Roma in talks with Genoa over Baldanzi and Venturino; El Shaarawy interest dismissed as rumour

Gian Piero Gasperini continues to press for reinforcements at Trigoria, with Endrick his first choice for the attack, even as the international break begins. Endrick spoke today about his future: "I don't know what will happen in January; it is in God's hands. Madrid is a wonderful city, but I will always do everything necessary to advance my career." The Brazilian has no doubts anymore and has decided to leave Real Madrid in January. Roma face competition for his signature from Sporting Lisbon, who will lean on the Fonseca factor. Former Roma coach Ruben Fonseca trained Endrick last season at Lyon, and the Portuguese club have already opened contacts with the striker. Roma's plan, however, is clear: sign Endrick on loan to chase the Scudetto, and bring in Kvernadze on a permanent deal in the summer. The idea of using Nagida on the left has also come up as part of the club's planning.

Brazilian forward Endrick has told Spanish outlet AS that he has decided to look for another club that will give him more game time, and he intends to leave Real Madrid in January. Roma, who came close to signing him in the summer, are now competing with Sporting Lisbon for the player. Sporting have opened contacts with the entourage of the 22-year-old in recent weeks and will lean on the influence of Ruben Fonseca... [placeholder]

A Porto executive has insisted that the Rodrigo Mora deal is worth €50 million overall, even though the initial transfer was set at a lower figure. He said the club had invested €37 million in the 2026/27 summer window, compared with around €110 million the previous summer, and had made sales worth €78 million, counting Mora at €50 million. He explained the structure: "It was 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." Roma's attention is now turning to the left flank, where the squad is reportedly short of a player with pace. Sporting director D'Amico, formerly of Atalanta, is looking to Brazil to give Gian Piero Gasperini a new piece to complete the squad and make it more competitive. According to market expert Ekrem Konur, Roma like Flamengo's Samuel Lino, and the club have reportedly already offered €25 million, which Flamengo have rejected. Kostas Manolas has looked back on his time in the Capital, with personal memories, behind-the-scenes market stories and views on some of the figures from that period, speaking to Betardes. On Roma's Champions League semi-final against Liverpool, which followed the comeback against Barcelona, he still has regrets. "We go to Liverpool and I have the worst dream I could have in my life. I dream that a tooth falls out. I believe in these things. When I had that dream, I understood it would be a very difficult day. One or two of their goals were offside, but we were very poor. And I was very poor too. I can tell you that it was one of my worst Champions League matches. I was really terrible." Back at the Olimpico, he disputed several refereeing decisions: "We should have won. El Shaarawy shoots and Alexander-Arnold pushes the ball away with his hand before it goes in. It is a penalty and a red card. We could have made it 3-2 in the 55th minute and turned the game around. Then there is another incident: a penalty that is not given for an offside that does not exist. There is no offside. If there had been VAR, we would have gone to the final. We had come back against Barcelona and we would have come back against Liverpool too." Roma are also still tracking Endrick of Real Madrid, a target pursued at length over the summer, who has scored his only goal of the season against Roma. Speaking to GloboEsporte, the 20-year-old said: "I am only 20, so I will see how things evolve. I just want to play, be happy and help my teammates. I don't know what will happen in January; it is in God's hands. I only ask for what is best for my career." He added: "Whatever is meant to happen will happen. I will keep my feet on the ground and continue to give my absolute best. Madrid is a wonderful city, but I will always do whatever is necessary to advance my career."

