Roma radio roundtable: Gasperini will have a striker before pre-season

Chelsea remain interested in Roma midfielder Manu Koné, according to Ben Jacobs, with the Premier League club reportedly wanting to add a midfielder in January. Koné is currently out with an injury and is expected to return after the international break, but he remains closely watched by top clubs across Europe. Koné joined Roma from Borussia Mönchengladbach in August 2024 on a loan with an obligation to buy, a deal worth €18m. His continued appeal to Chelsea underlines the attention his performances have attracted from elite clubs. Chelsea's interest is not the only pressure on the club's midfield situation, as the London side are also linked with other targets. Chelsea's other reported midfield targets include Scott of Bournemouth and Camara of Monaco.

Manu Koné remains one of Roma's most sought-after players, with Premier League clubs monitoring the French midfielder. He is currently sidelined with a first-degree injury picked up in the Champions League clash with Real Madrid, but his strong start to the season has not gone unnoticed at Chelsea. According to Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport and TalkSport, the Blues consider him one of their main targets to strengthen their squad. Koné is not the only name on Chelsea's list. Camara of Monaco is also included, and most notably Scott of Bournemouth, who is reportedly Xabi Alonso's preferred option but is valued at around €100 million. After Chelsea's pressure this summer, a fresh attempt in January is not ruled out. Roma, however, have no intention of letting Koné go midway through the season, particularly in a campaign full of ambition and prospects.

Roma sporting director D'Amico is already working ahead of the January transfer window, with David Moses of Slavia Prague emerging as a target, according to Africafoot and Ekrem Konur. The aim is to broaden the squad available to Gasperini, who continues to request reinforcements in several key roles. Midfield is a priority. Recent injuries to Manu Koné and Bryan Cristante have highlighted the need for more alternatives in the department. Moses, born in 2002, is one of the fixed starters at Slavia Prague, who are currently dominating the Czech league. Moses's contract runs until June 2029, and his valuation is reportedly around €10 million.

Roma came from behind to beat Cagliari, with substitutes Rodrigo Mora and Donyell Malen breaking a 2-2 deadlock after goals from Lulli and Pisilli. The win was built on the bench: Mora headed in a decisive goal, and Malen added a third for Roma against Cagliari, scoring the winner with a sharp finish. Gasperini's side were far from comfortable for long spells, and the match was tough and rugged throughout. The game was tense and difficult for the hosts. Roma's attacking DNA left space at the back, and Cagliari exploited it, particularly when they raised the tempo. Gollini was outstanding in goal, making several saves, while Soulé also earned praise for his performance. Ghilardi, who came on in the 81st minute, made an immediate impact with a sharp overlap and a cross that drew praise. Gasperini directed the team from the first minutes and was seen gesturing to his players and taking off his jacket during a tense spell. Lulli had a standout display, scoring the first goal after a fine run and an elegant finish, and he also assisted Pisilli for the second. Lulli's new contract was described as a boost of pure energy. Pisilli, who had to defend an accidental handball early on that was punished after the on-field review, recovered with a quick, sharp finish. Molina created the equaliser with a sharp turn and a perfect cross, though his flank was the quieter one in the first half. Mora's goal came with a header, and he celebrated with a line that the short guy is often forgotten. Mora was praised for his talent and humour. Malen came on and created chaos before his decisive finish. Rensch, who replaced Lulli in the 76th minute, was caught out on the flank as Cagliari levelled, nearly complicating matters further. De Roon was praised for his workrate despite the rotation, and Castro struggled to find his rhythm, touching the ball only 17 times after the break. Mancini had a mixed match, starting as a centre-forward and firing an early shot at Caprile, but was visibly tired and was outpaced by Fadera before being replaced by Ghilardi. Koulierakis won several duels and made a crucial save in one instance, though his build-up play was still a work in progress. N'Dicka stayed calm and held his position despite Nzola's more determined attempts. Cristante was active, touching countless balls and contributing to Lulli's goal before taking a defensive role late on.

