Roma host Atalanta in crucial top-four fight at Olimpico on Saturday

Manu Koné produced an outstanding performance as France defeated Morocco 2-0, showcasing the intensity and ball-winning prowess that have marked his tournament. Deployed in midfield as Tchouameni faced repeated fitness issues, Koné made his fourth World Cup start across six appearances, playing 71 minutes before being replaced by Zaire-Emery. His display was characterised by relentless pressing and tactical discipline, recovering possession at crucial moments—including one key intervention early in the second half on a Brahim Diaz counter-attack that could have shifted the match's trajectory. Koné's statistics underlined his control of the middle ground: 35 completed passes from 38 attempts (92% accuracy), one key pass, six ball recoveries, four tackles won, and one shot attempted. His energetic contribution drew praise from supporters on social media. The Roma midfielder's combative style marks a departure from his domestic approach, where he typically operates with more restraint. Notably, his Roma teammate Neil El Aynaoui also featured in the fixture. France now advance to the semi-finals, where they will face either Spain or Belgium.

France advanced to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup in America by defeating Morocco 2-0. Adrien Rabiot praised his midfield partner Manu Koné after the match, telling beIN Sports: "Io e Manu siamo stati devastanti, li abbiamo divorati. Quando lasciavamo loro il possesso palla, non erano molto pericolosi. Avevamo poco da temere col Marocco. Questa è la sensazione che abbiamo avuto in campo. È sorprendente. Restano comunque una squadra capace di fare la differenza in qualsiasi momento, perché hanno giocatori individuali straordinari. Per questo siamo sempre rimasti vigili." Koné, a Roma midfielder, featured prominently in the France midfield during the knockout fixture. Rabiot's assessment highlighted the pair's control of the match's tempo and their ability to limit Morocco's attacking threat. Manager Didier Deschamps' side now await their semi-final opponent as the tournament progresses.

France advanced to the World Cup semi-final with a 2–0 victory over Morocco, confirming their status as favourites for the tournament after losing the 2022 final to Argentina. Roma midfielder Manu Koné delivered a standout performance and is expected to start in Tuesday's semi-final at 21:00 against the winner of Spain vs Belgium. Koné spoke enthusiastically after the match about playing alongside France's attacking options. Asked about the experience of performing behind Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé and Bradley Barcola, he said: "Bellissimo! To be honest there are great players and today they showed it. We really are a great squad, we must continue like this. We are very happy, we hope everyone is. Basically we hope to get to the end of the competition." The Roma player's commanding display has secured him a starting berth for the decisive match ahead.

Artem Dovbyk's time at Roma is coming to an end after two years, with Ajax now among the clubs interested in signing the 29-year-old Ukrainian striker. Roma paid €30.5 million plus €5.5 million in bonuses to bring Dovbyk from Girona in 2024, when he had just won La Liga's Golden Boot in the 2023–24 season. However, the forward has struggled to adapt to Serie A, making only 14 league appearances and scoring three goals last season, and has fallen out of favour with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. With Dovbyk deemed surplus to requirements, Roma have set an asking price of €23 million for his departure. The club are eager to offload him to fund moves for other targets, including Strasbourg's Diego Moreira and Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho. Donyell Malen's permanent arrival has further reduced Dovbyk's prospects of regular playing time at the Stadio Olimpico. Ajax could offer him consistent first-team football, though it remains unclear whether the Dutch club would match Roma's valuation. Meanwhile, former manager Daniele De Rossi is reportedly keen to bring Dovbyk to Genoa, though such a deal would likely require Roma to lower their €23 million asking price significantly.

Roma have identified Nicolò Tresoldi as a potential signing to strengthen their attacking options. The 20-year-old Italian-German forward, currently at Bruges, has agreed in principle to join the Giallorossi. Tresoldi, born in Cagliari but developed in Germany, represents a target identified by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as a backup to Donyell Malen. Roma are prioritising a swift conclusion to negotiations with the Belgian club, looking to move ahead of rival suitors regardless of Artem Dovbyk's status at the club, with Genoa continuing to monitor the Ukrainian striker. However, the Bruges board are reluctant to negotiate, viewing Tresoldi as a valuable asset and unwilling to offer discounts. Roma's objective is to complete the deal on the basis of 25 million euros. The club are currently engaged in talks with Bruges in an attempt to lower their financial demands. The transfer could precede other offensive targets Gasperini has requested, including Alejandro Garnacho at Chelsea and Habib Moreira at Strasbourg, both of whom Roma are actively studying.

Artem Dovbyk is a target for Genoa, with former Roma manager Daniele De Rossi keen to reunite with the Ukrainian striker and rebuild his career in Liguria. Dovbyk has shown openness to the move, but Roma has set clear conditions for any deal: the club will only accept a permanent transfer or a loan with a mandatory or optional buyout clause, ruling out a straight loan with salary sharing. Roma's outgoings are as crucial as incoming transfers under Gian Piero Gasperini, with the club balancing financial discipline against sporting ambition. Dovbyk's wage of 3.5 million euros per year is currently the main barrier to a move—a figure Genoa struggles to meet on existing terms. Despite the financial impasse, negotiations remain active, with both sides monitoring developments as they seek a formula acceptable to all parties.

