Roma hunt for goals as Soulé and Dybala struggle to find the net

Diego Tavano, agent of Edoardo Bove and others, has spoken about the situation of Slim Bouaskar, the 2009-born goalkeeper whom The Guardian included among the best emerging talents in world football. Speaking to journalist Eleonora Trotta, Tavano said his client's start to the season with Roma has struggled to take off, with just 2 appearances for the Primavera side so far. Bouaskar has also been called up to the senior Tunisia national team, despite the lack of game time at club level. Tavano said Bouaskar has played in every age group for Tunisia and that the senior call-up has now arrived. "Fa piacere che in tanti lo seguano e lo conoscano. Sicuramente lo hanno visto cimentarsi anche in nazionale tunisina, dove ha vestito la maglia di tutte le categorie. Adesso è arrivata anche la convocazione con la nazionale maggiore. Sono scelte tecniche e noi le rispettiamo. Ci resta un anno e mezzo di contratto. È un peccato, perché il suo percorso era stato netto. Ha sempre giocato in tutti i campionati. L'anno scorso sotto età ha giocato nell'Under 18 e ha permesso alla squadra di mister Scala di ottenere ottimi risultati. Sicuramente ci aspettavamo che con la promozione di mister Scala in Primavera, ci fosse continuità. Al momento non è così, ne prendiamo atto. Il ragazzo continua ad allenarsi bene e a fare tutto quello che deve fare. Ripeto, ci resta un anno e mezzo di contratto". On interest from other clubs, Tavano said it is mostly based on what scouts have seen with Roma and Tunisia. "Sicuramente, anche perché il Guardian è uno dei giornali più importanti in Europa, ma non credo sia questo a fare la differenza. Penso che, se stanno prendendo informazioni su di lui, sia soprattutto per quello che hanno visto con la Roma e con la Nazionale. Noi ripartiamo da quello. Il contratto non è lungo, ma non mancherà l'occasione di parlare con la Roma. Ripeto, sicuramente mi dispiace perché oggi i giovani dovrebbero avere più spazio e ci dovrebbero essere persone con più coraggio. Lo immaginavo già stabilmente nel giro della prima squadra e sicuramente a giocare in Primavera". Asked whether Roma's recent struggles have denied him a major shop window, Tavano spoke about the goalkeeping role in general. "Ho avuto a che fare con tanti portieri, ne ho gestiti tanti. È un ruolo un po' particolare. In questo momento, purtroppo siamo l'incudine. Speriamo che un giorno saremo il martello e che possa giocare per un club importante. Il sogno è quello di giocare nella Roma, visto che è cresciuto qui".

Roma's summer recruits have been involved in 36.5% of the club's goals this season, with 15 of the team's 41 strikes involving one of them. Gian Piero Gasperini has relied heavily on seven players who were not part of the squad in the last match of the previous campaign: Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Leonardo Balerdi, Rodrigo Mora, Emanuele Lulli, Santiago Castro and Konstantinos Koulierakis. Lulli came up from the Primavera. Molina has been the most-used player, with 751 minutes, one goal and two assists. He is followed by De Roon (732 minutes), Balerdi (639), Mora (595), Lulli (546), Castro (370) and Koulierakis (225). Gasperini has given minutes to every summer arrival, including the Primavera graduate, showing confidence in the quality of the new players. Mora has been the most productive, with four goals and two assists. His recent form, with a sharp improvement in the latest matches, has eased doubts about the investment made in the summer, reported at €25 million plus 50% of a future resale, for a valuation of €50 million. Across all competitions, the new players have taken part in 15 of Roma's 41 goals. By comparison, at the same stage of last season, Massara's summer signings from that campaign had contributed to just three goals: Wesley with one goal, Ferguson with one assist and Tsimikas with one assist.

Mario Hermoso is close to signing a contract extension at Roma, with negotiations underway and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pushing to finalise the agreement. According to La Repubblica, as reported by TeleRadioStereo, the deal would add two more years with an option. The centre-back's current contract expires at the end of the season. Hermoso has enjoyed a strong run in Rome, scoring 8 goals in 49 appearances for the club, three of them in the current campaign. Gasperini was influential in keeping him at the club in the first place. Hermoso joined as a free agent in 2024 after his time at Atlético Madrid, but he struggled to win regular minutes in his first few months. He was loaned to Bayer Leverkusen in January, and a shoulder injury prevented the German side from buying him outright, so he returned to Roma. Hermoso was reportedly on the chopping block in the summer of 2025, until Gasperini took a liking to him. The coach made him a linchpin of the side, as his skill set and dynamism suited his style well. The Real Madrid product also spent time at Espanyol earlier in his career and has five caps for Spain, although he has not been called up since 2019. Gasperini likes good ball handlers and sound athletes in every position, and especially in the 'braccetti' role. Hermoso's goalscoring is a bonus that has served the team well, as they can bring almost the whole side into the final third when they are firing. The extension is seen as a no-brainer, as the financial sums are not expected to be a problem.