Roma's focus for the January transfer window has settled on a single target: an attacking winger, ideally left-footed, who is already capable of making a difference at the highest level. The club's primary objective is Real Madrid's Endrick. The Brazilian and Gian Piero Gasperini reportedly admired each other before ever working together, and that admiration grew during the Champions League match between Roma and Real Madrid, when the coach valued the forward's versatility and his physical and technical qualities up close. Endrick was reportedly impressed by Roma's attacking style, which the report suggests would give him more enjoyment than the bench in Madrid. The transfer is constrained by two conditions. Roma can only pursue a deal along the lines of the Malen operation, meaning a loan with an obligation and a right of redemption linked to Champions League qualification, and nothing more. The player must also be of international standard, young but already able to make a difference at high levels, rather than an inexperienced prospect in the mould of Vaz or Venturino. The main obstacle is Real Madrid coach Mourinho, who has said he does not want to sell Endrick. Endrick himself spoke this morning and opened the door to a sale, and his entourage has been pushing for a move away from Spain for some time. Relations between the player and Roma have remained unchanged since the failed summer attempt, and a meeting was held after the Champions League game at the Olimpico to reaffirm their mutual desire to get together in January. The report says Endrick's mood is worsening by the day. Ancelotti has made clear he must play more or risk losing his place in the Brazil squad, which the article describes as a crime for a Brazilian. A loan has therefore returned to the conversation. Endrick could also return to Real Madrid in June, where Vinicius is reportedly running out of months. Roma would not be caught unprepared: a target is already marked for the summer in Kvernadze of Frosinone. The Georgian is much loved by Gasperini and could be available for less in the summer thanks to a reported 4 million euro clause with a high resale percentage. Frosinone currently do not intend to sell him unless they receive crazy offers, but the situation would change in June. The plan, the article says, is clear: Endrick now for the title race, Kvernadze tomorrow. The alternative to the Brazilian could be Gittens, but the fact that the Englishman has never actually played for Chelsea raises legitimate questions. Gasperini had recently expressed a desire to invest in midfield, but that possibility has faded as the days pass. Roma do not want to disrupt a department that has functioned well even during a real emergency, and the club is counting on Pellegrini's return in January. On the left side of defence, Lulli's emergence does not create any urgency, and loan opportunities will be taken if they arise. Oosterwoolde will not arrive, as his physical condition is not convincing, while Balde of Barcelona is of interest.

Roma face another league fixture tomorrow evening, a win that could put them within one step of the top of Serie A depending on other results and would send the giallorossi into the international break with more confidence after their comeback in Manchester. Gasperini will have three key players fully available during the break: Svilar, Koné and Dybala. Pellegrini, however, will remain sidelined for a long period. In recent matches, the three-man combination of Malen, Soulé and Mora has produced positive results. Malen has continued to score regularly, Soulé has become increasingly central to the attacking build-up, and Mora has found his form, registering a goal or an assist in every recent match in which he has been actively involved. The real problem, however, is the lack of depth. Reserves are currently missing, partly through injury and partly through structural shortcomings that have been flagged repeatedly since late August. For this reason the club is actively searching for the right signings to give the coach in the transfer window, which in this case must also strengthen the attacking department. The situation resembles last year, when the primary aim was to find a couple of attacking players. Four arrived in the end: Malen, Venturino, Vaz and Zaragoza, with only one, the Dutchman, proving decisive. Gasperini is strongly focused on Endrick. The Brazilian was the chosen target last summer, but after a near move to Ciampino, Mourinho's ill-timed intervention stopped the deal. So far Endrick has performed well, and very well only at the end of the match against Roma, which is an irony of fate, but he continues to find limited playing time. He is left-footed, and combines excellent basic technique with accelerations that would be very useful to Roma even when a match is already underway. Imagine Endrick in place of Mora in the second half in Manchester. Maguire and his teammates would have had reservations about pushing forward, as happened especially after the cruel penalty awarded by Manzano. Endrick is part of Roma's plans and is the primary target, but it is not enough. Gasperini would like to complete the department with two players: the Brazilian plus another number ten, second striker or attacking player who is right-footed and physically well built. Gittens is mentioned, out of favour at Chelsea, and above all Kvernadze, who for his age and wage would fit perfectly into the sustainability path set at Trigoria in recent months. Numerically, Pellegrini's serious setback and the new problems for Dybala could push the club and coaching staff to reflect carefully on the squad numbers. Roma cannot realistically withstand the weekly double commitment with Malen (plus Castro), Mora, Soulé and then the adapted players. The overall picture of incomings could be completed by a midfielder with running and physical power, to cover Koné's physical difficulties and De Roon's age. A trio of signings could make Roma's squad resistant to injuries and able to cope with the demands of the Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia, which returns in January.

