Roma lead Milan in race for Endrick, with January contacts underway

Porto president André Villas-Boas has backed Rodrigo Mora to establish himself at Roma following the midfielder's move from the Portuguese club two months ago. Speaking to the Corriere della Sera, Villas-Boas described the transfer negotiation as complex. "It's true because Rodrigo is an idol of Porto's fans, a player who was formed in our academy and represents so much for all of us—a real gem," he said. "Last season he didn't get the playing time he hoped for, so at a certain point we decided to listen to proposals for him. Roma came looking for us with force and in the end we reached an agreement that was satisfying for everyone." The deal between the two clubs includes performance-related clauses tied to Mora's output. Villas-Boas, speaking both as Porto's president and drawing on his experience as a coach, expressed confidence in the 24-year-old's prospects in Serie A. The midfielder joined Roma in August after spending his career in Porto's academy system, where he had become a fan favourite. His path to regular football has been blocked by competition, prompting the move to Italy as a fresh opportunity to develop his career. On Mora's chances of succeeding, Villas-Boas was unequivocal: "He has unlimited talent. At the right time he will find his space and enchant Roma—I'm certain of that. And more: he has great personality, he knows where he wants to go and he knows what objectives he wants to pursue along his career, which is why he will impose himself. Technically Rodrigo has a talent that can take him serenely among the best in the world; I have no doubts."

Roma remain fixed on an attacking winger for the January transfer window, with four candidates dominating discussion at Trigoria: Leweling, Gittens, Luiz Henrique and Endrick. Head coach Gasperini is methodical in his approach—this is his familiar pattern, reshaping the squad when the window reopens. The club also has a full-back slot in mind, though a potential return to Oosterwolde cannot be ruled out. The winger target, however, commands the focus of sporting director D'Amico and Roma's recruitment team. Each of the four front-runners faces obstacles at their current clubs. Gittens, reportedly Gasperini's preference, has yet to debut in the Premier League and suffered an injury while on U21 duty. Leweling has accumulated only 146 minutes of action and missed selection in the new national team coach Klopp's initial squad of 44 players during a difficult phase at his club. Luiz Henrique remained in Russia due to bureaucratic issues and lost his international call-up, making a January move appear unlikely. Endrick, protected and blocked by Mourinho in summer, has been sidelined at Real Madrid with just four minutes of playing time granted. Much hinges on November, when UEFA will rule on Roma's alleged breach of the Settlement Agreement. The expectation is that a loan deal with a purchase option—a formula rejected by the club in summer—may now gain traction and suit Gasperini's requirements.

Roma are preparing a concrete new attempt to sign Endrick in the January transfer window, with head coach Gasperini and sporting director D'Amico maintaining their interest in the Brazilian. The 2006-born forward is struggling for playing time at Real Madrid, despite comments from José Mourinho, and Roma see an opportunity to revive their pursuit. AC Milan, who attempted to bring Endrick to the club in the summer, also remain in contention for his signature. Meanwhile, Roma are advancing contract negotiations with defender Emanuele Lulli, whose performances at the start of the season have impressed the club. Lulli is set for a contract extension through to 2031, with his salary rising significantly to nearly €1 million per year.