Roma prioritize left winger over striker, with Nusa and Castro in focus

Manchester United has slowed its pursuit of Roma midfielder Manu Koné after initial intensive monitoring of the 2001-born France international, according to The Telegraph. The delay stems from doubts within the Manchester United hierarchy over whether the player justifies an outlay of at least €60 million. This does not represent a definitive withdrawal from the race, but rather a period of careful reflection on whether Koné represents the right investment for the club. Koné has attracted attention from top European clubs following an impressive World Cup campaign with France. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini considers him a fundamental piece of Roma's midfield setup, yet the club could be open to a sale of the right magnitude to help address financial fair play obligations. Manchester United had been the most attentive suitor to date, but the recent hesitation signals uncertainty about committing such a significant fee to the midfielder's profile.

Manu Koné's future remains uncertain as Roma weigh selling the midfielder against Manchester United's hesitation to commit. The club is prepared to listen to offers for one of Europe's strongest central midfielders, with both Al Ahli and Manchester United showing interest. However, neither club has moved decisively. At Old Trafford, not all senior figures support investing in the French midfielder. According to the Telegraph, perplex­ities exist within the English club over pursuing Koné, and a move worth approximately 60 million euros has not secured unanimous backing from United's hierarchy. Roma is keen to monetise a significant asset to address Financial Fair Play constraints, but concrete bids have been slow to arrive. The delay reflects genuine uncertainty at Manchester United rather than a definitive rejection. The Red Devils continue to monitor Koné as a target, but the club intends to evaluate every aspect of a potential deal before tabling a formal offer. This represents a slowdown in proceedings rather than an outright termination of discussions.

A rejected offer could indirectly benefit Roma's transfer strategy. The club's sporting director D'Amico is prioritising a left winger to reinforce Gasperini's squad, with Nusa as the primary target. El Mala, a German talent born in 2006, had emerged as an alternative option but has declined the move, reportedly setting his sights only on Borussia Dortmund instead. This rejection may open a path to Nusa after all. According to Sky Sport DE, Leipzig have begun eyeing El Mala to strengthen their attacking department. Should the 2006-born player arrive at Leipzig, the German club's transfer strategy could shift, potentially making Nusa available and easing his departure to Roma. However, caution is warranted: Leipzig have not signalled willingness to sell Nusa and continue to view him as an important piece of their squad. Leipzig have also not yet tabled an official offer for El Mala, with only an initial interest registered. Transfer markets thrive on interconnected moves, and the potential link between El Mala and Nusa could prove pivotal for Roma's window.

Roma will take on French club Cannes in their third summer friendly on Sunday, 26 July, kick-off 17:30. The match marks a significant step up in difficulty after Roma's opening two warm-up games, both against lower-league opposition and both finished 6-0. Gasperini's side will face a tougher test against Cannes, who are owned by the Friedkin Group, providing the coach with valuable insights into the work completed during the training camp so far. Cannes represents the first genuine examination of Roma's pre-season preparations. Gasperini will gather important information on squad readiness ahead of the new season. The coach is expected to field a midfield partnership of Cristante and the young player Bah due to limited alternatives in that area. In attack, Malen and Dybala are set to feature, with Dybala already showing excellent form during the build-up. Roma-Cannes will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN. Supporters can watch via the DAZN app on smart TVs, gaming consoles including Xbox and PlayStation, or devices such as Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, and TIM VISION Box. Live updates will be available on Forzaroma.info and across Roma's social media channels on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Roma legend Roberto Pruzzo has called for the club to make a high-profile acquisition in the transfer market, while radio pundit Orsi has criticised the window's progress so far. Speaking on Radio Radio, Pruzzo said: "Anyone can sign players for 50 million. Fans expect a coup like Malen. Now I expect the club to raise its level, without taking part in auctions that so far haven't made it look good. The delay on the market risks undermining Gasperini's work." Orsi added that while head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has not yet complained publicly, the lack of arrivals represents a disappointment. "Gasp isn't banging his fist on the table, even though nobody has arrived yet," Orsi said on the same station. "With D'Amico they haven't failed yet, but certainly this situation wasn't expected. A few other targets could have been acquired. At the moment the market is disappointing." The comments reflect growing frustration among Roma's fanbase and observers about the club's sluggish activity in what is a critical window under new manager Gasperini, appointed in 2025.