Roman radio pundits have delivered a blunt verdict on Roma's squad after the club's recent results, with several voices arguing the thin squad is now costing the team in the Champions League. Piero Torri of Radio Manà Manà said: "La rosa della Roma è corta e lo sarà per altri due mesi, perché il mercato riaprirà a gennaio. Campionato e Champions sono impegnativi e questo lo paghi inevitabilmente. Se ci aggiungi la questione infortuni, la situazione grava ancora di più." The debate follows Roma's defeat at Manchester and their match against Como, with the pundits split on how the team performed. Ugo Trani of Tele Radio Stereo praised Gian Piero Gasperini for refusing to blame referees, saying: "Gasperini fa bene a non parlare di arbitri per non dare alibi alla squadra, i giocatori non si devono deconcentrare." Trani argued that the squad is incomplete: "La Roma non ha una squadra completa, Gasperini l'ha detto a fine mercato e anche D'Amico lo ha confermato. Entrano giocatori che in Serie A valgono e in Champions no." He added: "La crescita si fa comprando i giocatori", and said Roma need players who make the difference, not cover such as Zaragoza and Venturino. He also suggested Forbs would be useful, not only Tresoldi. Trani said Roma had changed their attitude across the whole team, not just Pisilli, and felt the match should have been settled in the first half. He noted Como are in a better position than Roma and that their absences are less damaging. On Mora, he said he was playing as a full-back at Manchester and that Gasperini chose Pisilli because he might defend better. Trani also said Como have strong players and that Valle would be a starter at Roma. Francesco Balzani of Tele Radio Stereo said Roma played a first half at Manchester similar to Como's, but that Fabregas's side did not give up in the second half, which he described as what big teams do. He called Nico Paz an above-average player in Italy. On injuries, he said Svilar would return after the international break, and that Dybala's fitness test would be assessed that day. He said it was not advisable for Koné to join up with the national team after missing so many matches. He argued the most damaging absence is Svilar's, as Gollini does not offer the same control of the defence. He said N'Dicka remains the best defender, Mancini is not at his peak and Ghilardi will find more space. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio Pomeriggio said Sassuolo look the ideal opponent for Roma, who need to lift their heads and reach the break without forcing the return of long-term injured players. He added: "Gli infortuni fanno purtroppo parte di un calcio frenetico che costringono gli atleti a fare sforzi che un tempo non c'erano." Simone Valdarchi of Radio Manà Manà said Roma have got used to bouncing back quickly from defeats, pointing to 17 positive results as proof of their quality. He said preparation for Saturday's match would only begin that day, with training at Trigoria in the early afternoon. He said the return from Manchester had been complicated by several issues, and the usual recovery session was skipped the day before. He added that the day's work would show what to expect from the home fixture.