Roma return to the Stadio Olimpico to face Cagliari, coached by Pisacane, after the 1-1 draw at Napoli. Gasperini has made some changes for the match. Cagliari have had a strong start to the league season but come into the game on the back of two heavy defeats, against Monza and Bologna. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Gollini; Mancini, N'Dicka, Koulierakis; Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Molina; Soulé, Cristante; Castro. Balerdi, who scored a brace at the Maradona in Naples, is among the substitutes, alongside Vásquez, De Marzi, Rensch, Ghilardi, Mora, Wesley, Hermoso, Malen, Arena and Camara. Gasperini is in charge. Cagliari set up in a 5-4-1 formation: Caprile; Ze Pedro, Sugawara, Mina, Rodriguez, Obert; Romano, Deiola; Adopo, Fadera; Nzola. Their substitutes are Sherri, Radunovic, Kofler, Aurelio, Liteta, Sulev, Fazzini, Gagliardini, Ciervo, Maldini, Carlos, Mendy and Trepy. Pisacane is the Cagliari coach.

Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to make several changes as Roma host Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico in tonight's midweek ninth-round Serie A fixture, coached by Fabio Pisacane. Roma return home after a thrilling 3-3 draw away at Napoli and are looking to win three points to stay close to the top of the table. Gasperini is reportedly taking the chance of the short turnaround to change his starting eleven. Dybala is returning towards the squad but is expected to start on the bench, while Svilar, Koné and Pellegrini remain unavailable. On the Cagliari side, Winks is out with lower back pain, while Trepy is back in contention. According to the probable line-ups, Ghilardi and Balerdi could get a first-minute opportunity in defence, while Lulli and Molina are expected to operate on the flanks. Up front, Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are favoured to play behind Malen. Roma are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Gollini; Ghilardi, N'Dicka, Balerdi; Lulli, Cristante, Pisilli, Molina; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Cagliari are expected in a 4-2-3-1: Caprile; Sugawara, Mina, Rodríguez, Obert; Romano, Deiola; Adopo, Maldini, Fazzini; Mendy. Roma's substitutes are Vásquez, De Marzi, Hermoso, Mancini, Wesley, Rensch, Koulierakis, Di Nunzio, De Roon, Camara and Castro. Cagliari's bench includes Sherri, Radunović, Kofler, Zé Pedro, Aurelio, Liteta, Sulev, Massolin, Gagliardini, Trepy, Kevin Carlos, Nzola, Fadera and Ciervo. The match is refereed by Feliciani of Teramo, with assistants Zingarelli and Fontani. The fourth official is Mariani, the VAR is Ghersini and the assistant VAR is Camplone.

