Roma revives pursuit of Benfica's Rios with formal offer

Alessandro Romano scored on his Serie A debut for Cagliari against Parma this summer, immediately attracting attention from Italy's national team coach Roberto Mancini, who watched him from the stands at the Tardini. The midfielder, born in Winterthur, Switzerland, to an Italian family, holds dual citizenship and has previously represented Swiss youth sides but has not yet played for the Swiss senior team. Mancini has already begun efforts to persuade Romano to choose Italy over Switzerland. Romano's journey began when Bruno Conti spotted him in 2022 and brought him to Roma's Trigoria academy. The midfielder progressed through the Giallorossi system with strong form at Under-18 level, recording six goals and eight assists in 30 appearances, and worked closely with former manager Daniele De Rossi during his development with the first team. After making his professional debut in the closing stages of Lecce–Roma last season under Gian Piero Gasperini, Romano was loaned to Spezia in January 2025, then sent on a temporary deal to Cagliari this summer under manager Pisacane, with a purchase option that will automatically convert to an obligation. Romano described De Rossi as an "exceptional" coach and cited the chance to observe midfielder Leandro Paredes as formative. Speaking about his international future, he said: "It is not a priority." The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is pushing to secure his talents. His opening goal for Cagliari and immediate first-team selection have already sparked regret among Roma supporters on social media, who lament yet another academy graduate being allowed to depart too soon.

Roma have tabled an official offer to Benfica for Colombian midfielder Richard Rios in recent days, sporting director D'Amico reportedly initiating contact with the player's representatives to reach agreement on contract terms. Head coach Gasperini has kept Rios at the centre of the club's midfield reinforcement plans throughout the transfer window. Benfica are demanding more than €30 million to release Rios, the fee they paid Palmeiras last summer after previous Roma attempts and protracted negotiations handled by Ricky Massara had failed to secure his signature.

Roma are putting the finishing touches on a deal with Fenerbahce for Jayden Oosterwolde, a 25-year-old wing-back who will join on loan with a conditional obligation to buy. The acquisition slots behind Wesley and Nahuel Molina in the fullback position and marks Roma's push to bolster their defensive options this summer. According to Corriere dello Sport, the obligation to buy carries a €15–16M clause that will be activated by a combination of factors: his personal and team objectives, final league position, and qualification to the UEFA Champions League elimination stage. These conditions make a permanent move fairly certain. Oosterwolde will sign a four-year deal on €1.6M per season but will not be available immediately, as a thigh problem will sideline him until mid-September. Roma targeted him after missing out on Alessio Cacciamani and not pursuing Luis Henrique further. The fullback broke out at Twente and Parma in Serie B between 2020 and 2023 before joining Fenerbahce on a €6M move, since accumulating 112 appearances with three goals and one assist. Roma are eyeing another winger to complete the summer window. Chelsea rejected their offer for Jamie Gittens on loan with a €43M option to buy, with the Blues demanding better terms after paying €60M for him last season. Malick Fofana remains in contention, while PSG's Ibrahim Mbaye is viewed as a younger, less proven alternative. Oosterwolde's physical attributes and versatility, combined with his favourable price relative to other targets, make him a pragmatic option despite not being Roma's most ambitious pursuit for the wing role.