Roma move to tie down Emanuele Lulli on a contract until 2031

Roma's young centre-back Daniele Ghilardi has reportedly caught the eye of Milan, with the Rossoneri said to be looking for defensive reinforcements in January and including his name among the profiles they are monitoring. The report comes from transfer journalist Matteo Moretto on his YouTube channel. Ghilardi came on in the final minutes of Roma's 2-0 win over Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico, a result that reflected the work Gian Piero Gasperini has done in developing young players and the depth of the squad. From Trigoria, the position is said to be clear: Roma are unlikely to part with the 2003-born defender. Ghilardi is regarded as an excellent prospect for both the present and the future of the club, and Gasperini rates him on a par with the other members of the defensive unit. Barring a dramatic change of course, the player is expected to remain at Roma to fight for his chances and carve out a larger role for himself. The win over Genoa was built on Roma's young resources and squad depth, and Ghilardi's late appearance was used to protect the result. Milan's interest is framed around the winter transfer window in January, when the Rossoneri are seeking to strengthen their back line. Roma's stance, as reported, is that Ghilardi is a key part of the defensive group rather than a player available to leave.

AC Milan are reportedly strongly interested in Daniele Ghilardi, with Roma potentially willing to let the defender leave in January. Journalist Matteo Moretto reports that Milan are attracted to Ghilardi for his age, his potential and his Italian nationality. Ghilardi has spent a year and a half as an apprentice at Roma and has produced some very good performances, and he now wants more regular game time. Roma, however, need at least two new players: an attacking winger and a right-back. Ghilardi could therefore be sacrificed or swapped in January. The real margins of any possible sale are yet to be assessed, but the club's need for reinforcements is well known. The report makes clear that the scenario is still hypothetical. Ghilardi's potential departure would be considered as part of a wider effort to rebalance the squad, with Roma's priorities in the market centred on an attacking winger and a right-back.

Robinio Vaz has failed to take off since his move to Rome, and his spell at Hull City has started badly too. Roma invested 25 million to bring the Frenchman to the capital, but he has not justified the outlay. His attempts to fit into Gian Piero Gasperini's system proved more difficult than expected, with little playing time, plenty of time on the bench and a single goal, against Lecce. That was not enough to convince Gasperini, who did not change his mind even during the summer training camp, and so the club opted to send him out on loan. Hull City were meant to be the chance to restart his career. Instead, the story is repeating itself. In England Vaz is also finding minutes hard to come by: he started only once in the cup, followed by cameo appearances and spells on the bench. To make matters worse, he was injured against Fulham, leaving the pitch limping. It is not a good omen. It is a blow for Hull, who must now do without the Frenchman. No recovery timeframe has yet been set. Hull hold a buy-option fixed at 30 million, but confirming it is far from guaranteed. If his performances stay at this level, it will be hard to see the English club deciding to keep backing him. Roma are watching and waiting. The 25 million invested by Massara is still in search of an answer.

Roma face Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League on Tuesday 20 October at 21:00 at the Stadio Olimpico, just two days after beating Genoa on Saturday evening. Gian Piero Gasperini addressed the fixture at his press conference, stressing that his side will not underestimate their opponents because they need to win to keep their qualification hopes alive. Gasperini said: "We will not underestimate the opponent because we need to win to fuel our chances of going through. To reach the playoffs we need 10 points, starting from this match." Roma go into the match with a fresh fitness concern, as Paulo Dybala is set to be out for at least two weeks. Lorenzo Pellegrini, who sat alongside Gasperini at the press conference, is likely to start tomorrow. Pellegrini said: "I'm well. The annual contract was the club's choice, my priority was Roma." Two places in the starting line-up remain open heading into the match. One is the central defensive berth, a choice between Leonardo Balerdi and Evan N'Dicka, with the former ahead in the race. The other is the right-back spot, where Emanuele Lulli or Nahuel Molina are in contention, with Lulli currently ahead. Slovan Bratislava head coach Yaya Touré also spoke at his press conference: "Great respect for Roma and for Gasp, here the details count."

Roma's probable starting line-up for their meeting with Slovan has been published, with Gian Piero Gasperini reportedly bringing back the No. 23 and Mario Hermoso returning to the defence. Gianluca Mancini is expected to start, while Soulé and Pellegrini are set to operate behind Malen. The central defensive berth is a contest between Leonardo Balerdi and Evan N'Dicka. Molina is pushing Lulli for a place at right-back, and in midfield Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli are expected to start. Beyond the selection, the wider build-up has also produced news on the injury front. Paulo Dybala has a small tear and is expected to be out for a period, while Gasperini has said Roma need 10 points to qualify for the playoffs and that Dybala's recovery will take longer.

Roma host Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening in the third matchday of the Champions League league phase, with kick-off at 21:00. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are looking for their first win in the competition as they push to move closer to the qualification target. Roma come into the match after a draw with Fenerbahce and a bitter defeat to Real Madrid last week. Several players are absent for the hosts. Lulli is in fine form after scoring his first goal on Saturday evening, and Pellegrini is set to return to the starting line-up in the attacking midfield area. The match will be broadcast exclusively live on Sky. Viewers will need a Sky subscription, or the Sky app on a smart TV or a games console such as Xbox or PlayStation. The game will be shown on channels 201, 214 and 251, which are Sky Sport Uno, Sky Sport 4K for viewers with a 4K-capable television, and Sky Sport. Streaming is available through Sky's SkyGo and Now TV platforms. Alternatively, the match can be watched on devices including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and the TIM VISION Box. Fans can also follow a live commentary on Forzaroma.info and updates on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.