Roma's Mora deal stalls as Porto hardens terms; Luis Henrique pursuit slowed

Radio commentators have criticised Roma's transfer approach this summer, arguing the club overpays whenever pursuing a player. Carina told Radio Radio: "Every time Roma approaches a player, everyone raises the price. You have money to spend but you struggle to spend it because they ask for more." He noted that Castro will cost Bologna around 40 million euros, Lucumí went to Juventus for 20 million, yet Roma spent 18 million on Koulierakis, an unknown quantity. Carina also raised concerns over Porto's latest demands for Mora: the club now wants 10 million euros for the loan (up from 7 million) and is demanding the obligation to buy be unconditional rather than tied to Roma's Champions League qualification and 60 per cent appearance threshold. Orsi observed that Gasperini expected a different market this summer, noting Roma has completed only a couple of its stated targets while missing on more important ones. Torri was more blunt, stating: "The Roma wants to buy for 50 million a bench player at Porto" and questioned why Porto would sell Mora if no other club was offering that fee. He suggested Roma could instead target Moreira and two free agents, or push for Arsenal's Martinelli at 45 million euros. Pruzzo highlighted that Roma now has two quality forwards but faces wider squad gaps, while acknowledging friendly results gave a negative impression. The transfer window remains open, with several targets unresolved.

Rodrigo Mora is close to joining Roma, with his former coach providing an in-depth assessment of his readiness for Italian football. The coach described Mora as a player with strong personality, ambition and winning mentality who is "more than ready" for the demands of Serie A. "Beyond his football talent, he is an exemplary professional," the coach said. Mora is characterized as a tactically intelligent player with refined technical ability and dynamic movement across all phases of play. "He has a special rapport with the ball, refined and intelligent from a tactical standpoint," the coach explained. "He doesn't fear responsibility—he wants the ball, wants to play and wants to make a difference." On his mental strength, the coach noted: "He is very mentally and emotionally strong. He is very competitive with a winning mentality. He doesn't fear the game and rarely suffers under pressure. Rather, the bigger the challenge, the more he grows." The coach offered tactical guidance for Gasperini, Roma's head coach: "Rodrigo is a player who likes to have the ball and knows how to use it. He can dialogue with teammates, create space for himself and the squad, and most importantly, loves to play near goal. He has the quality and composure to be decisive in the box." While Mora can play across offensive positions, including as a winger, the coach believes he performs best in a central role where he has greater ball involvement.

Roma are navigating a complex summer transfer window constrained by settlement agreement rules, working simultaneously on exits and targeted acquisitions to strengthen Gasperini's squad. The club may be forced to sell two or three key players—including Matías Soulé and particularly Manu Koné, who is being courted by Premier League clubs—to comply with financial parameters and avoid European competition sanctions. Should the French midfielder depart, Roma are exploring a loan move for Teun Koopmeiners, a profile Gasperini knows intimately and would integrate readily into his tactical system. Meanwhile, the sporting director is pressing hard on the Cacciamani front. Roma have progressively increased their offer for the 2007-born winger to over 12 million euros plus 3 million in bonuses, drawing closer to Torino's asking price. Club owner Urbano Cairo has signalled openness to a deal, recognizing the difficulty of retaining a talent strongly championed by Gasperini himself. The teenager represents the kind of targeted reinforcement Roma are prioritizing as they balance the dual demand of raising funds through strategic sales while delivering competitive depth to their head coach.