Roma linked with Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde as January target

Roma will be without Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala for the trip to Napoli, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini with just two attacking midfielders available, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé. Bryan Cristante, who has just returned from injury, could be deployed in that role behind Soulé and Donyell Malen, and Gasperini is expected to settle his selection doubts in the coming hours. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation has also dealt the squad a blow. Daniele Aloisi of Il Messaggero reports that the club must act urgently in the January window. Roma still lack the left-sided winger who plays on his right foot, a signing they did not make even in the previous window. Gasperini reportedly expects at least two additions: one forward and one player to complete the options on the wings of midfield. The club's scouts have Gittense Leweling on their list. Signing Endrick will be harder, though that lead is far from closed. Oosterwolde is also under consideration. The newest name is Balde of Barcelona, a left-back who is finding little playing time under Flick. His availability has been offered through Mendes, the same agent who represents Rodrigo Mora. Any strengthening will require a real effort from the Friedkin Group, which must reinforce a squad that risks reaching the midpoint of the season badly depleted. The hope in Rome is that another signing of Malen's quality can be secured to keep the team performing well.

Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury threatens to reshape Roma's January transfer plans, with sporting director Tony D'Amico now seen as needing to strengthen the attacking department almost by necessity. D'Amico had already admitted at the close of the summer window that the squad was numerically short: "Numerically we are slightly short, one player is missing." Since then the situation has worsened. Paulo Dybala continues to have physical problems, Pellegrini faces a very long spell out, and Gian Piero Gasperini has very few usable men in the final third. One signing may no longer be enough. Roma will certainly look for an attacking winger capable of beating a man, attacking depth and providing the vertical presence Gasperini had requested during the summer. If the physical issues continue to limit rotation, D'Amico could even look to bring two attacking players to Trigoria. The problem goes beyond the starters. Gasperini has Donyell Malen and Santiago Castro as centre-forwards and Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora as the main options in behind them, but depth behind them has become very thin. Niccolò Pisilli and Bryan Cristante could be adapted further forward and Wesley could be pushed up, but these moves leave other areas of the pitch exposed. The January window will therefore no longer simply add to a competitive side; it must correct a structural gap in the squad. A quality winger was already considered a priority after attempts that fell through late in the summer, and the need is now more pressing. The names being tracked remain several. Jamie Gittens continues to be one of the profiles admired, as does Jamie Leweling, who was pursued until the final days of the summer window. Khvicha Kvernadze also remains on the radar as a player monitored for his characteristics and potential. Gasperini asked for depth. Injuries are making that request even more urgent, and January, rather than a simple window to complete the summer's work, risks becoming a decisive juncture for the second half of Roma's season.

Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury looks set to keep him out for far longer than first feared, with at least three months on the sidelines and a return to action not expected before 2027. The diagnosis is a high-grade injury at the distal musculotendinous junction of the semitendinosus in his right thigh, which Roma are reportedly considering treating surgically. The club is awaiting further specialist assessments before deciding. The timeline is a far cry from the 20 days Gasperini suggested straight after the Roma-Slovan Bratislava match. The location of the injury is the main concern, as the problem sits near the knee where the semitendinosus joins its tendon, a particularly delicate area that requires more caution than a standard muscle-belly injury. If surgery is chosen, it would further extend his recovery, and the season could be over. This is another serious setback for Pellegrini, who has only recently returned to availability. He had already missed the summer preparation because of an earlier physical problem and had only recently started to win back minutes and consistency under Gasperini. The injury leaves Gasperini facing a problem he had repeatedly flagged as one of the season's main risks. The attacking department has suddenly become very short. Pellegrini is set to be out for a long time, Dybala is still sidelined, and rotation options in the final third are reduced to practically Soulé and Mora, with Pisilli or Cristante possibly pushed forward and the option of using Malen and Castro together. Gasperini had said clearly after the Slovan match: "If we don't recover Dybala quickly, we'll become really short of players." At that time the extent of Pellegrini's injury was not yet known, and the remark now carries even more weight. The consequences extend to the January transfer market. Roma had already planned a new signing to strengthen mainly the attack, but Pellegrini's long absence may further change the priorities of Tony D'Amico. A market that a few weeks ago looked set to add quality now risks becoming necessary in numerical terms too. At least one attacking reinforcement will be needed to immediately widen Gasperini's options, and depending on how the infirmary evolves, Roma may be forced to do more. January therefore becomes a fundamental stage in building the squad, as facing the second half of the season with so few alternatives up front would be a difficult risk to sustain.

Roma will be without Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala for the trip to Napoli, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini with just two attacking midfielders available, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé. Bryan Cristante, who has just returned from injury, could be deployed in that role behind Soulé and Donyell Malen, and Gasperini is expected to settle his selection doubts in the coming hours. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation has also dealt the squad a blow. Daniele Aloisi of Il Messaggero reports that the club must act urgently in the January window. Roma still lack the left-sided winger who plays on his right foot, a signing they did not make even in the previous window. Gasperini reportedly expects at least two additions: one forward and one player to complete the options on the wings of midfield. The club's scouts have Gittense Leweling on their list. Signing Endrick will be harder, though that lead is far from closed. Oosterwolde is also under consideration. The newest name is Balde of Barcelona, a left-back who is finding little playing time under Flick. His availability has been offered through Mendes, the same agent who represents Rodrigo Mora. Any strengthening will require a real effort from the Friedkin Group, which must reinforce a squad that risks reaching the midpoint of the season badly depleted. The hope in Rome is that another signing of Malen's quality can be secured to keep the team performing well.

