Roma's fate rests on Verona trip as club hunts new sporting director and plans contract renewals
Club News·21 May 2026·60d ago

Roma's fate rests on Verona trip as club hunts new sporting director and plans contract renewals

Source: Roma News

Roma's derby victory has revived the club's European hopes, with everything now depending on the final stretch of the season. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's side face Verona in a fixture that will determine their Champions League qualification and shape the direction of the club's new cycle both on and off the pitch.

The Friedkin Group is already moving on multiple fronts. Ricky Massara is set to leave his role, prompting Roma to begin the search for a new sporting director—a figure who must work in tandem with Gasperini across recruitment, squad management, and financial sustainability. Tony D'Amico, respected by Gasperini from their time together at Atalanta, tops the shortlist, though Milan's interest demands caution. Fabio Paratici, currently at Fiorentina, is also under consideration. Concurrently, Roma is negotiating contract renewals with key players. Paulo Dybala is increasingly likely to stay, with the club proposing a lower fixed salary than his current deal but with performance and appearance bonuses. Zeki Çelik's position is also being evaluated, with his salary made sustainable by Italy's Growth Decree. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation is more complex, requiring a comprehensive assessment of his technical role, dressing-room influence, and wage sustainability.

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Testo Originale / Source Text

La vittoria nel derby ha rimesso in moto l’ambiente giallorosso e riportato la Roma a giocarsi tutto nell’ultima curva della stagione. A Verona passa il destino europeo della squadra di Gasperini: novanta minuti che valgono la Champions League e che possono indirizzare in modo decisivo il nuovo…

Read the full article in Italian at Roma News.

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