Pierluigi Gollini, who was in goal for Roma, said the team's ability to win and take points despite not playing at their best is a major credit to the group, and that he had always known his own worth. Gollini made several key saves to keep the result intact, and he is about to hand the number one shirt back to Mile Svilar. Speaking to Dazn, he said: "Sono punti pesanti che ci permettono di stare lì, giocando tante partite non è facile e ci sta ogni tanto che manchi un po' di brillantezza." In English: "These are heavy points that allow us to stay in the race. Playing so many games is not easy, and it's understandable that now and then we lack a bit of brilliance." Gollini stressed that strong, solid sides with important objectives can still pick up points and win even when they are not playing well. "A volte abbiamo portato via un punto che valeva una vittoria, oggi siamo riusciti a portarne via tre. Questo è importante." That is: "Sometimes we have taken away a point that was worth a win; today we managed to take away three. This is important." He praised the squad, saying: "Questo gruppo sta dando tante risposte, sono sempre tutti a disposizione e al massimo." In English: "This group is giving many answers, everyone is always available and at their best." He added: "Questo è un grande credito che ci va dato." Meaning: "This is a great credit that we deserve." Asked whether he expected to see Lulli performing like this, Gollini replied: "L'ho visto in ritiro, tutti pensavamo avesse grande atletismo. La qualità delle scelte in avanti farà la differenza nella sua carriera. Imparare a fare le scelte giuste, sta a lui. Ora sta imparando anche a buttarsi dentro, ma è un bravissimo ragazzo e ha la testa sulle spalle. Ogni tanto lo devo riprendere per difendere, gli piace attaccare, ma è bravo e super-umile. Farà una grande carriera, ne sono sicuro." In English: "I saw him in training; everyone thought he had great athleticism. The quality of his decisions going forward will make the difference in his career. Learning to make the right choices is up to him. Now he's also learning to commit himself, but he is a very good lad with his head on his shoulders. Every so often I have to tell him to defend, he likes to attack, but he is good and super-humble. He will have a great career, I'm sure of it." On his own situation, Gollini said: "Ho giocato poco negli ultimi anni, ma in allenamento mi vedo e i miei compagni mi vedono. Il calcio va super veloce, bastano sei mesi e tutti pensano che tu sia morto. Anche quando non ho giocato, sono sempre stato in ambienti di grande livello e con grandi giocatori. Il mio valore l'ho sempre saputo." In English: "I've played little in recent years, but in training I see myself and my teammates see me. Football moves super fast, six months is all it takes and everyone thinks you're dead. Even when I haven't played, I have always been in top-level environments with great players. I have always known my own value." He added: "Mi dispiace per Mile, che tutti abbracceremo quando tornerà, ma sono contento di aver avuto il mio momento. L'importante è andare avanti e fare il meglio per questa squadra, stiamo facendo una bell'annata e bisogna continuare così." In English: "I feel for Mile, whom we will all embrace when he returns, but I am happy to have had my moment. The important thing is to move forward and do our best for this team; we are having a good season and we must keep it going."

Roma came from behind to beat Cagliari 4-2 at the Stadio Olimpico in their ninth Serie A match of the season, with Lulli, Pisilli, Mora and Malen on the scoresheet. The result was made to look harder than it was by a performance that Giallorossi.net's player ratings describe as one of the least convincing of the season. Gollini, standing in for the injured Svilar, was named the best Roma player despite conceding twice, rated 7.5 for a string of saves, including a decisive stop on Adopo in the first half and another in the second half, mainly against Mendy. Mancini was given a 5, the lowest mark in the Roma side, after being repeatedly troubled by Fadera's acceleration. Ndicka (6) struggled against Nzola and Mendy, while Koulierakis (6) was solid without standing out. Lulli was the standout of the first half, rated 7.5. He headed in the equaliser and then supplied the pass that set up Pisilli for the go-ahead goal. Pisilli (6) was a mix of error and reward: his handball gave Cagliari a penalty, before he struck a powerful right-foot shot past Caprile to put Roma back in front. The match had been levelled by Obert, who beat Rensch in the move that brought the equaliser, after Rensch (5.5) came on in the 76th minute. De Roon (5.5) had a quiet game and was replaced by Rodrigo Mora in the 56th minute. Mora's introduction changed the match. He was rated 7 after starting on the right, a position that appeared to limit him, before Gasperini moved him to the left. He first scored with a towering header, then played the ball to Malen for the 4-2. Malen, who had wasted a clear chance set up by Mora, came on in the 56th minute and was rated 7 after firing a second right-foot effort past Caprile to seal the win. Molina (6.5) had a good first half, providing the right-foot cross for Lulli's goal, and Wesley (6) was rated 6 after coming on at half-time. Soulé (6) faded after a bright start, and Cristante (5.5) and Castro (5) both had poor games. Ghilardi (7) came on in the 83rd minute and delivered the cross for Mora's winner. Gasperini was rated 6.5. The article says Roma suffered against a strong Cagliari side and often looked close to conceding, but the coach's substitutions turned the game. Its concern was his decision to start Mora on the right and Soulé on the left, which Gasperini reversed at the break, after which Mora changed the match. The reviewer concluded: "Non sarà stata una bella Roma, ma proprio per questo i tre punti valgono ancora di più."

