Roma on course to reach 40,000 season ticket milestone as curves and lower tiers near sell-out

Former Roma winger Max Tonetto has said a Roma centenary without Francesco Totti, Bruno Conti and Daniele De Rossi would not be a true centenary, as the club's 100th anniversary approaches in 2027. Speaking to Roberta Pedrelli on RadioBruno, Tonetto backed a possible return for Totti in a club role. "I hope so, a centenary without players like Totti, Bruno Conti and De Rossi is not a centenary of Roma. The history of Roma is those three. They were absolute legends, and seeing Francesco in the stands gives me hope for his return." The interview also touched on the recent exchange between Totti and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, with Pedrelli recalling the invitation to organise a new dinner. Pedrelli then asked whether the club should keep the number 10 shirt unassigned or give it to a player such as Paulo Dybala. Tonetto said: "I don't consider it such an important issue. Whatever decision is taken will not erase what Totti has done for Roma, but keeping it available would be a dream for a future Roman and Roma fan who longs to wear such an important shirt." The conversation then turned to Niccolò Pisilli, who wore the captain's armband on Tuesday in the Champions League match against Slovan Bratislava. The moment carried strong symbolism for a player who came through Roma's youth sector. Asked about the emotion of that occasion, Tonetto said: "I am a romantic, I love these things, and seeing scenes like these is still the essence of football." Finally, responding to a question from Verdenelli, Tonetto reflected on his own time at Roma, during which he won three trophies without lifting the Scudetto. "Those three trophies are a fine haul, but there were also three second-place finishes. In one of them Inter were truly much stronger, while in the other two we fought until the very end. To win, you have to keep fighting until the end, and in those years, despite a short squad, we achieved a lot. If you fight every year, sooner or later the victory comes."

Roma's market staff are looking to strengthen the attack in January after Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini keen to start moving now. The club's budget is constrained: with a heavy UEFA fine looming over a breach of the settlement agreement, Roma can only pursue operations similar to the one that brought Donyell Malen to the club, meaning onerous loans with a possible obligation to buy tied to qualification for the Champions League. Targets are players who find little space at major clubs but can make an impact in Serie A. Top of the list is Brazilian forward Endrick, despite the public closure from Mourinho. The player keeps playing little and is pushing for more minutes, with Gasperini's backing. Contacts were reportedly made in the hours after the match at the Olimpico, where Endrick was decisive and was able to see Roma's attacking play up close. Gasperini has pushed for the move, while sporting director D'Amico is reported to be fully behind the idea, with CEO Galantic less so. Another route leads to London. Chelsea appear willing to loan out Gittens, who has not played a single minute in the Premier League, and Roma are monitoring him. Kevin of Fulham and Hutson-Odoi of Nottingham Forest are also being watched as two further profiles who receive limited game time. For Kvernadze, a decision has been pushed back to June.

Former Roma midfielder Gago has said he would love to coach in Italy, having come close to several Italian clubs without the chance ever materialising. Speaking in an interview with a French outlet, he said: "Yes, of course, I would love to have this opportunity. On several occasions I have been close to various Italian clubs, but for certain circumstances the chance to coach in Italy never came about. I would like it, yes. It is a path, naturally: there are right times and moments, and you should not force things. As I always say, training matters, work matters and the path you take to become a coach matters, especially in Europe." Asked whether returning to Roma as a coach would be a dream, he replied: "I don't know if I would think about the possibility of coaching Roma, obviously. As I told you before, I have a huge respect for the club and for the city. They have always treated me very well. I have not yet had the chance to return. I always say I would love to do it, to go to the club and see the fans again, who I liked very much." Gago also spoke about a difficult personal period he went through a few months ago. "I think I am a person who has suffered because of injuries, and who lost my father and my brothers at certain moments in my life. What happened three or four months ago was something unexpected, an event that led me to reconsider some things. But I have always kept the same intensity in wanting to enjoy life and the work I do, and the way I do it. From a professional point of view not much has changed, but on a personal level it has, especially regarding my lifestyle. I have had to give up some things and, naturally, take more care of myself." Looking back on his time in giallorosso, he said: "I would have liked to enjoy it more. That Gago should have enjoyed it more, knowing that perhaps there was a possibility of staying at the club and continuing to try. Even though, had I stayed, the coach who would have arrived would not have considered me, I would have liked to enjoy it more, because I was really happy. Over time I have realised that it was a place where I had been very happy."