Roma recall squad at Trigoria as Pellegrini and Çelik remain without new deals

Genoa have lodged a firm bid for Roma striker Artem Dovbyk, with former Roma manager De Rossi leading the push to reunite with the Ukrainian forward in Liguria. Dovbyk has signalled openness to the move, but Roma have imposed strict conditions on any deal: the club will only accept a permanent transfer or a loan with a mandatory or optional buyout clause, rejecting an outright loan with shared wage contributions. Dovbyk earns 3.5 million euros annually, a salary burden Genoa currently struggle to accommodate under their proposed terms. This financial impasse represents the chief obstacle to a deal, though both sides continue to explore solutions. Roma's approach reflects their broader strategy to manage player exits carefully while maintaining financial stability and alignment with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's project. The negotiations remain active, with all parties monitoring developments in search of a formula that satisfies each party's requirements.

Roma are targeting Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho as one of their primary transfer priorities, alongside Diego Moreira. The 22-year-old Argentine is frozen out at Chelsea and the London club are actively seeking his departure, but only on a permanent deal for a fee between 40–50 million euros — a figure that includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause owed to Manchester United. Roma's sporting director D'Amico initially favoured a loan with option to buy, but the fee presents a significant obstacle. To circumvent the challenge, the club plan to structure the move similarly to their recent acquisition of Donyell Malen: inserting performance-based conditions that would trigger an obligation to buy. These could include goals scored or Roma's qualification for the Champions League. The approach proved successful with Malen's arrival weeks earlier. Roma face competition from English, Spanish, and Arab clubs for Garnacho's signature. The striker remains one of the hottest names in the current transfer market and has generated considerable excitement among the Giallorossi fanbase, both for his reputation and the attacking role he fills.

Marash Kumbulla has returned to Roma following two seasons in La Liga with Espanyol and Mallorca, with his future at the club set to be clarified in the coming days during pre-season training at Trigoria. The Albanian defender spoke to Corriere dello Sport about his prospects under new head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, saying: "I don't know yet. For now I'm in Rome, then we'll see if I can play my cards or if, instead, we'll look for a shared solution with the club. In that case I hope to go to a club where I can stay for several years, where there's a project." Kumbulla expressed openness to remaining in Serie A or La Liga, having benefited from his development abroad. He acknowledged facing numerous elite attackers in Spain, singling out Sorloth as particularly difficult. The 26-year-old also reflected on his time under José Mourinho at Roma, describing it as enriching and recalling "one of the most beautiful nights of my life" when the club won the Coppa Italia in his home country of Albania, specifically in Tirana. Regarding his fit under Gasperini's system, Kumbulla said: "I have characteristics that could be suited to Gasperini's football. So yes, I could use my qualities but, I repeat, we still need to talk. Without doubt he is one of the best coaches in Italy and Europe." He also noted maintaining contact with former teammates, including recent congratulations to Stephan El Shaarawy on his wedding.

Roma's official 2026–27 season begins Monday 13 July at Trigoria under Gian Piero Gasperini, with squad training and friendly matches scheduled until 31 July, when the club moves to a second phase of the summer schedule in Wales (running until 8 August). Paulo Dybala is expected to sign a one-year contract with an option to extend until 2028 in the coming hours. Defender Zeki Çelik and midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini will both be absent from the start of pre-season, though their absence extends beyond renewal negotiations. Both players are currently uncontracted but in talks to extend their Roma deals. For Çelik, agreement is essentially complete; Pellegrini's negotiations continue, with a gap of €500,000 between the club's offer and his asking price, though optimism is filtering through. Çelik will have additional rest days following Turkey's early exit from the World Cup, as is standard for all returning international players. Pellegrini will not train on Monday regardless of contract matters—he is still troubled by a recurrence of the injury he sustained in training before May's derby match, which forced him to miss the final weeks of the season.