Roma's transfer market strategy has drawn criticism from former striker Roberto Pruzzo, who says the club must elevate its ambitions in the coming weeks. Speaking on Radio Radio Mattino, Pruzzo remarked that while any club can spend €50 million on players, supporters expect Roma to land a statement signing comparable to Donyell Malen. He stated: "I expect the club to raise the level, without taking part in auctions that so far have not given it a good showing. The delay on the market risks invalidating Gasperini's work." Gasperini took charge this year and is tasked with rebuilding Roma's credentials after a turbulent period. The criticism reflects frustration that, despite the appointment of a highly regarded coach, the transfer window has been underwhelming so far. Fellow radio pundit Nando Orsi echoed similar sentiments, noting that while head coach Gasperini has not yet made forceful demands in the market and no major exits have occurred under his stewardship, the overall market activity falls short of expectations. Orsi stated: "Gasp is not banging his fists on the table, even though no one has arrived yet. With D'Amico they haven't failed yet, but certainly this situation was not expected. A few other targets could have been picked up. For now, the market is disappointing."

Lorenzo Pellegrini remains in limbo nearly a month after his contract expired on 30 June, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini keen to retain him but negotiations still unresolved ahead of the new season. Gasperini has sought Pellegrini's confirmation alongside Paulo Dybala and Zeki Çelik; Dybala has already signed new terms and Çelik has departed, but Pellegrini's future remains uncertain. The midfielder is currently recovering from a previous season injury and unavailable for training, which has extended talks. Gasperini said: "I hope for the renewal, but at this moment the player could not train. He must recover from injury, for this reason the timescales are a little longer. In the meantime I hope he can recover as soon as possible, then reach an agreement." A banner from the Roma supporters' group appeared at the training ground reading: "Making a mistake can happen... Repeating it means carelessness! Let's hold on to Lorenzo!" Bryan Cristante added his support after Roma's friendly with Trastevere at Trigoria, saying he had been in contact with Pellegrini and was waiting for him with open arms. The sticking point centres on contract duration: Pellegrini is requesting a three-year deal but would reportedly accept two years. The squad will soon relocate from Trigoria to Wales for their summer training camp.

Antonio Nusa of RB Leipzig remains Gian Piero Gasperini's first choice for the left-wing position, but Roma's summer planning continues to clash with negotiating reality. The German club's €60 million valuation is beyond Roma's parameters, with Newcastle also strongly positioned for the player. Nusa, who cuts infield from the left flank, became the priority after failed moves for Greenwood and Summerville. On outgoings, Manchester United continues to pursue midfielder Manu Koné and is prepared to offer €55 million. Roma are also working on a deputy striker to Donyell Malen, anticipating departures of Artem Dovbyk and young prospect Robinio Vaz. Club Brugge rejected Roma's opening bid of €35 million for striker Nicolò Tresoldi, considering the 2004-born forward untouchable following their €40 million sale of Tzolis, though Manchester United has also entered the race. Roma have turned attention to Bologna's Santiago Castro, the Argentine striker valued at approximately €40 million by the Emiliani, who may negotiate if presented with €30–32 million plus bonuses; Castro scored 11 goals last season. Separately, Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract renewal remains unresolved, with the prospect of departure on a free transfer becoming increasingly concrete without a final agreement.

Roma are pursuing attacking reinforcements to satisfy head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's demands, with an external winger and backup striker to partner Donyell Malen identified as the club's immediate priorities before shifting focus to midfield depth. Lorenzi Pellegrini's contract renewal is advancing, with a two-year deal plus one option on the table. The Friedkin Group's final approval is awaited before the 1996-born midfielder can sign, following Gasperini's explicit request for him to remain at the club. The coming week could prove decisive in securing the deal. On the transfer front, RB Leipzig's Nusa is the leading candidate for the wide position and is highly regarded by Gasperini, who had already targeted him in January. However, Leipzig continues to hold Nusa's valuation high, and the Norwegian international, recently involved in World Cup duty, is demanding significant wages to move to Italy. Meanwhile, Alexis Sánchez's departure to Al Hilal in Austria was confirmed after the earlier pursuit of him had concluded.