Roma bounced back from their draw at the Maradona with a win over Cagliari, as goals from Mora and Malen secured three points after Maldini had equalised. The result was Gasperini's ninth consecutive positive result of this Serie A start. Speaking to Dazn shortly after the final whistle, the head coach was happy with the performance despite a flat second half. Gasperini said: "Va molto bene così. Questa sera avevamo qualche elemento in difficoltà, che non aveva recuperato al meglio. Alcuni giocatori loro, soprattutto in attacco, erano più freschi e ci mettevano in difficoltà. Il motivo è solo questo. Anche in mezzo ultimamente abbiamo giocato sempre con gli stessi uomini, per 90' ogni volta, e si è vista un po' di fatica. E' un merito ancora più grande aver vinto questa partita, un po' con i cambi e un po' con la volontà di tutti. Soprattutto sull'1-0, abbiamo avuto un ottimo momento anche di gioco. Poi anche nel finale". On the depth of the squad, Gasperini praised Ghilardi, who had recently produced strong performances. He said Ghilardi "probabilmente doveva entrare prima", but a situation made the substitution difficult, as it would have been the first change after the interval. "Sta facendo bene, è cresciuto molto rispetto all'anno scorso e troverà sempre più spazio", he added. Balerdi and Hermoso were unavailable, having left the Napoli match battered, and Gasperini said the team needed to recover. Gasperini also noted the absence of Dybala, Koné and Pellegrini, and said Svilar had been less impressive while Gollini was "strepitoso". Cristante had returned after a month out and played two 90-minute matches in three days. Gasperini said: "Non avrebbe fatto 112 partite con me se non fosse stato un portiere di livello (ride, ndr). In una squadra che ha raggiunto anche la Champions e traguardi importanti. All'epoca era molto più giovane e anche più esuberante, diciamo, aveva magari meno spirito di lavorare e migliorarsi ed è stato un peccato. Già all'inizio era il terzo portiere della Nazionale. Ci siamo ritrovati a Roma e non ho mai avuto dubbi sulle sue qualità e potenzialità, abbiamo rimesso un po' di puntini a posto e da un'anno e mezzo a questa parte si allena benissimo. Sono molto felice per quello che ha fatto stasera e in queste ultime partite. Da vicino è straordinario, a volte prende gol dalla distanza ed è sempre stato un suo limite. Ma è un portiere di grande valore". On the youth products, Gasperini said: "Sono ragazzi straordinari. Nel settore giovanile della Roma ci sono sempre belle espressioni". Lulli had trained on heading the day before and scored with a header on Monday night, which Gasperini described as "non è il suo pezzo migliore, ma è stato straordinario". On Mora, Gasperini said: "Gli ho visto fare gol col Porto, simile a quello di stasera. E' piccolino, ma è molto coordinato e salta molto bene, oltre a colpire molto bene. Dà una frustata alla palla, questo è un gran gol". Asked about Mora's development, he said: "Deve formarsi dal punto di vista tecnico e fisico anche per giocare 90 minuti. Utilizzato così è una mina vagante, lo è stato anche a Napoli". Gasperini acknowledged some defensive lapses, explaining: "Questa era la sesta di continuo ogni 2-3 giorni, qualche giocatore te lo trovi stanco contro un avversario fresco come Maldini". On Dybala, he said the forward was confident after training on Monday, but recovery from injury was taking longer than expected. Gasperini added: "Con lui e Koné puntiamo il Sassuolo ma non so se sarà possibile". On Malen, he said: "Abbiamo fatto 23 gol in 9 giornate è una bella cifra. Lo scorso anno erano solo 10". He also commented on changes to Serie A, saying: "Hanno favorito il gioco del calcio, non si vede più una simulazione e i finali di partita si giocano".

