Roma radio panel debates Dybala contract talks and attacking reinforcements under Gasperini

Walter Sabatini, formerly Roma's sporting director, has defended Ricky Massara following his appointment as Juventus's new technical director. Speaking to Tuttosport, Sabatini argued that Massara was unfairly scapegoated during his time at Roma despite working diligently behind the scenes. "Unfortunately at Roma he became a convenient target: they pointed the finger at anything and everything, but he was always silent. Courteous, well-mannered, he worked enormously behind the scenes and never stepped out of line," Sabatini said. "He was always on top of things, never sparked any controversy with Gasperini, and instead tried in every way to avoid conflict. Roma's Champions League success was a triumph for the coach, the squad, and the club. It's too easy to exclude Massara from the credit — his work was also important." Sabatini attributed friction between Massara and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini to fundamentally different approaches to work and relationships within a team environment. "What didn't work? They think about life and relationships within a working group in completely different ways: they're day and night," he explained. Sabatini concluded that Massara deserved the Juventus move but above all did not warrant the treatment he received in recent months at Roma.

Roma have secured contract extensions with Paulo Dybala and Zeki Çelik after lengthy negotiations. Dybala has accepted a one-year deal with a team option for an additional campaign, with his salary cut by more than half compared to 2025/26. The Argentine will earn approximately €3M plus bonuses tied to appearances and objectives. Çelik will also remain at the club on improved terms, though Roma will continue to benefit from fiscal savings on his wages. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini championed both renewals and will work closely with Dybala's staff to manage his availability throughout a more demanding season that includes UEFA Champions League football. The revised wage structure reflects Dybala's part-time role given the fixture schedule and his recent injury history. Roma will announce both agreements shortly. Lorenzo Pellegrini is next on the agenda, with the two parties reported to be close despite no deal yet finalised; Pellegrini rejected a proposal from Besiktas. Gasperini and his assistants will prioritise minimising the frequent injuries that have hampered Dybala in recent years. The club sought to balance financial prudence with retaining key players, and negotiations proved demanding—though Roma secured terms they believe represent good value given circumstances and the difficulty in sourcing replacement options.

Zeki Çelik is poised to sign a new contract with Roma, with an agreement reached between player and club. The Turkish defender will commit on a three-year deal worth just under €3 million per season, with Roma able to benefit from the Decreto Crescita tax incentive. An official announcement is expected in the coming days, though Çelik will not be present at the squad's gathering on 13 July as he receives additional rest following his participation in the World Cup. He is scheduled to return around 20 July. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini requested the contract extension, keen to utilise Çelik's positional versatility. The 27-year-old can operate as a midfielder on the flank or as a right-side centre-back, offering tactical flexibility for Roma's system. The renewal represents continuity in the full-back role and reinforces the club's confidence in Çelik as a key squad member under Gasperini's management.

Roma have secured contract extensions with Paulo Dybala and Zeki Çelik after lengthy negotiations. Dybala has accepted a one-year deal with a team option for an additional campaign, with his salary cut by more than half compared to 2025/26. The Argentine will earn approximately €3M plus bonuses tied to appearances and objectives. Çelik will also remain at the club on improved terms, though Roma will continue to benefit from fiscal savings on his wages. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini championed both renewals and will work closely with Dybala's staff to manage his availability throughout a more demanding season that includes UEFA Champions League football. The revised wage structure reflects Dybala's part-time role given the fixture schedule and his recent injury history. Roma will announce both agreements shortly. Lorenzo Pellegrini is next on the agenda, with the two parties reported to be close despite no deal yet finalised; Pellegrini rejected a proposal from Besiktas. Gasperini and his assistants will prioritise minimising the frequent injuries that have hampered Dybala in recent years. The club sought to balance financial prudence with retaining key players, and negotiations proved demanding—though Roma secured terms they believe represent good value given circumstances and the difficulty in sourcing replacement options.