Roma are already looking ahead to the January transfer window, with sporting director Tony D'Amico reaffirming the club's intention to give Gian Piero Gasperini new resources to cope with a packed fixture list. Speaking to Sky Sport, D'Amico said: "January is far away, now we concentrate on ourselves. Then we will do our utmost to give the coach resources to face all the matches in the best way." According to Corriere dello Sport, despite the comments of José Mourinho, Endrick remains among the profiles being monitored and stays on the radar for January. On the flank, the pursuit of Oosterwolde remains active. His possible arrival, however, will also depend on the player's physical condition, after a muscle injury had slowed his move during the summer. If Oosterwolde has fully recovered, his profile will be seriously considered by the club, making fitness the key condition for any deal to progress.

Roma's pursuit of Real Madrid forward Endrick remains at an impasse two months after a summer rejection, with the Spanish club offering neither discussion nor closure on a potential move. The international break has revived interest in the 20-year-old, who has made only four minutes of league action and no Champions League appearances under Carlo Ancelotti and remains keen to leave in search of regular playing time. Endrick has repeatedly told Real Madrid he wants to join Roma and wear the giallorosso, most recently reiterating this to José Mourinho before reporting to the Brazilian national team two weeks ago. Ancelotti has publicly acknowledged the forward needs consistent minutes to develop. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has not prioritised the signing, concentrating instead on upcoming fixtures rather than transfer activity—a perspective that makes sense given the January window lies three months away. Roma's primary target remains a winger with specific qualities: physically strong and capable of explosive pace. Endrick is not that profile, though Gasperini would accept him as a secondary option, potentially deploying him on the right wing or as a second striker. The first-choice targets remain Chelsea's Gittens, Stuttgart's Lewelling and Zenit's Luiz Henrique, all of whom were discussed in the closing stages of the summer market and remain on Roma's radar. Only Henrique received significant playing time after negotiations halted in August. Another barrier exists: the Friedkin family's likely demands for departures before any arrival. Soulé has been repeatedly pursued—both in summer and now through the winter window—while a possible move for defender Oosterwolde could mean Rensch or Ghilardi leaving. Oosterwolde was abandoned at the end of August due to physical problems, which are reportedly now resolved. For any Endrick deal to progress, Real Madrid must break its silence, the player must remain committed despite minimal minutes, and Roma must find clarity on squad-trimming priorities.

Gian Piero Gasperini is standing by Rodrigo Mora despite a recent dip in the young Portuguese's form, with the coach and the club viewing the slowdown as a normal part of his development rather than a cause for concern. The Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Mora is now handling the step up in level and the pressure of a demanding Roman crowd, with his form having dipped in recent weeks after a promising start to the season. Mora's performances against Genoa and Slovan Bratislava were described as hesitant, with some errors in front of goal slowing his progress and leaving him temporarily behind a more consistent and convincing Matías Soulé. Gasperini is carefully weighing how to use him ahead of the tricky trip to Napoli at the Maradona. The club's position, however, remains clear: Mora is an important investment and must be protected. He is young, has obvious quality and needs time to complete his physical and tactical development. There is no rush and no alarm, only a determination to develop him the right way. The report stresses that Mora arrived in Rome through a complex transfer operation handled by the Friedkin group. The club's approach is to be patient and manage his workload carefully rather than drop him over a few poor displays, with the focus on giving him the time he needs to mature into a key figure for the club.

Former Roma defender Zago believes Roma and Inter will fight for the Scudetto, and that Gian Piero Gasperini's side have everything needed to bring the title back to the capital, he told Il Tempo. Napoli and Roma are going through two very different moments, and Zago was asked who he sees as the favourite for the clash. Zago said: "If the match had been at the Olimpico, I would have told you Roma would win 100%. At the Maradona it will be a bit more difficult, Napoli will do everything to get out of this difficult situation. For them it can be the match that turns things around." Asked what Gasperini has brought that is different, he credited a winning mentality. "He works a huge amount, he bases his game on intensity and triangular play. I consider him one of the three best coaches of recent years. For me, moreover, Roma have done an excellent market this summer." Zago was also asked whether Gasperini should trust Rodrigo Mora at Napoli. "I believe Mora can be the ideal replacement for Dybala. He has started well, showing he is a strong player." On Endrick, he said: "He still has to fully prove his value and find his ideal role on the pitch. He would suit Roma, and I have no doubt he would grow a lot working with Gasperini."

Rodrigo Mora is being handed greater responsibility after Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury, which could keep the midfielder out until 2027 with a high-grade tear to his right thigh. Roma face Napoli at the Maradona tomorrow, and Mora is set to play alongside Matías Soulé behind centre-forward Donyell Malen, as Paulo Dybala is also sidelined with a calf injury. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini must now reshape his plan for Mora, whose game time has so far been gradual. In Serie A he has played an average of 46 minutes per match, according to Niccolò Maurelli writing in Repubblica. Mora now wants to take control of the attacking department and become Malen's new focal point. The two already share a strong understanding, as shown against Real at the Olimpico, when the Portuguese set up the striker for the goal that made it 2-1 for the time being. Mora will need to quickly absorb the tactical idea of the coach, who wants him to be more decisive in front of goal.