A Porto executive has insisted that the Rodrigo Mora deal is worth €50 million overall, even though the initial transfer was set at a lower figure. He said the club had invested €37 million in the 2026/27 summer window, compared with around €110 million the previous summer, and had made sales worth €78 million, counting Mora at €50 million. He explained the structure: "It was 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." Roma's attention is now turning to the left flank, where the squad is reportedly short of a player with pace. Sporting director D'Amico, formerly of Atalanta, is looking to Brazil to give Gian Piero Gasperini a new piece to complete the squad and make it more competitive. According to market expert Ekrem Konur, Roma like Flamengo's Samuel Lino, and the club have reportedly already offered €25 million, which Flamengo have rejected. Kostas Manolas has looked back on his time in the Capital, with personal memories, behind-the-scenes market stories and views on some of the figures from that period, speaking to Betardes. On Roma's Champions League semi-final against Liverpool, which followed the comeback against Barcelona, he still has regrets. "We go to Liverpool and I have the worst dream I could have in my life. I dream that a tooth falls out. I believe in these things. When I had that dream, I understood it would be a very difficult day. One or two of their goals were offside, but we were very poor. And I was very poor too. I can tell you that it was one of my worst Champions League matches. I was really terrible." Back at the Olimpico, he disputed several refereeing decisions: "We should have won. El Shaarawy shoots and Alexander-Arnold pushes the ball away with his hand before it goes in. It is a penalty and a red card. We could have made it 3-2 in the 55th minute and turned the game around. Then there is another incident: a penalty that is not given for an offside that does not exist. There is no offside. If there had been VAR, we would have gone to the final. We had come back against Barcelona and we would have come back against Liverpool too." Roma are also still tracking Endrick of Real Madrid, a target pursued at length over the summer, who has scored his only goal of the season against Roma. Speaking to GloboEsporte, the 20-year-old said: "I am only 20, so I will see how things evolve. I just want to play, be happy and help my teammates. I don't know what will happen in January; it is in God's hands. I only ask for what is best for my career." He added: "Whatever is meant to happen will happen. I will keep my feet on the ground and continue to give my absolute best. Madrid is a wonderful city, but I will always do whatever is necessary to advance my career."

Former Roma defender Kostas Manolas has spoken at length to Betardes about his time in the Italian capital, reflecting on Francesco Totti, Luciano Spalletti, the 2017/18 Champions League campaign and his move to Napoli. Manolas said Totti was the best person he has met in football: "È la persona migliore, la più umile. Non posso dire una sola parola negativa su di lui. Prima di essere un calciatore è un uomo. Mi accolse come fossi suo figlio. Per questo siamo sempre stati molto vicini. Ancora oggi ci sentiamo al telefono. Sapeva cosa fare con il pallone un'ora prima che gli arrivasse. C'era una differenza enorme tra lui e tutti noi, tecnicamente e mentalmente. Totti mi aiutò. Se non fosse stato per lui, non avrei rinnovato. Mi convinse. Era come un fratello per me e non potevo dirgli di no. Totti dovrebbe essere dentro la Roma. Non è possibile che sia fuori. Se fossi il presidente, lo terrei a vita, nel ruolo che desidera." Manolas also addressed Totti's retirement, which he said was not the player's own decision: "Piangevo anch'io. Non potevi fare altrimenti. L'avevo vissuto negli ultimi giorni e vedevo come stava affrontando la situazione. Non voleva smettere. È stata la società a farlo smettere. La società, l'allenatore, Spalletti… Totti voleva continuare a giocare. Secondo me aveva ancora qualcosa da dare. Magari non era più nella migliore condizione fisica, ma anche negli ultimi tempi entrava e segnava. In quei 15, 20 o 30 minuti riusciva sempre a fare qualcosa, un assist oppure un gol." On Spalletti, Manolas separated the coach's qualities from his manner with players: "È un allenatore molto, molto, molto bravo. Come persona però è