back "expresses himself better on the left side alongside Molina on the opposite flank," though he acknowledged Roma lack Mancini currently. Rosi praised Gasperini's tactical approach, saying: "He is a field animal. Perhaps he has gained more awareness of his work. I like this coaching style very much; as a coach I will draw inspiration from him since I am studying to begin a new career." Asked whether Roma can be Inter's main challengers, Rosi replied: "Roma have all the cards to fight to the end. Gasperini is not afraid of anyone. Inter have something more but Roma will be able to trouble them—they are candidates to compete for the title."

Gian Piero Gasperini held his pre-match press conference on 16 October ahead of Roma's Serie A fixture against Genoa on 17 October at 20:45 at the Stadio Olimpico. The manager provided injury updates following Roma's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid: Manu Koné has sustained a grade-one muscle lesion and Roma hope to have him available for the Sassuolo match, while Paulo Dybala is suffering fatigue to his calf and may return within a week. Gasperini confirmed that young players including Santiago Castro will feature prominently due to injuries and suspensions affecting the squad. Gasperini reflected on the defeat to Real Madrid, acknowledging Roma's quality whilst highlighting the importance of reacting immediately. He said the squad has demonstrated value over recent months and can compete with elite teams, but must avoid moral collapses. He noted that Roma were reduced to ten men against Como in their previous match, and highlighted the specific damage inflicted by Real Madrid's set-piece goals: "Three goals from corners…I had seen three missed penalties and thought that was a record, the other evening we surpassed ourselves." Gasperini stressed the need to strengthen the squad depth, saying that sides competing in the Champions League cannot operate with a squad of only 15 players and that substitutions are essential. On team selection for Genoa, Gasperini confirmed Lorenzo Pellegrini can operate in midfield and that Bryan Cristante is being assessed with a view to facing Napoli. Castro will lead the attack, offering "a good opportunity" for the youngster. De Roon, Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora were discussed as young players in development. Gasperini defended the use of five substitutes and set-piece defending, noting: "In such tight spaces, you defend anyway on the man, on the opponent. You don't follow him everywhere. It has always been effective; last year we won matches with Mancini, Hermoso, N'Dicka, Cristante…the other evening this happened." He added that some recent substitutes had performed well: "Mora came on well, Pellegrini too, Pisilli came on immediately, Koulierakis came on at the end." Gasperini emphasized that Roma must produce a strong response against Genoa. He stated: "Tomorrow we have a need for strength, conviction, energy…In the league we are protagonists, and tomorrow is a match that in one way or another we must pull out. If you win this type of match you recover players and give value to the players." The manager indicated that young academy players from the Primavera may be used if necessary.