Roma pressing Chelsea to unlock Gittens loan deal

Franck Kessié has turned down a transfer to Juventus, Sky Sport and Gianluca Di Marzio reported on 29 August. The Ivorian midfielder's entourage communicated to the Turin club that the conditions for completing the move were not in place. Fabrizio Romano confirmed the news, stating that there was no agreement on a third year of contract and the signing bonus tied to that third year. Juventus has now frozen the operation unless circumstances change. Roma have emerged as a potential destination for Kessié. The Giallorossi had shown interest in the midfielder, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini knows him well from their time together at Atalanta. However, the collapse of the Juventus deal does not automatically open the door to Roma. The club must determine whether it can and wants to meet Kessié's financial demands, which had already complicated negotiations with Juventus. Kessié has also received substantial offers from Saudi Arabia. The Juventus talks had continued until the final hours, with club officials including Massara and Spalletti hopeful of reaching an agreement. The negotiations, however, found no common ground. Kessié's future now remains completely open following the rejection of the Bianconeri's proposal.

Roma will not strengthen their wing-back options before the transfer window closes, barring late surprises. With Devyne Rensch sidelined by a left flexor injury, Gian Piero Gasperini will rely on four defenders to cover the flanks until January: Giorgio De Marzi and Nahuel Molina on the right, and Wesley on the left. Molina featured prominently in Roma's opening match against Fiorentina last Monday, while Lulli has also impressed in recent action. The Oosterwolde deal collapsed following additional medical checks, and with Balerdi's arrival imminent to complete the centre-back contingent, Roma have decided against further recruitment in the defensive ranks. The club's focus has instead shifted to signing an attacking left winger rather than a fourth midfield full-back, a decision made in light of the positive performances from Lulli. Any further wing signings remain possible in the final days of the market, but none is planned at present.

Leonardo Balerdi is set to become Roma's fifth summer signing, joining from Olympique Marseille on loan with a right of purchase that can become an obligation based on certain appearance thresholds. The Argentine defender, who holds Italian citizenship and was born in 1999, is expected to arrive imminently and will sign a contract through 2031. The deal is valued between €15 and €20 million in total and was completed in just over 48 hours through quiet negotiations by the Roma hierarchy. Bareldi's path to Roma stretches back years. In 2025, then-sporting director Ghisolfi pursued him, while last summer Gasperini specifically requested the signing. However, Marseille's valuation proved prohibitively high at that time; only now, with the French club needing to offload players, has the operation become feasible. Sporting director D'Amico had identified Balerdi while working with Gasperini at Atalanta in summer 2024, following a Europa League semi-final meeting between the clubs. That interest stalled over valuation concerns. D'Amico had also negotiated with Marseille over defender Aguerd in recent days, but the Moroccan declined a loan move, bringing Balerdi back into focus. At 27, Balerdi will join Roma's growing contingent of Argentine players at Trigoria: Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and Nahuel Molina.