Paulo Dybala has discussed his arrival at Roma and his experiences with the club in an interview on the Daavo Xeneize YouTube channel. The Argentine forward credited José Mourinho with bringing him to the Giallorossi, saying the manager called him frequently and wanted him to join. Dybala described his first moments at Roma as a surprise: he arrived thinking he would attend a welcome press conference but found between 10,000 and 15,000 people gathered to greet him. "From the moment I left the Argentine players' line-up, I knew I would shoot down the middle," he said of his World Cup final penalty. "I also knew the goalkeeper would throw himself. Obviously you're going to take a penalty in a World Cup final, so it's an enormous moment. But I wasn't thinking about the fact that I could miss or that the country would criticise me. At that moment I was only focused on what I had to do." Dybala praised Mourinho's impact at the club: "Mourinho is a genius. Beyond what he has done in football, with us he always spoke with respect, he protected us and he loved us. At Roma people fell in love with him for what he gave: a title after many years and a Europa League final that, in my opinion, we deserved." He also commented on the performance of his national teammate, saying: "He is doing well at the World Cup, I follow him carefully. He is a good guy, as well as a strong player at Roma. I am happy for him."

Leandro Paredes has revealed he attempted to persuade Paulo Dybala to join Boca Juniors, speaking after Argentina's comeback victory over Egypt in the World Cup round of 16 in America. The midfielder confirmed that a move to the Argentine club was among the possibilities under discussion and had crossed Dybala's mind during negotiations. Paredes told reporters in the mixed zone that he had spoken extensively with his compatriot in recent months about the prospect. Dybala, a current Roma player, is in contract renewal talks with the Giallorossi. Paredes said of his teammate: "I spoke a lot with him over these months. It was one of the possibilities on the contract, in his thoughts too. His life is very calm there. So I only wish him the best because he is an exceptional boy." The comments suggest Dybala has chosen to remain in Rome rather than pursue a return to South America at this stage of his career.

Negotiations between Roma and Genoa over Artem Dovbyk have stalled, with the striker unconvinced by the move and hoping to receive alternative offers. Dovbyk, who earns 3.5 million euros per season, is reluctant to commit to Genoa at this stage. Roma's valuation of the forward stands at around 25 million euros, a figure Genoa find difficult to accommodate given their financial constraints. The player's salary alone represents a significant burden for the Rossoblu, adding further complexity to the talks. Betis have also expressed interest in Dovbyk, though the Spanish club has not yet submitted an official bid. The former Girona man faces an uncertain future as his current club seeks a buyer. Roma will begin their pre-season retreat on Monday, with Dovbyk expected to train largely apart from the main group as the situation develops.

Gian Piero Gasperini has confirmed that Roma's pre-season will begin next week and outlined the club's ambitions following Champions League qualification. Speaking at a Sky Sport 2026–27 schedule presentation, the head coach stated: "After the qualification in Champions we want to be protagonists also in the next season." Gasperini revealed he is in constant contact with sporting director Tony D'Amico and the ownership, with the transfer market set to intensify in the coming days. On contract renewals, he offered reassurance: "They will be announced by the club, but we are all happy to continue together. It is a matter of days." Paulo Dybala will remain at Roma after a total agreement was reached on his contract renewal, with all bonus details finalised. The club is expected to announce the extension shortly. Franck Kessié is also on Roma's radar, with Gasperini having managed the midfielder at Atalanta and appreciating his physical and dynamic qualities. However, Kessié's wage demands remain prohibitively high despite his availability on a free transfer, making the move unlikely unless he significantly reduces his salary expectations. Analysts have questioned the feasibility of a move for Mason Greenwood, with concerns focused on both the transfer fee to Marseille and Greenwood's own financial demands. Roberto Pruzzo noted that if Roma do proceed with signing Greenwood as an alternative to current striker Artem Dovbyk, the club should prioritise establishing clear targets rather than speculative moves ahead of what is expected to be a two-year title push.