Porto's chief financial officer, José Pedro Pereira da Costa, has laid out the financial terms of Rodrigo Mora's transfer to Roma, valuing the deal at €50 million for Porto. Speaking to the ECO portal, he said: "Overall, in the 2026/27 summer we invested 37 million euros, compared with around 110 million the previous summer. And we made sales worth 78 million euros, including Rodrigo Mora for 50 million." The deal has one of the most complicated structures in recent Serie A seasons. Roma paid €25 million for the Portuguese but left Porto with 50% of any future resale. Roma can reduce that percentage, eventually to zero, by paying a further €25 million over the next two years. Once that period ends, Porto can also ask Roma to reduce some or all of the remaining percentage. In short, the more Roma pay, the smaller Porto's share of any future sale will be. Mora's form has made the arrangement a talking point, with the 2007-born midfielder scoring against Sassuolo, his third consecutive Serie A goal, and his place in the side no longer in doubt. Da Costa said: "It is 25 million euros for 50%, but we have an option that depends solely on our will. For us, it is a 50 million euro operation." Those discussions are considered premature for now. Mora is focused on the pitch and, after winning over Roma, has done the same with Portugal, who have called him up for the coming international commitments. Gasperini, meanwhile, is enjoying the breakthrough and already considering how to fit Mora alongside Paulo Dybala, who is close to returning.

Several Roma-focused radio pundits discussed the club's January transfer options, the Endrick situation and the form of Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé in the latest edition of the On Air roundup from Rome's radio stations. Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport suggested that Endrick would not join Roma permanently, because he hopes to establish himself at Real Madrid, but that a loan of 18 months could be a good solution. He said Roma could then invest in Kvernadze, who is already performing well in Italy and costs relatively little, as he has a 4 million euro release clause. Piacentini said Frosinone would like to renew his contract, but if he already has an agreement with another club he will not renew. "If it were Roma, you turn up with 10-12 million in January and you take both of them," Piacentini said. He added: "On Pellegrini, and perhaps also on Dybala, you cannot rely, and that is why you need two." Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista said Endrick could arrive on loan, and that Roma could keep control of the player unless that control were well paid for and taken back by Real Madrid, as happened with Nico Paz. He gave an example in which Roma would take him on loan and buy him at 60 million if they valued him, with Real Madrid having to pay 80 million to take him back. Asked whether such a deal was feasible, Lo Monaco said: "At this moment there is nothing." He stated that Endrick's agents know Roma's intentions perfectly well, that there were contacts before the Roma-Real match, and that the giallorossi had reiterated their interest. He said he understood the player would not go to Milan. "If he leaves Real, I can give a percentage: 60-70% that he ends up at Roma," Lo Monaco said. Sandro Sabatini of Radio Radio named Malen, Cristante and, as a surprise, Dybala as the three most important players at Roma, saying Dybala had been phenomenal in the matches he played even though he is currently injured. He said he had thought Soulé was not on Dybala's level, but that Soulé had taken advantage of Dybala's absence and grown enormously. "The club tried to sell him all summer without succeeding, first because Soulé and Dybala cannot play together," Sabatini said. He added: "When Dybala is there, Soulé suffers a psychological inferiority. Soulé plays very well when Dybala is unavailable." Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio named Hermoso, Soulé and Malen as the three most important players so far, and said Marten de Roon had been a fundamental signing, while noting that Rodrigo Mora is showing he deserves a starting place in certain matches. He said he did not know whether the club had a trick up its sleeve to sign a striker who could start. "With these players you can go all the way, but avoiding injuries will be decisive," Pruzzo said. Ilario Di Giovambattista of Radio Radio said that with Malen Roma had made one of the best deals of the last 30 years, having paid 25 million, a figure that now looks ridiculous. He said Malen had become the most decisive striker, more so than Lautaro, and that Roma had made an extraordinary signing. David Rossi of Rete Sport and Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo discussed the club's situation off the pitch. Pes said Gasperini had had no contact with the Friedkins in recent months, but that Galantic had been named CEO for precisely this purpose. He said Roma would face the consequences of the UEFA ruling and the settlement agreement, and that by the end of November the club would know what it faced, which would shape the January market. Alessio Nardo of Tele Radio Stereo said it was not known how much the Friedkins would allow the club to invest and that January was usually a month for loans. He added that the January market must be attacked with clear ideas about what the squad needs to challenge Inter, "until the last matchday of the league."

