Roma Eyes the Future: Cristante Close to Contract Renewal, Potential Departures Emerging

Matías Soulé made his senior debut for Argentina in a friendly against Burkina Faso, a moment the Roma forward said he had been waiting for a long time. Santiago Castro also made his first appearance for the national team in the same match. Soulé will return to Trigoria ahead of Roma's fixtures against Como and Real Madrid. The 21-year-old has impressed during his time at Roma and earned his call-up as a reward for his performances. He spoke of the significance of finally representing his country at senior level, describing it as a dream realised with his family present for the occasion. At the end of the match, Soulé told Tyc Sports: "Yes, today it arrived. The truth is it's a dream. My whole family is here and it's an enormous emotion, I was waiting for this moment for a long time." On his form at Roma, he said: "Yes, obviously. I always gave everything to be able to be here. It's a dream to be here, it's a unique sensation. I was talking with some team-mates: being here is something magical. I'm really very happy, my whole family is here and now I want to enjoy this moment that I was waiting for a long time." On advice from team-mates, Soulé explained: "I always talk with him. Paulo told me to stay calm, like Molina who stayed in Rome together with Paulo. They obviously know the national team very well, I always listen to their advice."

Matías Soulé made his official Argentina debut on the night of 3 October 2026 in the match against Burkina Faso, speaking afterwards of his emotions and the advice he received from Roma teammates Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina ahead of the fixture. Soulé, who has had a strong season with Roma, described the occasion as a lifelong aspiration realised. The winger has worked consistently to earn his Argentina call-up and spoke of the magical feeling of representing his country, with his family present to witness the milestone. Both Dybala and Molina, who remained at Roma together, offered counsel before the match, drawing on their own extensive experience with the national team. Speaking to Tyc Sports, Soulé said: "Yes, it has arrived today. The truth is that it is a dream. My whole family is here and it is a huge emotion. I have been waiting for this moment for such a long time." On his Roma form, he reflected: "Yes, obviously. I have always given everything to be able to be here. It is a dream to be here, it is a unique sensation. I was talking about it with some teammates: being here is something magical. I am really very happy, my whole family is here and now I want to enjoy this moment that I have been waiting for such a long time." Asked about Dybala's counsel, Soulé explained: "I always talk with him. Paulo told me to stay calm, as Molina did—he stayed at Roma together with Paulo. They obviously know the national team very well, and I always listen to their advice."

Matías Soulé made his Argentina debut on 3 October 2026 alongside Santiago Castro, a milestone that has drawn unwanted attention from Fabián Berlanga, president of Velez Sarsfield, the club where Soulé grew up before leaving for Juventus at age 16. Berlanga has called for severe sanctions against the Roma forward, saying: "Soulé as Argentina's new number 10 after Messi? No, he should instead face an exemplary punishment. For example, permanent exclusion from the possibility of ever wearing that shirt number, or from wearing the captain's armband. He is not a good example. We don't like when young players leave on a free transfer, but we know it's a battle to fight against agents, who sometimes act in bad faith." The animosity stems from 2019, when Soulé, then a teenager, exploited a legal provision for underage footballers to break his Velez contract and depart on a free transfer. Berlanga's grievance centres on how the player, his family and his representatives used the regulation to circumvent the club's interests. The comments represent a reopening of old tensions surrounding Soulé's youth-level exit from Argentina.

Roman radio commentators debated Endrick's future and Roma's midfield depth in their daily round-up of opinion from the Rome airwaves. Agresti reported that Real Madrid want to loan out Endrick, and that despite Roma remaining in the picture and able to offer Champions League football, the forward is currently more inclined toward Milan. He has played only 4 minutes for Madrid this season. Mourinho had blocked his departure in the summer, but Endrick wants to showcase himself, and Milan are ready to give him playing time. The club from the San Siro have close relationships with Endrick's agents and had already tried to advance the matter over the summer; they are now reassessing in light of his minimal usage at Madrid. "Tutto dipende da Mourinho e dal fatto che lasci andare il giocatore" — everything depends on Mourinho and whether he lets the player leave, Agresti said. Pugliese suggested Mourinho's intervention in blocking the deal last summer reflected poor relations with the Friedkin ownership. He noted that Cardinale has a close relationship with Roc Nation, and Rodrygo will return to the Real Madrid fold in December, creating crowded options: Díaz, Yoro, Bernardo Silva, Mbappé, Vinicius, Diomande — too many players for too few places. If Mourinho wants to help someone, Pugliese said, "Penso che Mou se vuole dare una mano potrebbe darla Amorim, non a Gasperini" — he thinks Mou could lend it to Amorim, not Gasperini. On Roma's midfield, Pruzzo said young players must be given chances despite the errors they will make. He praised Bryan Cristante for playing every match and providing equilibrium and security to the squad and to Gasperini. "Nel momento in cui ti viene meno, devi avere un'alternativa a centrocampo: la Roma ha i giocatori contati, e questo può essere un problema" — the moment he becomes unavailable, you need an alternative in midfield, and Roma's options are limited, which could be a problem. Pugliese added that Portugal are pushing for Rodrigo Mora to play for the national team in the position left by Cristiano Ronaldo; Mora is a recognizable technical talent and should grow athletically. At Como, if Pellegrini is fit, he will play ahead of Mora.

Marten De Roon is preparing for a starting role in the wake of Bryan Cristante's injury, which will keep the Italian midfielder sidelined for approximately three weeks. De Roon, 35, is competing with Niccolò Pisilli for the position; Pisilli has impressed head coach Gian Piero Gasperini with a strong start to the season. The Dutch midfielder and Pisilli possess different characteristics, with De Roon operating as the more conservative option in midfield. Gasperini has consistently backed De Roon since his arrival at Roma, and the midfielder now has the chance to demonstrate why he remains the coach's trusted figure in the middle of the park.

Roma return to action after the international break with two crucial fixtures ahead: a Serie A visit to Como on Sunday 11 October at 12:30, followed by a Champions League match against Real Madrid. Marten de Roon is poised to seize a starting role in midfield after Bryan Cristante sustained a collateral ligament injury that will sideline him for approximately twenty days. The Dutch midfielder, who has joined Roma after several years at Bergamo, has impressed since his arrival and adapted well to the club's training environment at Trigoria. With Cristante sidelined, Gasperini's midfield setup has opened up significant space that de Roon is well-positioned to fill. The 33-year-old midfielder carries the tactical knowledge and versatility that suits the coach's system, making him a strong candidate for a starting berth in what will be a demanding double test across the domestic league and Europe's elite competition. Training resumes on Tuesday afternoon following a weekend rest period given to the squad after Friday's session. Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference on Saturday before Roma's departure for Lombardy. The Real Madrid encounter follows immediately after the Como fixture, bringing the intensity of back-to-back high-stakes matches in rapid succession.