difficile. Per me non si comporta correttamente con i calciatori. Ma come allenatore è uno dei migliori che abbia mai avuto, se non il migliore. Io dico la verità. Solo perché non si comportava bene con me, non posso dire che fosse un cattivo allenatore. Era un grandissimo allenatore. Se dicessi il contrario sarei un bugiardo." The defender recalled the dressing-room mood before the second leg against Barcelona in the 2017/18 quarter-finals, when Roma trailed 4-1 from the first leg. Manolas said that De Rossi, Kolarov, Džeko, Pellegrini and others at a table were convinced they would win 3-0: "Siete pazzi da legare! Ma come facciamo a vincere 3-0? Pensate davvero che non prenderemo neanche un gol da questi? Quello che dite non esiste. Sono tutte stupidaggini. Oggi ne prenderemo altri tre o quattro e ce ne andremo a casa." He then described the decisive goal, scored from a corner taken by Cengiz Under: "Io al primo palo andavo molto raramente. Ma avevo visto Under in allenamento e sapevo che spesso calciava forte senza riuscire a superare il primo uomo. Così sono andato sul primo palo. Ho colpito di testa, la palla ha fatto quello che doveva fare ed è entrata. Non so neanch'io come spiegartelo." Roma's run ended in the semi-finals against Liverpool, and Manolas still has regrets about his own performance in the first leg: "Andiamo a Liverpool e faccio il peggior sogno che potessi fare nella mia vita. Sogno che mi cade un dente. Io credo a queste cose. Quando ho fatto quel sogno, ho capito che sarebbe stata una giornata molto difficile. Uno o due dei loro gol erano in fuorigioco, ma noi siamo stati molto scarsi. E anch'io sono stato molto scarso. Posso dirti che quella è stata una delle mie peggiori partite in Champions League. Sono stato davvero pessimo." In the return leg at the Olimpico, he disputed several refereeing decisions: "Avremmo dovuto vincere. El Shaarawy tira e Alexander-Arnold respinge il pallone con la mano, prima che entri in porta. È rigore ed espulsione. Avremmo potuto fare il 3-2 al 55' e avremmo ribaltato la partita. Poi c'è un altro episodio: un rigore che non ci viene dato per un fuorigioco che non esiste. Non c'è nessun fuorigioco. Se ci fosse stato il VAR, saremmo andati in finale. Avevamo rimontato contro il Barcellona e avremmo rimontato anche contro il Liverpool." Manolas also described a transfer to Zenit that collapsed over the contract currency. He said the figures were to be written in roubles, which he rejected: "Arrivo all'incontro e mi dicono che le cifre del contratto sarebbero state scritte in rubli. Mi spiegano che il rublo può salire o scendere anche del 20%. Io gli dico che voglio gli importi in euro. Mi rispondono che non è possibile, che sono l'unico giocatore a volerlo. Gli dico che, se esco da quella riunione, non tornerò più indietro, perché sono superstizioso. Mi dicono di andare via. Quando sono a casa mi chiamano e mi dicono che hanno accettato di mettere tutto in euro. Ma io rispondo che ormai è troppo tardi." On his return to Rome, he said he was told he would no longer play: "Quando tornai, mi dissero che non avrei più giocato e che non avrei più fatto niente. Io risposi che non c'era problema, che ci saremmo presi un caffè e alla fine avremmo visto chi avrebbe giocato." He does not regret the decision: "Non tutti i mali vengono per nuocere. È questo che è rimasto nella storia. Avrei potuto guadagnare 10 milioni in un anno, invece sono rimasto alla Roma per meno di un terzo. Ma quello che ho fatto per me vale dieci volte tanto." Finally, Manolas explained his move to Napoli after five seasons in giallorosso: "Non avevo pazienza. Il mio ciclo alla Roma si era chiuso. Cinque anni, e vedevo che la squadra non riusciva a fare quel passo in più per competere davvero. Avevamo provato a vincere il campionato, ma lo avevamo perso contro la Juventus, che allora era fortissima. Era come l'Olympiacos in Grecia, difficilissima da affrontare. Vedevo che in quel momento il Napoli era una squadra che, dal punto di vista calcistico, aveva standard più alti rispetto alla Roma. Non volevo lasciare l'Italia. Negli anni precedenti avevo avuto offerte dalla Juventus, ma quell'anno non ne avevo. Così decisi di andare al Napoli." On the financial side, he said: "La Roma doveva prendere quei soldi. Aveva un problema enorme con il fair play finanziario. Doveva incassarli. Alla fine mi convinsero e andai al Napoli."