Roma's summer transfer strategy is being shaped by the tension between head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's technical ambitions and the club's commitment to financial discipline. Director Tony D'Amico is navigating this balance, evaluating each move carefully to avoid repeating past budget mismanagement. Diego Moreira is central to Roma's plans, with Gasperini keen on the midfielder's tactical versatility to bolster the flanks alongside Wesley. However, Strasbourg's asking price is deemed too high, and if negotiations don't yield flexibility, Roma may pursue less expensive targets. Elsewhere, Alejandro Garnacho remains under monitoring despite Chelsea's economic demands appearing beyond reach for Roma's proposed loan-with-option-to-buy formula. Nicolò Tresoldi is a concrete attacking target, with Roma attempting to lower Club Brugge's valuation to pair him with Donyell Malen. On the contract front, renewals for Paulo Dybala and Zeki Çelik are settled. Lorenzo Pellegrini's extension talks are progressing, though both parties must bridge a modest wage gap while Pellegrini recovers fully from recent injury before resuming full training.

Ryan Friedkin is returning to Trigoria after two months away, signalling an acceleration in Roma's summer transfer activity. His arrival will trigger a series of operational meetings aimed at converting strategic ideas into concrete decisions. The ownership is preparing to intervene on several open dossiers and back head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's ambitions alongside Tony D'Amico's vision during a critical phase of squad planning. The club's agenda is crowded with priorities. Contract renewals for Lorenzo Pellegrini and Zeki Çelik are considered essential to securing the dressing room. However, the main focus is reinforcing the attacking wide positions, where Roma is working intensively on two fronts. The Diego Moreira pursuit is currently the hottest track: Roma is attempting to bridge the financial gap with Strasbourg by offering approximately €40 million including bonuses, while proposing a significantly more sustainable wage package for the player than other available options. The Alejandro Garnacho negotiation is more complex, with Chelsea refusing a loan with option to buy and insisting on a permanent €55 million sale. Despite strong foreign competition, Roma remains actively engaged thanks to the Argentine's firm desire to join. Garnacho sees Italian football and his friendship with Paulo Dybala as the ideal opportunity to revitalise his career and become a key player at a passionate club.

Roma's official 2026–27 season begins Monday 13 July at Trigoria under Gian Piero Gasperini, with squad training and friendly matches scheduled until 31 July, when the club moves to a second phase of the summer schedule in Wales (running until 8 August). Paulo Dybala is expected to sign a one-year contract with an option to extend until 2028 in the coming hours. Defender Zeki Çelik and midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini will both be absent from the start of pre-season, though their absence extends beyond renewal negotiations. Both players are currently uncontracted but in talks to extend their Roma deals. For Çelik, agreement is essentially complete; Pellegrini's negotiations continue, with a gap of €500,000 between the club's offer and his asking price, though optimism is filtering through. Çelik will have additional rest days following Turkey's early exit from the World Cup, as is standard for all returning international players. Pellegrini will not train on Monday regardless of contract matters—he is still troubled by a recurrence of the injury he sustained in training before May's derby match, which forced him to miss the final weeks of the season.

Roma's summer transfer strategy is being shaped by the tension between head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's technical ambitions and the club's commitment to financial discipline. Director Tony D'Amico is navigating this balance, evaluating each move carefully to avoid repeating past budget mismanagement. Diego Moreira is central to Roma's plans, with Gasperini keen on the midfielder's tactical versatility to bolster the flanks alongside Wesley. However, Strasbourg's asking price is deemed too high, and if negotiations don't yield flexibility, Roma may pursue less expensive targets. Elsewhere, Alejandro Garnacho remains under monitoring despite Chelsea's economic demands appearing beyond reach for Roma's proposed loan-with-option-to-buy formula. Nicolò Tresoldi is a concrete attacking target, with Roma attempting to lower Club Brugge's valuation to pair him with Donyell Malen. On the contract front, renewals for Paulo Dybala and Zeki Çelik are settled. Lorenzo Pellegrini's extension talks are progressing, though both parties must bridge a modest wage gap while Pellegrini recovers fully from recent injury before resuming full training.