Paulo Dybala remains sidelined as his recovery timeline stretches, and Gian Piero Gasperini is unsure whether the forward will be available for the match against Sassuolo. The Argentine has a calf problem that has not cleared up. He had returned to group training on Sunday, but he stayed out again this evening and will also miss the games against Manchester United and Udinese. Gasperini, speaking at his press conference, admitted he is concerned about the situation. Dybala had looked close to returning, which made the setback more frustrating for the coaching staff. Roma are planning around both Dybala and Manu Koné for the trip to Sassuolo, but the head coach is not certain it will be possible. Gasperini said: "I was confident after training on Monday. Paulo takes a bit of time to recover from injuries. We thought it would take less time, but that hasn't been the case. With him and Koné we are aiming for Sassuolo, but I don't know if it will be possible." There is still no news on Dybala's fitness. There is better news on Nahuel Molina's teammate Leonardo Balerdi, who has no problem after a heavy blow he suffered in Naples and missed the last match. Balerdi will be available on Saturday.

Roma bounced back from their draw at the Maradona with a win over Cagliari, as goals from Mora and Malen secured three points after Maldini had equalised. The result was Gasperini's ninth consecutive positive result of this Serie A start. Speaking to Dazn shortly after the final whistle, the head coach was happy with the performance despite a flat second half. Gasperini said: "Va molto bene così. Questa sera avevamo qualche elemento in difficoltà, che non aveva recuperato al meglio. Alcuni giocatori loro, soprattutto in attacco, erano più freschi e ci mettevano in difficoltà. Il motivo è solo questo. Anche in mezzo ultimamente abbiamo giocato sempre con gli stessi uomini, per 90' ogni volta, e si è vista un po' di fatica. E' un merito ancora più grande aver vinto questa partita, un po' con i cambi e un po' con la volontà di tutti. Soprattutto sull'1-0, abbiamo avuto un ottimo momento anche di gioco. Poi anche nel finale". On the depth of the squad, Gasperini praised Ghilardi, who had recently produced strong performances. He said Ghilardi "probabilmente doveva entrare prima", but a situation made the substitution difficult, as it would have been the first change after the interval. "Sta facendo bene, è cresciuto molto rispetto all'anno scorso e troverà sempre più spazio", he added. Balerdi and Hermoso were unavailable, having left the Napoli match battered, and Gasperini said the team needed to recover. Gasperini also noted the absence of Dybala, Koné and Pellegrini, and said Svilar had been less impressive while Gollini was "strepitoso". Cristante had returned after a month out and played two 90-minute matches in three days. Gasperini said: "Non avrebbe fatto 112 partite con me se non fosse stato un portiere di livello (ride, ndr). In una squadra che ha raggiunto anche la Champions e traguardi importanti. All'epoca era molto più giovane e anche più esuberante, diciamo, aveva magari meno spirito di lavorare e migliorarsi ed è stato un peccato. Già all'inizio era il terzo portiere della Nazionale. Ci siamo ritrovati a Roma e non ho mai avuto dubbi sulle sue qualità e potenzialità, abbiamo rimesso un po' di puntini a posto e da un'anno e mezzo a questa parte si allena benissimo. Sono molto felice per quello che ha fatto stasera e in queste ultime partite. Da vicino è straordinario, a volte prende gol dalla distanza ed è sempre stato un suo limite. Ma è un portiere di grande valore". On the youth products, Gasperini said: "Sono ragazzi straordinari. Nel settore giovanile della Roma ci sono sempre belle espressioni". Lulli had trained on heading the day before and scored with a header on Monday night, which Gasperini described as "non è il suo pezzo migliore, ma è stato straordinario". On Mora, Gasperini said: "Gli ho visto fare gol col Porto, simile a quello di stasera. E' piccolino, ma è molto coordinato e salta molto bene, oltre a colpire molto bene. Dà una frustata alla palla, questo è un gran gol". Asked about Mora's development, he said: "Deve formarsi dal punto di vista tecnico e fisico anche per giocare 90 minuti. Utilizzato così è una mina vagante, lo è stato anche a Napoli". Gasperini acknowledged some defensive lapses, explaining: "Questa era la sesta di continuo ogni 2-3 giorni, qualche giocatore te lo trovi stanco contro un avversario fresco come Maldini". On Dybala, he said the forward was confident after training on Monday, but recovery from injury was taking longer than expected. Gasperini added: "Con lui e Koné puntiamo il Sassuolo ma non so se sarà possibile". On Malen, he said: "Abbiamo fatto 23 gol in 9 giornate è una bella cifra. Lo scorso anno erano solo 10". He also commented on changes to Serie A, saying: "Hanno favorito il gioco del calcio, non si vede più una simulazione e i finali di partita si giocano".