Roma's radio pundits have focused on the club's transfer plans, the expected UEFA fine and the Dybala-Soulé pairing. Francesco Balzani of Teleradiostereo said Endrick is the club's main target, ahead of Gittens and others. "Right now all the attention is on Endrick, who is the player who most convinces Gasperini. Roma are trying again and will try again. I hope they succeed, because Endrick inserted into this squad can be the extra turbo to reach the Scudetto." Balzani also addressed the UEFA case. He said UEFA sources had indicated a decision was expected by November, and that Roma would learn the outcome unofficially at the end of the hearing. "I think they have more or less understood what the amount will be. They will probably know a strong fine is coming, between 10 and 15 million." Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo said Gasperini has had no contact with the Friedkins in recent months, but that Galantic was named CEO precisely for that purpose. He said D'Amico has not been idle and that there is likely a list or an investment plan, but that operational detail is still missing. The UEFA ruling, he added, adds an asterisk: Roma will have to deal with the settlement agreement. "By the end of November Roma will know what they are going to face, and this will shift the focus to the January market." Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio Mattino said: "De Roon has been a fundamental acquisition in midfield. I can't say whether Roma have an ace up their sleeve for a signing who could become a starter at certain moments. If they don't, they will try to go all the way with this squad." He added: "At some point in the season the injury situation will be decisive, especially if Roma are still in the hunt in the Champions League." Sandro Sabatini, also of Radio Radio Mattino, was critical of the forward pairing. "In my view Dybala and Soulé cannot play together. The impression is that they need two balls. When Dybala is available, Soulé still seems psychologically subservient. Roma tried to sell him all summer without succeeding, first because Soulé and Dybala cannot play together." Balzani also handed out his awards for the first part of the season. He chose Hermoso as the player of the season so far, describing him as fundamental to Gasperini, and named Soulé and Malen as the other two candidates. Cristante won his award as best supporting player. Balzani said Mora could become a star in Serie A, but said he expects more from Castro.

Former Roma player Stefano Desideri, speaking exclusively to Retesport, has backed Gian Piero Gasperini's side and said the gap to Inter is closing. He said he was proud to have worn the Roma shirt and described the current team as strong, with players focused and committed on the pitch. "Roma of Gasperini? A strong side, a joy to watch on the pitch. All the players are focused and on it, it's really a beautiful Roma." He added that he is enjoying watching the team after years of matches that were less enjoyable. Desideri drew comparisons with his own Roma side, which surprised opponents with a zonal press using one fewer forward and one extra midfielder, removing the markers of their opponents. He said the players then were willing to step forward, much as Gasperini's players are doing now. On the gap with Inter, he said something is always missing and that a few more players would help, but the club must find players capable of absorbing Gasperini's work, which he said is producing exceptional things. "We must keep trusting the coach," he said. He added: "I'm not afraid of anyone, I'm confident in this Roma. Lazio are the biggest surprise, Inter are a battleship but have levelled off a little, while the giallorossi have improved, so the gap is closing." On Lorenzo Pellegrini's fellow midfielder Niccolò Pisilli, Desideri said: "Good player, a complete midfielder who is good in the tackle and gets forward. He just needs to play as much as possible. A serious lad from Rome, I am proud of him." On European competition, he said the team lacks experience, with many players having little of it. He said that against Real Madrid the side played excellently with personality for 84 minutes, but then experience was lacking. "Managing the result is not part of this team's DNA." On Donyell Malen, Desideri compared him to Voller, describing him as a driving force for the team with different characteristics. "He has an execution speed that leaves defenders stranded, a fundamental quality. We have discovered a strong player." On Rodrigo Mora, he said: "A talent, he struggled at first. In recent outings we have seen him chasing opponents, he is entering the coach's mentality and it is perfect for him."