Roma have rejected an approach from Andrea Pinamonti's agent regarding a move to the club. The striker was offered as a potential deputy to Donyell Malen, with head coach Gasperini seeking a functional replacement capable of rotating with the Dutch winger without compromising attacking output and goal threat. Roma's primary search centres on identifying a backup forward, though the club must first offload Artem Dovbyk before proceeding. Matteo Tresoldi had emerged as the stronger target, but the deal has cooled due to cost and profile concerns. Pinamonti's proposal from his representative did not gain traction; Roma deemed him non-essential to their immediate transfer plans. The door has not been entirely closed, however, and market circumstances could revive interest in the 25-year-old in coming weeks. Rigoria officials have made clear Pinamonti is not a priority at this stage, though all options remain fluid in the transfer window. Roma will continue evaluating alternatives alongside efforts to move Dovbyk before finalising their attacking reinforcements.

Roma have secured contract extensions with Paulo Dybala and Zeki Çelik after lengthy negotiations. Dybala has accepted a one-year deal with a team option for an additional campaign, with his salary cut by more than half compared to 2025/26. The Argentine will earn approximately €3M plus bonuses tied to appearances and objectives. Çelik will also remain at the club on improved terms, though Roma will continue to benefit from fiscal savings on his wages. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini championed both renewals and will work closely with Dybala's staff to manage his availability throughout a more demanding season that includes UEFA Champions League football. The revised wage structure reflects Dybala's part-time role given the fixture schedule and his recent injury history. Roma will announce both agreements shortly. Lorenzo Pellegrini is next on the agenda, with the two parties reported to be close despite no deal yet finalised; Pellegrini rejected a proposal from Besiktas. Gasperini and his assistants will prioritise minimising the frequent injuries that have hampered Dybala in recent years. The club sought to balance financial prudence with retaining key players, and negotiations proved demanding—though Roma secured terms they believe represent good value given circumstances and the difficulty in sourcing replacement options.

Mason Greenwood's move to Roma has hit a significant impasse over salary demands. Initially enthusiastic about joining the Giallorossi and having reached an understanding with the club, the English forward's stance hardened after Fenerbahçe tabled a rival offer reportedly worth approximately 7 million euros net per season plus commissions. Greenwood's father and agent have since pushed Roma to increase their wage proposal, but the club remains firm on a ceiling of 4.5 million euros net annually, creating a substantial gap that threatens to derail the transfer. Meanwhile, Roma's hierarchy has progressed swiftly on contract renewals. Extensions for Zeki Çelik and Paulo Dybala are reportedly close to completion, with only official announcement pending. Lorenzo Pellegrini's renewal remains slightly unresolved, with approximately half a million euros still to be settled, though this is described as a minor obstacle unlikely to prevent final agreement. On the academy front, Roma has confirmed the appointment of Massimo Margiotta as new head of the youth academy following his official departure from Verona.

AS Roma is close to completing contract renewals for its core squad following the club's return to the Champions League after seven years. Three players — Paulo Dybala, Zeki Çelik, and Lorenzo Pellegrini — are currently out of contract, with agreements already reached with Dybala and Çelik in recent days; both deals are now in the drafting stage. Pellegrini remains the main outstanding issue, with negotiations ongoing and a potential decisive meeting expected as soon as today. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini told Sky Sport: "The players are happy, the club will handle the announcements." The squad must be finalised before Monday, when the team gathers at Trigoria. Pellegrini is seeking a three-year contract to resist approaches from abroad, while Roma is holding out for a two-year deal. Despite the gap, both sides are expected to reach an agreement, possibly with added options as a compromise. The defensive pair Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante are also due for renewal; Mancini is likely to sign a new three-year contract to ward off interest from Inter, while Cristante could accept two years. Stephan El Shaarawy was recently released from the club following Verona's final match of the season.