Roma hold firm on Koné as Chelsea interest emerges; Castro sends unity signal

Roma remain interested in Issa Doumbia, the midfielder now at Sporting Lisbon after his summer move from Venezia. Doumbia, born 2003, had already caught Roma's attention last summer, but Sporting's deal was already substantially agreed by then, and the Italian midfielder moved to Portugal directly from Serie B. He has recently made his debut for the Italian national team under coach Mancini. According to A Bola, Juventus, Newcastle and Brentford are also tracking Doumbia alongside Roma. Sporting Lisbon's intention, however, is clear: to secure the 2003-born player. The club has inserted a €80 million release clause into his contract to ward off interest.

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 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.

Roma face Genoa at the Olimpico on the day after their Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, with the focus turning to how quickly Gian Piero Gasperini's side can respond to a surreal collapse in the final twenty minutes of that European match. Genoa arrive in Rome on the back of a victory over Fiorentina that has stabilised Daniele De Rossi's position on their bench, where he has struggled with just one point from five matches until that win. Legend Roberto Pruzzo, speaking ahead of the fixture, offered perspective on both sides' circumstances. On Genoa's revival, he said: "I'd say so, because it was shaky—with one point in five matches it's tough, even though he [De Rossi] has integrated completely at Genoa and the whole environment respects him. Results can't elude you for too long, regardless of the name you carry and the appeal you have with the supporters. My friends in Genoa are convinced the win over Fiorentina has unblocked the team's mind, so even with the limits Genoa has, they will put up a fight." On Roma's immediate recovery task, Pruzzo noted that while quick returns after psychological blows are generally beneficial, the combined toll of athletic and mental exertion from the Real Madrid match would linger. "Beating Genoa would mean getting back on track straight away," he said. Addressing the collapse itself—seventy minutes of acclaim followed by a "surreal" finale—Pruzzo observed: "Roma put on a show for over an hour, we all agree on that, but matches last ninety minutes, so when the fatigue alarm goes off, sometimes you have to... throw the ball in the Tiber!" Gasperini is set to make two key changes: Lorenzo Pellegrini will move into midfield in place of Manu Koné, and Santiago Castro will start in attack because Donyell Malen is unavailable. Pruzzo backed the latter adaptation, saying: "Castro is a centre-forward—if not now, when? It's his chance."

Gian Piero Gasperini has few selection dilemmas for Roma's match against Genoa, with absences forcing his hand in midfield and attack. Leonardo Balerdi is set to start in defence, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora will operate behind Santiago Castro in the forward line. The Roma manager is without Mile Svilar, Bryan Cristante, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala through injury or unavailability, and Donyell Malen serves a suspension. Emanuele Lulli is also in line for a starting berth as Roma manage their personnel constraints.