Roma pursue Fresneda deal as contacts advance with Sporting Lisbon

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 are actively scouting replacements at left-back after Gian Piero Gasperini and his coaching staff decided Angeliño is not part of their plans. The Spanish full-back, sidelined for much of last season by injury, has lagged behind athletically during the opening two weeks of pre-season training, prompting the club to explore alternatives. Gasperini has not changed his initial thinking: Angeliño is available for transfer, with La Liga a plausible destination given Betis's earlier interest, though all options remain open. Roma's priority targets for the flank include Nusa, widely appreciated at Trigoria, but Leipzig's asking price remains high following their sale of Diomande to Real Madrid for over 100 million euros. The club has launched discrete probes for other candidates, including Schade and Elzazzouli, though both have costs deemed prohibitively expensive. The Lang option has not been pursued. On the departures front, negotiations are underway with Rayo Vallecano over Kumbulla, and Salah-Eddine appears closer to an exit. Koné is expected to attract substantial interest in the coming days, principally from Manchester United in the Premier League, with Chelsea and Arsenal less actively engaged. Angeliño's exit would leave Roma needing at least one new left-back, possibly two given the departures of Salah-Eddine and Angeliño and Zeki Çelik's lack of confirmation. Fresneda, Sporting Lisbona's right-back, features on the shortlist.

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.