Roma eye Mason Greenwood swoop as Soulé sale looms

Atalanta supporters paid tribute to Marten De Roon during their match against Bologna at the Gewiss Stadium, displaying a banner reading 'Even if it hurts this much… thank you Marten' as the Dutch midfielder completed his transfer to Roma. The message, signed with affection by the Bergamo fans, captured the bittersweet mood of the Atalanta faithful—sadness at losing a key figure in their midfield but profound gratitude for his years of service, battles on the pitch, and leadership both on and off the field. De Roon, who had long been a cornerstone of Atalanta's midfield, has now begun a new chapter in his career at the Giallorossi. He will reunite with Gian Piero Gasperini, Roma's head coach, at Trigoria. Despite the painful separation for the Bergamo club, mutual respect and esteem between De Roon and Atalanta's supporters remained intact, as evidenced by the heartfelt message that appeared in the stadium. The display reflected the genuine emotional bond between the player and the club's fanbase, demonstrating how football transfers, while sometimes bringing unwanted surprises, can also reveal moments of sincere emotional attachment between players and supporters.

AS Roma have submitted a written offer worth approximately €35 million plus add-ons for Jamie Leweling, Stuttgart's right winger, as the club looks to complete a permanent transfer in the final days of the summer window. The German club's response is awaited.

Roma have tabled a fresh offer for Zenit Saint Petersburg winger Luiz Henrique in the closing stages of the transfer window, signalling the club's determination to land an attacking reinforcement for coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The new proposal is worth approximately €38 million in fixed fees plus €5 million in add-ons, for a total potential value near €43 million, according to ESPN Brasil. This represents a significant increase on Roma's previous bid, which Zenit rejected when it stood at around €38 million overall; Roma restructured the deal to boost the guaranteed component. The renewed push for Luiz Henrique comes after the transfer track appeared to have stalled in recent hours. Simultaneously, Roma continue to pursue Stuttgart winger Jamie Leweling as an alternative avenue. Sporting director Tony D'Amico is working both leads without yet establishing a clear hierarchy between the two targets. The timing carries additional weight: Roma recently cleared the way for forward Robinio Vaz to leave after initially blocking his departure pending the arrival of a replacement, a move the article frames as a potential signal of the club's confidence in closing at least one of the two deals in the coming days. Both pursuits underscore Roma's commitment to bolstering their attacking options. The elevated offer for Luiz Henrique demonstrates the club's willingness to invest substantially, while the Leweling option remains concrete. As of now, neither deal is finalized—Zenit have not accepted Roma's improved proposal—and the next phase will clarify which path is more likely to reach completion.

Roma defeated Lecce 4-0 in Serie A's second matchday, extending their perfect start to the season with a dominant display. Donyell Malen scored twice in the opening 23 minutes, capitalising on defensive lapses from the hosts to put the contest beyond doubt early on. Matías Soulé added a third before half-time, while Rodrigo Mora completed the rout in the second half with his first Serie A goal. The victory follows Roma's 4-0 win over Fiorentina in their opening fixture. Gasperini's side now sit level on points with Inter, Juventus, Milan and Lazio at the top of the table with perfect records, but lead the standings on goal difference with 8 goals scored and none conceded. Malen has now signed five goals across the opening two league matches. The midfielder's contribution has been central to Roma's attacking prowess in these opening fixtures, with the attacking unit functioning at a high level across both matches.

Rodrigo Mora scored his first Roma goal in the second half of the 2–1 victory at Lecce on matchday two, and spoke to journalists after the final whistle about the significance of the moment and his early impression of the club. "I want to continue like this. Starting this way was my dream. I'm very happy," Mora said of his debut strike. He expressed particular emotion at sharing the pitch with Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. "It's a dream for me to play with Dybala—I followed him since I was a child. I tried to give him an assist. For me it's marvellous to play with a champion like him and Malen." Mora credited head coach Gian Piero Gasperini with engineering his arrival: "For me the manager was decisive. He wanted a player with my characteristics. I want to continue with him." The midfielder acknowledged the physical demands of Gasperini's methods. "At first the training sessions were very hard, it cost me a bit to adapt, but the results are already showing," he said, adding that Gasperini frequently corrects his decision-making on the ball: "He corrects me often when I receive the ball—to open up, to take on the opponent, to play face-on, vertically." Mora is still in the process of settling into Rome. "I've had little time so far to visit such a special city. I had special treatment from the Porto fans and I'm getting the same from Roma fans," he said. He expressed hope of meeting Francesco Totti soon: "I haven't yet had the chance to get to know the city—I'm still finishing my move. I hope to meet Totti soon. He was an idol for an entire generation."

Gian Piero Gasperini expressed satisfaction with Roma's start to the season after a 4–0 victory over Lecce, telling Sky Sport that the squad has been substantially strengthened and now possesses the depth to maintain performance even when key players are unavailable. "The squad's condition is spectacular," Gasperini said. "It was evident we had top-level players. It was important to put players of equal strength alongside them. This is an extraordinary group in terms of values, who give everything and are attached to Roma. The team plays with passion, a fundamental aspect." Gasperini highlighted the continuity Roma achieved from last season's third-place finish in Serie A, which gave the group confidence and familiarity. "Compared to last year we have greater understanding," he explained. "We played a season together and did so in a crescendo, in confidence in finding the way to score. These are advantages for the second year. We are stronger and more solid mentally. We approach every match. This is a group of very healthy lads, with values." He emphasised that the recent departures and injuries have not dented the team's ambition: when Evan N'Dicka became unavailable during the warm-up before the Lecce match, the squad did not drop its level. On individual performances, Gasperini drew a comparison between Donyell Malen and Gonzalo Higuaín. "It can stand. Perhaps Malen has less stature. But for control, acceleration, and shooting, it's a comparison that fits," he said. He also praised Paulo Dybala's continuity and Matías Soulé's display, noting that Rodrigo Mora had scored his first goal for the club. Gasperini confirmed that Marten de Roon has arrived to bolster the midfield, and that Santiago Castro and Rodrigo provide attacking solutions. He expressed hope that Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch would soon be available to add further options. The manager reflected on his previous experience of leading strong forwards, including Milito at Genoa: "Malen has the ability to control, shoot and accelerate over a few metres that burns you. We made a fine gamble and I'd say it's working well." When asked about the transfer market closing on 1 September, Gasperini said: "I don't know anything, I haven't spoken to D'Amico, I need to call him." On the title race, he tempered expectations: "Inter have a straight stretch of advantage, then there are squads equipping themselves notably, even more than us in some respects, including Como, no longer to be considered a surprise, and then the usual big teams. We must look at our own road and path."