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini spoke to reporters before and after his side's Serie A win over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico, the ninth matchday fixture, and said the team's second-half dip came down to fatigue and injuries rather than anything more serious. Gasperini said: "It's going very well like this. Tonight we had some players who were struggling, who hadn't fully recovered. Some of their players, especially up front, were fresher and put us under pressure. That's the only reason." He added: "Our midfield has been playing the same men every time for 90 minutes, and you could see some fatigue. Winning this game is an even greater credit, partly through the substitutions and partly through the will of everyone." The win came without a number of key players. Gasperini confirmed that Balerdi and Hermoso were unavailable as they were not in condition to play, and said Roma need time to recover. He said: "It's not easy to play so many games without Dybala, Koné, and Pellegrini, who isn't here... Svilar a little less, Gollini was sensational." Cristante returned after a month out and played two 90-minute games in three days, which Gasperini said was a factor. He also described Cagliari as a difficult side. On goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, Gasperini said: "He wouldn't have made 112 games with me if he weren't a goalkeeper of quality." He recalled that Gollini had been the third-choice goalkeeper for Italy at the start, and said: "I never had doubts about his qualities and potential. We put a few things right, and for the past year and a half he has trained superbly. I'm very happy with what he did tonight and in these last games. Up close he is extraordinary, although sometimes he concedes from distance, which has always been a limit of his. But he is a goalkeeper of great value." Gasperini praised the club's youth products after Lulli's assist for Pisilli's goal. He said: "They are wonderful boys. The Roma youth sector always produces fine talents. Lulli was training to head the ball yesterday, and today he scored with his head. It isn't his best piece, but it was extraordinary." On Mora, he said: "I saw him score against Porto, similar to tonight's goal. He is small, but very coordinated and jumps very well. He strikes the ball with real force, and that is a great goal." Asked about Mora's recent role, Gasperini said: "I'm fortunate to see the training sessions, so I decide based on those. Having not played some matches, or having played little at the end, he reacted in the best possible way. He has this speed and quickness. He is still very young and must still develop physically to last longer and to start games, perhaps even for 90 minutes. But at the moment, used this way, he is an important weapon." He noted Mora had already played a few minutes at Napoli, taking part in the move for the equaliser, and added: "Compared to the start of the year he is clearly evolving. The header, despite his height, is a sign of that." Asked whether the team's defensive lapses had cost them, Gasperini agreed in part. He said: "Yes, it has happened in other situations too. This is our sixth match in a row played every three days. You can find players who have produced important performances and then find them tired. Koulierakis played tonight in his first match. Unfortunately Balerdi and Hermoso could not play. I think the Napoli game also left some marks and knocks. We now have to recover them." He concluded: "Winning and scoring goals of this type is a great sign of strength. Rather than the negatives, I would focus on that." Asked about the squad's depth and his own role, Gasperini said: "This is a great reward, but I am very happy for these players. All of them, without exception, feel fulfilled right now. Every match counts, not just the ones against Real Madrid, Como or Inter. These matches are worth three points just like the others. Right now every player in the squad is involved and decisive. Even Gollini, for example. Wesley was not in the starting line-up, he came on only later. That is certainly one of our strengths." On Dybala, Gasperini said he had been optimistic about the forward's availability for selection, having seen him train on Sunday and Monday, but the Argentine was not available tonight. He said: "Unfortunately, when Paulo has to recover from injury, it always takes a little longer." Asked whether Dybala could be available for the trip to Udine, he gave no firm answer in the interview.