Roma Pursued Real Madrid Pair Mastantuono and Endrick Over Summer

Gian Piero Gasperini has named a 22-man squad for Roma's trip to Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 at the Bluenergy Stadium, in Serie A matchday 10. Paulo Dybala will miss the match, as the coach had already indicated, while young players Di Nunzio and Camara are included. The goalkeepers are Vasquez, De Marzi and Gollini. The defenders are Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfielders are Cristante, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora, and the forwards are Castro, Malen, Soulé and Camara. The kit colours have also been confirmed. Roma will play in their traditional red first shirt, while the goalkeeper will wear yellow. The Giallorossi players on the bench will wear blue bibs. The match in Friuli is Roma's last league fixture before the European trip against Manchester United, scheduled for 3 November. Former Roma and Udinese midfielder Stefano Desideri spoke to Romanews on the eve of the match, analysing Roma's current form and their prospects for the rest of the season. Desideri does not fully share the criticism linked to fatigue after the win over Cagliari. He said: "With all the rotations and the adjustments, Roma have held up more than well," recalling the many closely spaced matches and injuries. He also praised Cristante, whom he considers "more and more of a leader" and a reference point for the younger players, and De Roon, whose impact he described as "impressive". In the table, Desideri places Roma and Inter ahead of their rivals, while acknowledging the surprising results of Lazio and the work of Como, who could remain at a high level until the end. On Udinese, he admits he did not expect such a difficult start: "They must pull themselves out by any means" to avoid getting drawn into the relegation battle. Looking ahead to the winter window, Desideri said he does not expect big deals: "I don't believe much in it." Nonetheless, he feels Gasperini's side could need "another midfielder" and "a winger", provided there are concrete and convenient opportunities. Roma are also weighing possible reinforcements for the winter window. Among the names linked with the club is Lisandro Martínez, the Argentine defender at Manchester United, whose contract expires on 30 June. According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid have set their sights on the player. In Italy, Inter and Como are reportedly also evaluating the centre-back's profile, alongside Roma, to strengthen their defensive department.

Milan and Juventus have reportedly placed Daniele Ghilardi on their radar, according to Tuttomercatoweb. The Roma defender has attracted interest from both clubs despite playing only a few minutes in recent matches. Ghilardi has been decisive in recent games, helping Roma pick up important points in the league table. His performances have drawn the attention of several clubs, with Milan and Juventus among those monitoring him. Milan are reportedly in search of a central defender ahead of the January transfer window. The report comes from Tuttomercatoweb, which named Milan and Juventus as the clubs that have looked at the Roma player.

Roma have made contact with Real Madrid over a possible move for Endrick, according to Retesport. The day after the Champions League match between Roma and Real Madrid on Thursday 15 October, Gian Piero Gasperini met Real Madrid's management in a direct meeting, accompanied by Roma's transfer staff. No intermediaries were involved. The club and the coach are determined to push for the 2006-born forward. The deal is not straightforward. Mourinho has said he does not want Endrick to leave Madrid. Even so, Roma are ready to move quickly should any opening appear. Gasperini reportedly believes Endrick could play in any attacking position, and his qualities are appreciated by the coach. Roma lost 3-4 to Real Madrid after conceding late goals, and a large part of that turnaround is linked to Endrick's introduction, as he changed the match and scored a goal. The article suggests he may not be the only one to visit the Stadio Olimpico, and that his next move could be in Roma's yellow and red.