Roma's pre-season gathering at Trigoria begins tomorrow, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini arriving in the morning to oversee operations. Players who featured in the World Cup—Çelik, Malen, Salah-Eddine, El Aynaoui, and N'Dicka—will receive extended leave, while Paulo Dybala is expected to be present. The official squad list will be announced tomorrow morning rather than in advance, delayed until Dybala's contract renewal is formally confirmed. All players are scheduled to report before midday for medical examinations, followed by a training session in the afternoon as the new season officially gets under way. Ryan Friedkin is anticipated to arrive in Rome in the coming days. D'Amico will be present for the start of pre-season, but Lorenzo Pellegrini remains absent after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension.

Paulo Dybala is set to remain at Roma and renew his contract with the Serie A club as Gian Piero Gasperini prepares for his second season in charge. The club's preseason will begin tomorrow at Trigoria, with the Argentina international among the key players the head coach can call upon. Speculation about a potential return to his homeland has been quelled, with the Boca Juniors option ruled out despite reported pressure from his friend Paredes. Dybala posted on social media shortly after returning to Rome, writing a farewell to Argentina: "My country, my land, my family." The message signals his commitment to Roma, with the club expected to announce the formal renewal of his contract in due course. The 30-year-old has become a pivotal figure in Gasperini's project, and his continued presence bolsters the attacking options available to the manager for the forthcoming campaign.

Paulo Dybala has recommitted to AS Roma following his automatic contract renewal, capping a resurgence that helped secure the club's return to the Champions League for the first time in seven years. The Argentine playmaker delivered decisively in the final stretch of the 2025–26 season, recording assists for Malen and El Shaarawy in matches against Verona—the goals that sealed Europa League qualification and promotion to the group stage. Over 27 appearances in that run, Dybala posted 3 goals and 8 assists. Since joining Roma in 2022, Dybala has compiled 140 matches, 45 goals and 30 assists across all positions—attacker, second striker, attacking midfielder and creative fulcrum. His debut campaign (2022–23) proved prolific with 18 goals and 8 assists before injury despite a standout display against Inter and a vital Europa League goal against Feyenoord. The following year brought 16 goals in 39 matches with 10 assists. A proposed summer transfer to Al-Qadsiah fell through when Dybala chose to remain in the Eternal City, but form and fitness suffered under successive managers, leaving him sidelined until early 2026. After knee surgery in March forced another layoff, his timely return proved crucial. The lingering scar from the 31 May 2023 final—a missed opportunity to change Roma's history—remains, but the coming seasons offer fresh chances to heal that wound.

Nine players assembled during Gian Piero Gasperini's first season at Roma have combined for 100 appearances across Serie A and cup competitions but have failed to establish themselves as regular contributors. Pierluigi Gollini featured only once, against Panathinaikos in January's final Europa League group stage match. Angeliño made brief appearances against Celtic and Panathinaikos before a March return to the Olimpico against Lecce, where he saw limited action in the run-in. Robinio Vaz, signed for 20 million euros plus 5 million in bonuses in January alongside Donyell Malen, scored his sole Roma goal against Lecce but has proven too raw for immediate impact as deputy striker. Bryan Zaragoza arrived on loan from Bayern Munich in January and impressed on his second appearance, starting against Napoli and providing an assist for Malen's opening goal from the seventh minute, yet proved costly when he came on in Roma's Europa League elimination against Bologna in extra time. Lorenzo Venturino, an 18-year-old winger on loan from Genoa, saw limited use due to his age. Evan Ferguson, signed on loan with a purchase option from Brighton, closed the season with 40 combined appearances across both strikers; the 20-year-old's campaign ended in January after injury and limited backing from Gasperini. Artem Dovbyk meanwhile struggled to meet the technical demands of the role and reappeared late in the season with only two minutes in the final two matches.

Roma is reportedly exploring a possible transfer axis with Bologna as the summer window accelerates. The Giallorossi have made contact regarding three players: Argentine striker Castro, Scottish midfielder Ferguson (Bologna's captain), and defender Ghilardi. Castro, who has also attracted interest from Nottingham Forest, is valued at approximately 40 million euros by Bologna. Ferguson, recently eliminated from the World Cup despite strong individual performances, has drawn attention from Rangers and Atalanta; Bologna is seeking at least 20 million euros plus bonuses for the midfielder. Head coach Gasperini's squad-building plans remain the priority for the Friedkin Group, with Greenwood continuing as the primary transfer target. Roma has informed Bologna that defender Kumbulla—returning from a loan spell at Majorca—is available for transfer, while Bologna has expressed interest in Ghilardi, particularly given the expected departure of Lucumì. The club views Freuler, available on a free transfer from 1 July, as below their level of priority. Details of any formal offers or agreements remain unclear. The 30 June deadline is slowing activity across the market but does not appear to concern Roma's ownership, who remain focused on delivering a competitive squad across all competitions.

Robinio Vaz, the French forward who joined Roma from Marseille in January for €25 million, faces an uncertain future at the club. His status remains suspended as Roma evaluates his position within the squad, with two potential paths emerging: a loan move to a club where he would play regularly, or remaining at Trigoria as a third-choice striker behind other attacking options. With Artem Dovbyk departing and Ferguson returning to Brighton, Roma is undertaking a significant restyling of its attacking department under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The club plans to recruit forwards suited to Gasperini's tactical approach, including a reserve striker in addition to attacking midfielders. Vaz, born in 2007, showed modest progress during his first months but has gradually fallen to the periphery of the project. Roma's current assessment of the young forward remains suspended in judgment. If a suitable opportunity emerges where Vaz would be guaranteed substantial playing time, Roma may consider loaning him out. However, the alternative scenario—where he continues his development at the club's training ground as the third attacking option—remains equally possible. His future will likely depend on Roma's incoming signings and the young player's capacity to force his way back into Gasperini's plans.