Fidelis Castro's goal and assist, earned in two starts at home to Genoa and Cagliari, have revived debate over the striker's place in the Roma squad and the money spent on him. The Argentine, fresh from a call-up to the national team, has once again drawn criticism from those who question whether Roma needed him at all, and whether he is worth the reported €35 million outlay. Some critics said last summer that Roma should have targeted Robinio Vaz instead, and that the money spent on Castro was wasted. The article notes that Vaz, who is described as a well-paid bit-part player at Hull City, would have been a better investment, and suggests that Dovbyk, who after just three months had worn out much of Bologna's patience, could have been kept. Against this, the writer argues that Castro has the hardest job among Roma's forwards. He plays almost exclusively in place of Malen, and when he comes on, the team is often more tired and less composed than when Malen is leading the line, leaving Castro to chase the ball alone and run down opponents mounting comebacks. Castro made his first start against Genoa, where he scored the first goal, decisive for the win, with a moment of magic. In his second start, against Cagliari, he struggled, as did the whole side, which came from behind to win and only really hit form in the closing stages. The writer contends that this was enough to revive the criticism seen over the summer, when the transfer market was labelled a disaster partly because the backup striker had cost so much. The article argues that it is too complicated for critics to consider that Malen is a cannibal who leaves his backup only a few minutes, and only when he has no energy left. The writer draws a comparison with the 1985-86 season, when Eriksson's Roma came close to the Scudetto. Pruzzo was the prolific starter, with Bruno Conti and Boniek alongside him, while Graziani and the young Tovalieri provided cover. Tovalieri was a key figure in the Coppa Italia that season and scored three goals in 22 appearances in the league, the writer notes, because Pruzzo left few scraps. The point is that Roma have an outstanding striker and a very good deputy, and that critics should be grateful rather than anxious. The article adds that last season, Ferguson and Dovbyk were the forwards, and that in January, before Malen arrived, Roma had brought in Vaz and tried to sign Füllkrug.

Several Roma-focused radio pundits discussed the club's January transfer options, the Endrick situation and the form of Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé in the latest edition of the On Air roundup from Rome's radio stations. Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport suggested that Endrick would not join Roma permanently, because he hopes to establish himself at Real Madrid, but that a loan of 18 months could be a good solution. He said Roma could then invest in Kvernadze, who is already performing well in Italy and costs relatively little, as he has a 4 million euro release clause. Piacentini said Frosinone would like to renew his contract, but if he already has an agreement with another club he will not renew. "If it were Roma, you turn up with 10-12 million in January and you take both of them," Piacentini said. He added: "On Pellegrini, and perhaps also on Dybala, you cannot rely, and that is why you need two." Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista said Endrick could arrive on loan, and that Roma could keep control of the player unless that control were well paid for and taken back by Real Madrid, as happened with Nico Paz. He gave an example in which Roma would take him on loan and buy him at 60 million if they valued him, with Real Madrid having to pay 80 million to take him back. Asked whether such a deal was feasible, Lo Monaco said: "At this moment there is nothing." He stated that Endrick's agents know Roma's intentions perfectly well, that there were contacts before the Roma-Real match, and that the giallorossi had reiterated their interest. He said he understood the player would not go to Milan. "If he leaves Real, I can give a percentage: 60-70% that he ends up at Roma," Lo Monaco said. Sandro Sabatini of Radio Radio named Malen, Cristante and, as a surprise, Dybala as the three most important players at Roma, saying Dybala had been phenomenal in the matches he played even though he is currently injured. He said he had thought Soulé was not on Dybala's level, but that Soulé had taken advantage of Dybala's absence and grown enormously. "The club tried to sell him all summer without succeeding, first because Soulé and Dybala cannot play together," Sabatini said. He added: "When Dybala is there, Soulé suffers a psychological inferiority. Soulé plays very well when Dybala is unavailable." Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio named Hermoso, Soulé and Malen as the three most important players so far, and said Marten de Roon had been a fundamental signing, while noting that Rodrigo Mora is showing he deserves a starting place in certain matches. He said he did not know whether the club had a trick up its sleeve to sign a striker who could start. "With these players you can go all the way, but avoiding injuries will be decisive," Pruzzo said. Ilario Di Giovambattista of Radio Radio said that with Malen Roma had made one of the best deals of the last 30 years, having paid 25 million, a figure that now looks ridiculous. He said Malen had become the most decisive striker, more so than Lautaro, and that Roma had made an extraordinary signing. David Rossi of Rete Sport and Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo discussed the club's situation off the pitch. Pes said Gasperini had had no contact with the Friedkins in recent months, but that Galantic had been named CEO for precisely this purpose. He said Roma would face the consequences of the UEFA ruling and the settlement agreement, and that by the end of November the club would know what it faced, which would shape the January market. Alessio Nardo of Tele Radio Stereo said it was not known how much the Friedkins would allow the club to invest and that January was usually a month for loans. He added that the January market must be attacked with clear ideas about what the squad needs to challenge Inter, "until the last matchday of the league."