Former Roma defender Kostas Manolas has said that VAR would have taken Roma to the final, in a long interview with the Greek portal Betarades. Speaking about his time in the giallorosso, he covered Francesco Totti, Luciano Spalletti, the comeback against Barcelona and the semi-final defeat to Liverpool. Manolas described Totti as the best person he had met in football. “He is the best person, the most humble. I cannot say a single negative word about him. Before being a footballer he is a man. He welcomed me as if I were his son. That is why we have always been very close. Even today we talk on the phone. He knew what to do with the ball an hour before it arrived. There was an enormous difference between him and all of us, technically and mentally.” Manolas said Totti helped persuade him to renew his contract: “If it had not been for him, I would not have renewed. He convinced me. He was like a brother to me, and I could not say no to him.” He added: “Totti should be inside Roma. It is not possible that he is outside. If I were the president, I would keep him for life, in the role he wants.” On Totti's retirement, Manolas said: “I was crying too. You could not do otherwise. I had lived it in the last days and I saw how he was facing the situation. He did not want to stop. It was the club that made him stop. The club, the coach, Spalletti... Totti wanted to keep playing. In my opinion he still had something to give. Maybe he was no longer in his best physical condition, but even in recent times he came on and scored. In those 15, 20 or 30 minutes he always managed to do something, an assist or a goal.” On Spalletti, he was blunt: “He is a very, very, very good coach. As a person, however, he is difficult. In my view he does not treat players correctly. But as a coach he is one of the best I have ever had, if not the best. I tell the truth. Just because he did not behave well with me, I cannot say he was a bad coach. He was a great coach. If I said the opposite I would be a liar.” Manolas also spoke about the collapsed move to Zenit. He said the contract figures had first been drawn up in roubles, and that he insisted on euros because the rouble could move by as much as 20%. He said he was told he was the only player who wanted this, and that the club later agreed to euros, but by then he said it was too late. On his return to Roma, he recalled being told he would no longer play. “I replied that it was not a problem, that we would have a coffee and in the end we would see who would play.” He reflected on the Barcelona match and the goal he scored. “Not all bad things come to harm. That is what has stayed in history. I could have earned 10 million in one year, but I stayed at Roma for less than a third of that. What I did for myself is worth ten times as much.” On why he left, he said: “I had no patience. My cycle at Roma had closed. Five years, and I saw the team could not take that extra step to really compete. We had tried to win the league, but we lost it to Juventus, who were very strong then.” He said Napoli had higher standards at that time, adding: “I did not want to leave Italy... So I decided to go to Napoli.” He also said the club needed the money because of a major financial fair play problem: “Roma had to take that money.” Before the Barcelona game, he recalled a team table where De Rossi, Kolarov, Džeko, Pellegrini and others predicted a 3-0 win. “I looked at them and said: ‘You are crazy! How can we win 3-0? Do you really think we will not even concede a goal to these lot? What you are saying does not exist. It is all nonsense. Today we will take three or four more and go home.’” He described his goal: “I very rarely went to the near post. But I had seen Ünder in training and knew he often shot hard without getting past the first man. So I went to the near post. I headed it, the ball did what it had to do and went in. I do not even know how to explain it.” On the semi-final against Liverpool, Manolas said he had a bad dream before the trip: “I had the worst dream I could have in my life. I dreamed a tooth fell out. I believe in these things. When I had that dream, I understood it would be a very difficult day. One or two of their goals were offside, but we were very poor. I was very poor too. That was one of my worst Champions League games. I was really terrible.” He was most frustrated by the second leg. “We should have won. El Shaarawy shoots and Alexander-Arnold pushes the ball away with his hand before it crosses the line. It is a penalty and a red card. We could have made it 3-2 in the 55th minute and turned the game around. Then there was another incident: a penalty not given for an offside that does not exist. There is no offside. If there had been VAR, we would have reached the final. We had come back against Barcelona and we would have come back against Liverpool too.”