Roma Miss Out on Summerville; Pivot to Nusa

Summerville has turned down the chance to join Roma, instead signing for Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal under manager Simone Inzaghi. West Ham will receive approximately £65 million for the Dutch winger. Summerville has committed to a contract until 2030 worth £20 million net per season, plus bonuses, totalling around £80 million over the full duration of the agreement. The economic gap between the Giallorossi and the Saudi club proved decisive. Roma could not match the package offered by Al Hilal's petrodollars, leaving the Serie A side to pursue other targets. The club had come close to completing Summerville's arrival before his decision to move to the Middle East instead of continuing his European career and competing in the Champions League. With Summerville now off the table, Roma's recruitment focus shifts. Nusa remains the primary target on the club's shortlist, though El Mala is also being monitored as a potential surprise addition in the current transfer window.

Matteo Salvini, Italy's Infrastructure and Transport Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, has weighed in on speculation linking AC Milan's Rafael Leão to Roma. Speaking on Radio Roma Sound's 'Gli inascoltabili' programme, Salvini — a lifelong Milan supporter — offered a candid assessment of the Portuguese winger's suitability for the Giallorossi. Salvini acknowledged Leão's technical quality and physical attributes but questioned his consistency and mental approach. He said: "When he wants to play, you cannot stop him. The problem is: when does he want to play? For one year, two years, three years, four years he is potentially a champion. After some years, 'potentially' is an adverb that one can no longer use. No one disputes his quality, his technique, but his attitude. On Lazio's bench there is Gattuso, who certainly didn't have Leão's feet, didn't have his physique, his height, his acceleration, but he came off the pitch with three sweaty shirts at the end of the match. So I don't know, I don't comment on the market dealings of others." Salvini also discussed Roma's plans for a new stadium during the interview, reflecting broader infrastructure concerns alongside the club's transfer activity.

Roma's transfer window remains stalled a month into the season, with no new signings completed despite ongoing talks. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has prioritised the signing of a left winger, a position the club has been actively pursuing following the collapse of moves for other targets. Napoli offered Roma the services of Noa Lang, who spent the previous season on loan at Galatasaray and is surplus to requirements under Napoli's new manager Allegri. However, Roma's leadership immediately rejected the proposal, with Gasperini particularly unconvinced by the Dutch winger's profile. The top target remains Antonio Nusa, though RB Leipzig is demanding at least €60 million for the player.

Rome's radio stations have weighed in on Roma's summer transfer activity, with prominent voices expressing scepticism about the club's pursuit of winger Nusa and questioning the overall direction of the market strategy. Francesco Balzani said: "According to me Nusa is all smoke and mirrors, I believe there are few chances of seeing him at Roma. The Giallorossi are behind on everything. Roma a month before the start of the championship is worse than last year." Lorenzo Pes echoed the concerns, stating: "Nusa does not convince from a physical point of view. At this moment behind Malen there are Dovbyk who is leaving and Vaz who is not at the centre of the project. I think that Nusa is a distraction in order to try this time to stay more hidden on the real objectives. For me the real names are others." Piero Torri argued that any market talk beyond external positions is designed to divert attention from Roma's primary need: "Any market voice other than that of the wingers is a voice to divert attention from what Roma is doing. Now the main objective is to make the wingers." Marco Juric raised fitness concerns about Nusa's knee condition and questioned coach Gian Piero Gasperini's long-term recruitment vision. Roberto Pruzzo, Roma legend, expressed frustration with how negotiations have unfolded, suggesting that players have used Roma to extract better offers from other clubs: "When you have the agreement with the player you feel protected, but it is not so, and the latest situations are demonstrating it." Mario Mattioli placed Roma's struggles in a broader context, arguing that Italian football lacks the economic firepower to compete with European rivals.

Roma have made their first official offer of approximately €35 million to Brugge for striker Nicolò Tresoldi, but the Belgian club have rejected the approach. The 2004-born Italian-German forward has been identified by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as a quality alternative to Donyell Malen or a potential partner in a two-striker system. Roma are working across multiple fronts in the transfer market as the league season approaches in roughly a month, with Gasperini still awaiting new additions to his squad. Brugge's stance is to retain Tresoldi, and the club will only consider selling if an offer becomes irresistible. The pursuit reflects Roma's ongoing efforts to strengthen their attacking options ahead of the new campaign. With the window active and concrete bids now being tabled, Roma face the challenge of either increasing their offer or pivoting to alternative targets as they seek to bolster their forward line.

Vice-president Ryan Friedkin arrived at Roma's Trigoria training ground on 14 July to inject momentum into the summer transfer window, having successfully brokered deals during his January visit — most notably the arrival of Donyell Malen, who played a central role in Roma's push to the Champions League. This summer's mission has proved less fruitful. Two primary targets, Greenwood and Summerville, have already fallen through, with the American ownership expressing doubts about spending €50 million on the latter. Roma have also suffered the blow of Çelik signing with Juventus despite an oral agreement being in place. Gasperini had been awaiting Friedkin's arrival on 13 July, the first day of pre-season. With the window stalling, Friedkin has already returned to the United States within the past 48 hours, and no return date has yet been set. He may attend Cannes–Roma, a pre-season friendly between the two Friedkin-owned clubs, on Sunday, though that remains uncertain. The new transfer target is now Nusa, and Ryan will monitor negotiations from afar.