Roma players Koné and El Aynaoui set for World Cup 2026 semifinal clash

Roma's pursuit of Mason Greenwood has stalled over escalating financial demands from the English forward's representatives. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini had already secured Greenwood's approval following direct talks and views the attacker as essential to his tactical system, but the transfer is now facing serious obstacles. Marseille maintain their €50 million valuation, while Roma's offer stands at €45 million—a gap of €5 million that pales against the larger wage issue. Greenwood's representatives have sharply increased salary demands from €5 million to €6 million net annually, plus bonuses per season. This sudden jump threatens to derail negotiations entirely and has forced Roma's hierarchy to reassess whether the deal remains economically viable. Gasperini continues to advocate for bringing Greenwood to Trigoria, deeming him indispensable for his tactical setup. However, the club must now determine whether to meet the higher wage demands, negotiate a compromise, or explore alternative targets. With both the transfer fee gap and salary expectations now acting as obstacles, Roma face a critical decision in the coming days. The path to bringing Greenwood to the capital has become considerably steeper, and his future at Roma is now in serious doubt.

Kostas Tsimikas's spell at Roma has ended without the impact promised when Liverpool loaned him to the club on 31 August 2025. The left-back arrived as backup to Angeliño but failed to deliver despite encouraging early signs, making just 1050 minutes across 18 Serie A appearances and 7 Europa League matches. His season average rating of 5.63 reflects a run marred by costly errors—including a meekly struck free kick at Como that became social media fodder—and finishing with only one assist to his name, earned in a Europa League match at Nice on 24 September when he set up Gianluca Mancini twice in a performance that proved his sole highlight. Tsimikas debuted in the Derby della Capitale on 21 September, contributing the final 9 minutes of Roma's victory against Lazio, but never again demonstrated the quality shown in France. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini was forced to solve the left-back shortage by deploying Wesley in that position, with Zeki Çelik anchoring the opposite flank—a makeshift arrangement that ultimately benefited Roma through Wesley's exceptional form. Roma chose not to activate the permanent option on the Greek international, who has returned to Liverpool. The 41-cap international's failure to flourish, despite arriving as an experienced Premier League performer, underscores how promising signings can falter even when all conditions appear favourable.

Roma are monitoring Franck Kessié, the free agent midfielder available after leaving Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini eyes a reunion with a player he developed at Atalanta. Gasperini launched and developed Kessié during the 2016–17 season at Atalanta, the year of the Ivorian's definitive breakthrough at elite level. The midfielder impressed at the World Cup, scoring against Germany in the group stage, and has explicitly indicated his preference to return to Italian football. Roma face significant competition for his signature. Juventus are moving decisively in the race for Kessié and are considered among the most concrete candidates for his future, according to reports. Atalanta themselves are also in the picture, reportedly entertaining the prospect of bringing the midfielder back to Bergamo where his high-level career began. The central obstacle for all Serie A clubs, including Roma, lies in salary demands. Although Kessié's free-agent status eliminates transfer fees, his wage expectations present a substantial hurdle for Italian clubs' finances. For the move to become a real negotiation, Kessié would need to significantly lower his salary demands from his previous contract. Roma are treating this as a potential market opportunity and will monitor developments should the financial parameters become more accessible.

Roma are expected to table an official offer for Mason Greenwood this week, with the Marseille winger having assured head coach Gian Piero Gasperini of his commitment to join. Gasperini held a direct conversation with Greenwood and his father-agent, presenting his tactical vision and asking the forward pointedly: "Are you ready to run?" Greenwood responded affirmatively in Italian: "Yes I'm ready, I'll come to score many goals too." In parallel, Gasperini has moved to strengthen his attacking options. The coach has pursued Nicolò Tresoldi of Bruges over recent months and obtained the striker's agreement to join. Roma could secure Tresoldi on a loan deal with a purchase option, though his arrival depends on Artem Dovbyk's departure first. Should either Manu Koné or Neil El Aynaoui leave—both are attracting Premier League interest—Roma will pursue Jerdy Timber from Marseille as a replacement midfielder or defender. Rafa Leao has also been offered to Roma. The Milan winger is seeking a fresh challenge after seven seasons with the Rossoneri and is available on loan with a high redemption clause attached. Rome's new kit is already on sale outside Italy.

Manchester United has expressed strong interest in signing Roma midfielder El Aynaoui, according to recent reports. The English club has made contact with Roma's management, but the Italian club has signalled that €30 million may not be enough to secure the player's departure. Roma views El Aynaoui as a key asset and has no intention of offering a discount on any transfer fee. El Aynaoui's market value has risen considerably following his impressive performances at the World Cup with Morocco, where he became a regular starter from the opening match. Beyond Manchester United, other European clubs including Barcelona, Everton, and Liverpool have also shown interest. Roma's position is firm: the club does not wish to sell the midfielder after just one season, viewing him as an integral part of their project moving forward. El Aynaoui himself is keen to demonstrate his abilities in his second year under the guidance of head coach Gasperini, having established himself as a cornerstone of Roma's midfield. The player's World Cup success and Roma's reluctance to part with him have combined to strengthen his negotiating position, putting pressure on interested suitors to match the club's valuation if they wish to proceed.

Neil El Aynaoui continues to draw interest from major European clubs following a strong World Cup performance. Roma has responded by taking a firm stance to protect the player amid widespread transfer speculation. The defender's form at international level has made him a target for several top European sides. Details remain unclear regarding the specific clubs involved or the exact nature of Roma's resistance to potential offers.