Roma pursue left winger as Oosterwolde nears arrival; Gittens, Fofana and Mbaye under consideration

Roma open their 2026–27 season against Fiorentina today but continue to work the transfer market. Director D'Amico is hunting a final signing to complete Gasperini's squad—a left-sided winger—after closing the deal for Oosterwolde, who is expected to arrive in the capital in the coming days. Gasperini has not abandoned hopes of securing Endrick from Real Madrid, according to La Repubblica, and is awaiting one last effort from the club. However, the Luis Henrique pursuit has collapsed: Fabrizio Romano confirmed the Inter left-back's move is officially off, as the player rejected Roma's terms despite Milan's willingness to sell. The lateral route has grown steeper, with the Chelsea winger Gittens a harder target after the club rejected Roma's opening offer. Il Messaggero reports that Lyon's Fofana remains a possible alternative, though much depends on whether the French club qualifies for the Champions League—a verdict comes Wednesday in their second leg against Fenerbahce. Oosterwolde will be Roma's fifth summer signing and is set to arrive today or tomorrow at the latest, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports. D'Amico continues work on the attacking flank: after Chelsea rebuffed the first offer for Gittens, Roma are preparing a fresh approach at more acceptable terms for the Blues. The club also have Brighton's Ayari on their radar for midfield reinforcement.

Roma have ended their pursuit of Luis Henrique following recent talks with Inter that yielded no agreement. The two clubs had held discussions in the weeks before today but never moved close to a deal, with a key sticking point remaining a lack of economic terms with the player himself. Roma have now decided to abandon the operation entirely. The shift came after Roma accelerated their move for Jayden Oosterwolde from Fenerbahce, a deal that is now settled. Gian Piero Gasperini will use the Dutch player as a left-flank midfielder and potentially as a centre-back as well, bringing tactical flexibility to the squad and allowing Roma to consider the left-side vacancy essentially covered. The closure of the Luis Henrique path and the arrival of Oosterwolde mean the club can now focus attention elsewhere within the transfer window. Roma's sporting director Tony D'Amico continues to work on further recruitment, and surprises are not ruled out in the remaining days of the summer window. With the left flank now addressed, Roma's efforts may shift toward finding additional quality and depth on the attacking flanks.

Jayden Oosterwolde is expected to arrive in Rome between today and tomorrow to undergo medical examinations ahead of joining Roma from Fenerbahçe. The Dutch defender's move will be structured as a loan with a right of recall that can convert into an obligation, with multiple conditions attached to trigger that obligation. The recall obligation for Oosterwolde is not based solely on appearances. The mechanism incorporates several parameters: individual objectives, Roma's final Serie A position, and qualification to the Champions League knockout stage. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will have to wait before deploying his new arrival, as Oosterwolde is dealing with a muscle problem and is not expected to return until around mid-September. The recall fee is valued between €15 million and €16 million. Oosterwolde will sign a four-year contract with an option for a further season, on a salary of approximately €1.6 million net per year.