Fidelis Castro's goal and assist, earned in two starts at home to Genoa and Cagliari, have revived debate over the striker's place in the Roma squad and the money spent on him. The Argentine, fresh from a call-up to the national team, has once again drawn criticism from those who question whether Roma needed him at all, and whether he is worth the reported €35 million outlay. Some critics said last summer that Roma should have targeted Robinio Vaz instead, and that the money spent on Castro was wasted. The article notes that Vaz, who is described as a well-paid bit-part player at Hull City, would have been a better investment, and suggests that Dovbyk, who after just three months had worn out much of Bologna's patience, could have been kept. Against this, the writer argues that Castro has the hardest job among Roma's forwards. He plays almost exclusively in place of Malen, and when he comes on, the team is often more tired and less composed than when Malen is leading the line, leaving Castro to chase the ball alone and run down opponents mounting comebacks. Castro made his first start against Genoa, where he scored the first goal, decisive for the win, with a moment of magic. In his second start, against Cagliari, he struggled, as did the whole side, which came from behind to win and only really hit form in the closing stages. The writer contends that this was enough to revive the criticism seen over the summer, when the transfer market was labelled a disaster partly because the backup striker had cost so much. The article argues that it is too complicated for critics to consider that Malen is a cannibal who leaves his backup only a few minutes, and only when he has no energy left. The writer draws a comparison with the 1985-86 season, when Eriksson's Roma came close to the Scudetto. Pruzzo was the prolific starter, with Bruno Conti and Boniek alongside him, while Graziani and the young Tovalieri provided cover. Tovalieri was a key figure in the Coppa Italia that season and scored three goals in 22 appearances in the league, the writer notes, because Pruzzo left few scraps. The point is that Roma have an outstanding striker and a very good deputy, and that critics should be grateful rather than anxious. The article adds that last season, Ferguson and Dovbyk were the forwards, and that in January, before Malen arrived, Roma had brought in Vaz and tried to sign Füllkrug.

Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma are scoring far more goals than a year ago, with 19 more in their first eleven matches of the season and 12 different scorers, compared with eight last season. The comparison, drawn during the international break, shows a clear improvement across the board. Last year at this stage Roma sat first in the table alongside Inter, but with fewer points: 24 then, against 27 today. The attack has changed most noticeably, moving from the pairing of Dovbyk and Ferguson to Malen and Castro. Roma are also creating more. They are taking 19.4 shots per game against 13.2 last season, with 6.5 on target against 4.7, and they are getting into the opposition box more often, with 37.2 touches per game against 26.2. Their expected goals (xG) have nearly doubled, rising from 1.32 to 2.38 per match. The one negative is goals conceded, which have risen from 5 to 10. Gasperini is willing to accept that cost. The figure is also affected by the absences of Svilar and Koné. When both are on the pitch, Roma's average is lower than it was a year ago. The numbers point to a team that is both more potent and more consistent than the one that finished last season, with the new attacking set-up at the heart of the gains.

Roma coach Palladino has said Artem Dovbyk is not yet fit enough to play a full 90 minutes, though the striker is available for selection. Palladino said: "We had a discussion and he tried to put my requests into practice. He doesn't have the condition to last ninety minutes but he is available." The striker has struggled to make an impact recently. Over the last two matches Dovbyk has watched from the bench, and across his last four appearances he has played just 14 minutes in total, a meagre return well below expectations. Palladino made clear the problem is not quality but fitness, stating that the Ukrainian is not yet able to guarantee minutes and reliability. There are signs of progress. Palladino admitted: "Artem pushed harder during the week." Roma face Monza today, and Dovbyk is hoping to earn a place in the starting line-up. Should things remain as they are, his return to Rome could come sooner than expected.