Roma probe Schade and seek left-back alternatives as Gasperini loses patience with Angeliño

Artem Dovbyk's stint at Roma has ended with the Ukrainian forward moving to Bologna on loan as part of the deal that brings Castro to the capital. Dovbyk departs after scoring 20 goals in 63 appearances, leaving a sense of what might have been following a transfer that cost the club 41 million euros in the summer of 2024. Dovbyk's first season proved reasonably productive despite Roma's turbulent campaign. He scored his opening goal on 15 September at Marassi under Daniele De Rossi, and added 17 goals in 45 appearances during 2024–25, with crucial strikes against Como, Cagliari, Lecce, and Fiorentina helping Roma climb to fifth place under Claudio Ranieri. However, the 29-year-old, fresh from a 24-goal season at Girona where he won the Pichichi, never truly settled in the capital. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, competition from loan signing Evan Ferguson intensified, and Dovbyk's impact diminished. He missed two penalties against Viktoria Plzen, suffered a thigh strain, then endured a three-month layoff from a left thigh tendon injury. His final appearance came on 17 May in the derby, a two-minute cameo as substitute for Paulo Dybala. The disconnect between the forward and the Roma fanbase was evident throughout. While individual performances warranted optimism at moments, Dovbyk struggled to operate effectively with teammates and lacked conviction in physical challenges. The separation reflects mutual recognition that the substantial investment failed to yield the expected returns.

Santiago Castro received a rousing welcome to Rome late on Wednesday evening as more than 200 Roma supporters gathered to greet him outside Termini station, complete with scarves and chants. The Argentine striker, Roma's first summer signing, arrived from Bologna to scenes of genuine passion from the Giallorossi faithful on a warm end-of-July evening. Castro's arrival marks the beginning of Roma's summer recruitment drive under the Friedkin Group's ownership. The warmth of the reception at one of Rome's main transport hubs underscored the club's supporters' enthusiasm for the incoming talent and their eagerness to embrace new players joining the squad.

Artem Dovbyk left Rome for Bologna on a loan deal with a buyout clause set at approximately €20 million. The Ukrainian forward travelled to Fiumicino airport in the morning to catch his flight to begin his new spell with the Emilia-Romagna club. Roma supporters spotted him at the airport and posed for photographs with the striker. Dovbyk's departure marks another change in Roma's squad following Santiago Castro's arrival at Termini station the previous day. The loan arrangement with Bologna includes an option to make the move permanent, with the buyout figure reported at around €20 million.

Roma's transfer activity continues despite Castro's arrival in the capital for his medical and contract signing. Head coach Gasperini has prioritised reinforcements on the wing, with Nusa identified as the club's primary target for the attacking positions. The Giallorossi are also exploring alternatives including Bahoya and Schade of Brentford, reflecting the ambition to bolster the squad before the season begins. Defensively and in midfield, Roma are equally active. Angeliño has fallen out of favour and is available for departure, prompting the club to pursue Fresneda of Sporting Lisbon as a replacement on the right flank. Fresneda is valued at approximately €15 million. Should Manu Koné depart—with Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea reportedly monitoring the midfielder—Diarra of Sunderland has been identified as a potential successor. The club's scouting operation has also noted Endrick, Moreira, and Adingra as attacking options, though Schade and Ezzalzouli are deemed prohibitively expensive.

Kostas Tsimikas has been named Liverpool captain for the first time, a striking turnaround after his disappointing spell at AS Roma. The left-back arrived in Rome last summer to bring experience from his years at Liverpool, but failed to establish himself on the flank despite Angeliño's absence. His time at the Stadio Olimpico was marked by poor performances, including a memorable poor free-kick attempt against Como and being substituted for Bryan Zaragoza. Roma supporters view the development with bitter irony—what promised to be a valuable acquisition under Gasperini became a complete failure. Tsimikas has now returned to Liverpool, where he has been warmly received by the club's supporters. Manager Arne Slot, who took over from predecessor Jurgen Slot, has confirmed the Greek defender in the squad for next season and appears committed to building around him. The contrast between Tsimikas's struggles in Serie A and his embrace at Anfield illustrates how drastically circumstances can differ for the same player at different clubs. His captaincy represents a significant show of faith from Liverpool's new management.