Ryan Friedkin is returning to Trigoria after two months away, signalling an acceleration in Roma's summer transfer activity. His arrival will trigger a series of operational meetings aimed at converting strategic ideas into concrete decisions. The ownership is preparing to intervene on several open dossiers and back head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's ambitions alongside Tony D'Amico's vision during a critical phase of squad planning. The club's agenda is crowded with priorities. Contract renewals for Lorenzo Pellegrini and Zeki Çelik are considered essential to securing the dressing room. However, the main focus is reinforcing the attacking wide positions, where Roma is working intensively on two fronts. The Diego Moreira pursuit is currently the hottest track: Roma is attempting to bridge the financial gap with Strasbourg by offering approximately €40 million including bonuses, while proposing a significantly more sustainable wage package for the player than other available options. The Alejandro Garnacho negotiation is more complex, with Chelsea refusing a loan with option to buy and insisting on a permanent €55 million sale. Despite strong foreign competition, Roma remains actively engaged thanks to the Argentine's firm desire to join. Garnacho sees Italian football and his friendship with Paulo Dybala as the ideal opportunity to revitalise his career and become a key player at a passionate club.

Roma's official 2026–27 season begins Monday 13 July at Trigoria under Gian Piero Gasperini, with squad training and friendly matches scheduled until 31 July, when the club moves to a second phase of the summer schedule in Wales (running until 8 August). Paulo Dybala is expected to sign a one-year contract with an option to extend until 2028 in the coming hours. Defender Zeki Çelik and midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini will both be absent from the start of pre-season, though their absence extends beyond renewal negotiations. Both players are currently uncontracted but in talks to extend their Roma deals. For Çelik, agreement is essentially complete; Pellegrini's negotiations continue, with a gap of €500,000 between the club's offer and his asking price, though optimism is filtering through. Çelik will have additional rest days following Turkey's early exit from the World Cup, as is standard for all returning international players. Pellegrini will not train on Monday regardless of contract matters—he is still troubled by a recurrence of the injury he sustained in training before May's derby match, which forced him to miss the final weeks of the season.

Roma's summer transfer strategy is being shaped by the tension between head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's technical ambitions and the club's commitment to financial discipline. Director Tony D'Amico is navigating this balance, evaluating each move carefully to avoid repeating past budget mismanagement. Diego Moreira is central to Roma's plans, with Gasperini keen on the midfielder's tactical versatility to bolster the flanks alongside Wesley. However, Strasbourg's asking price is deemed too high, and if negotiations don't yield flexibility, Roma may pursue less expensive targets. Elsewhere, Alejandro Garnacho remains under monitoring despite Chelsea's economic demands appearing beyond reach for Roma's proposed loan-with-option-to-buy formula. Nicolò Tresoldi is a concrete attacking target, with Roma attempting to lower Club Brugge's valuation to pair him with Donyell Malen. On the contract front, renewals for Paulo Dybala and Zeki Çelik are settled. Lorenzo Pellegrini's extension talks are progressing, though both parties must bridge a modest wage gap while Pellegrini recovers fully from recent injury before resuming full training.

Ryan Friedkin is returning to Trigoria after two months away, signalling an acceleration in Roma's summer transfer activity. His arrival will trigger a series of operational meetings aimed at converting strategic ideas into concrete decisions. The ownership is preparing to intervene on several open dossiers and back head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's ambitions alongside Tony D'Amico's vision during a critical phase of squad planning. The club's agenda is crowded with priorities. Contract renewals for Lorenzo Pellegrini and Zeki Çelik are considered essential to securing the dressing room. However, the main focus is reinforcing the attacking wide positions, where Roma is working intensively on two fronts. The Diego Moreira pursuit is currently the hottest track: Roma is attempting to bridge the financial gap with Strasbourg by offering approximately €40 million including bonuses, while proposing a significantly more sustainable wage package for the player than other available options. The Alejandro Garnacho negotiation is more complex, with Chelsea refusing a loan with option to buy and insisting on a permanent €55 million sale. Despite strong foreign competition, Roma remains actively engaged thanks to the Argentine's firm desire to join. Garnacho sees Italian football and his friendship with Paulo Dybala as the ideal opportunity to revitalise his career and become a key player at a passionate club.