Roma's move for Atalanta forward Mateo Castro neared completion as radio commentators across Roman airwaves weighed in on the transfer and other squad developments. Castro reportedly requested Bologna allow him to leave after learning of Roma's interest, with negotiations focusing on how the deal structure would be financed. Carina told Radio Radio: "Castro ormai sia in chiusura. È contato molto l'entusiasmo del ragazzo: appena ha saputo che la Roma lo voleva, ha chiesto al Bologna di lasciarlo andare." The striker, available at 35 million euros, is viewed as a versatile attacking option who can play multiple positions and create for teammates. Pruzzo compared Castro to a Muriel-type talent, while Mattioli questioned whether the fee represented full value for a player who isn't a pure number nine. Doubts linger over veteran forward Artem Dovbyk's future at Roma. Carina assigned a 60 per cent probability to Dovbyk remaining, noting Roma had rejected a loan option and that negotiations with Bologna centred on converting conditional clauses into an obligation—an approach Bologna resisted. Orsi remarked that with Castro's arrival, "Dovbyk non mi sembra un acquisto sbagliato" but acknowledged the striker requires different tactical deployment under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's system. Refereeing controversy from a pre-season friendly drew sharp criticism. Cristofori told Radio Romanista: "Ieri il direttore di gara ha causato un danno alla Roma," condemning Wesley's expulsion as unjust for a training-level match. Giustiniani added that Angeliño remains significantly behind Gasperini's fitness demands.

Roma are stepping up efforts to sign Ivan Fresneda, the right-back from Sporting Lisbon, following Zeki Çelik's departure to Juventus on a free transfer. Director of Football Tony D'Amico is hunting for a quality replacement on the right flank after the 21-year-old Spaniard emerged as a priority target. Fresneda, a Spain Under-21 international, fits the technical and athletic demands head coach Gian Piero Gasperini requires. He operates as a modern full-back capable of driving the length of the wing, strong in one-on-one dribbling, and defensively reliable. Last season he made 10 Champions League appearances and has been a regular in European competition since 2023, bringing significant experience despite his age. Sporting Lisbon value the player between €15 million and €18 million. Roma's negotiations are ongoing as the club seeks to lower the Portuguese side's asking price and reach an agreement on the financial terms of the deal.

Roma are closing in on a deal for Bologna striker Santiago Castro worth 35 million euros including bonuses, after the Friedkin Group approved additional spending beyond their original transfer budget. General manager D'Amico held talks with Ryan Friedkin following Roma's 3–3 friendly against Cannes, in which the ownership signalled willingness to fund Castro's arrival while preserving at least 50 million euros for a left-footed right winger—the window's primary target. The Friedkin Group had earmarked those funds for Summerville before that move fell through. D'Amico is working behind the scenes to identify the right profile across fee, wages, and competition. Roma are also addressing other squad gaps: Çelik requires a replacement on the right flank, while defender Reyes could complete the back line. The scale of further recruitment depends partly on whether midfielder Koné departs.

Paulo Dybala illuminated Roma's pre-season friendly against Cannes in France, but the 3–3 draw starkly exposed the club's dependency on the Argentine midfielder. Dybala opened the scoring with a masterful free-kick and produced a string of high-class moments before leaving the pitch; Roma then collapsed completely, conceding three unanswered goals to the newly promoted third-tier hosts and surrendering a late equaliser from a penalty carelessly conceded by Artem Dovbyk in stoppage time. With the transfer window still sluggish, the medical room full, contract renewals stalled, and painful departures including Zeki Çelik's move to Juventus, Dybala has become Roma's essential lifeline—both on the field and as a symbolic figure for the club. His significance was underscored during Roma's centenary celebrations on the night of 21–22 July, when he embraced ten thousand supporters gathered at via degli Uffici del Vicario. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini prioritised keeping Dybala, a decision that protects the club from both technical and emotional impoverishment and confirms the star as the anchor holding the entire project together.