Roma sign Oosterwolde on loan, Lecce trip without away support as Fofana talks continue

Roma's hopes of signing Endrick this summer have effectively ended after Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho made clear his intention to keep the Brazilian forward at the club. Endrick, a 2006-born talent, was among the profiles monitored by Roma's management to strengthen their attack, but Mourinho's firm stance has closed off that avenue. Roma, under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, had been seeking an additional attacking reinforcement, and Endrick's availability on loan had emerged as a possible opportunity—particularly if the young player sought more playing time away from Madrid. Mourinho's public position, however, has significantly reduced the likelihood of a departure. The coach confirmed that Endrick had received approaches from multiple clubs interested in him on loan or permanent transfer but made clear his own preferences. Speaking in a press conference, Mourinho said: "It is a player I like very much and who has received many contacts from clubs that wanted him on loan or permanently. I did not want to either loan him out or sell him because I like him as a player and I would like to work with this young man who has important talent." Unless Real Madrid changes position in the remaining days of the transfer window, the Endrick path will close for Roma, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini to pursue alternative profiles to complete his forward line.

Roma has reached an agreement with Malick Fofana's representatives at Roc Nation, but a move remains contingent on Lyon's need to complete a significant sale to balance their books. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is pressing the club's transfer leadership for another attacking winger to compete in the Champions League in these final days of the window, with Fofana and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens among the targets on the shortlist. The Lyon winger's path to Roma appears clear despite the French club's resistance on fees in recent days. According to L'Équipe, Roma secured the agreement with Fofana's camp as early as last week. Lyon's financial pressures and Fofana's preference for a move to Trigoria are both pushing the deal forward, though the player's final decision will come only tomorrow evening after Lyon's Champions League preliminary round return fixture against Fenerbahce. Fonseca's Lyon side knows Fofana's value well and has asked Roma for more than €35 million to release him, a figure that underscores the complexity of negotiations as both clubs manage competing priorities in the market.

Roma have reached an agreement in principle with Malick Fofana's representatives at the Roc Nation agency, according to a report from Hugo Guillemet of L'Équipe. The deal covers the player and his entourage, but Roma and Olympique Lyon have yet to settle on a fee. Lyon face pressure to raise funds through at least one more significant sale before the transfer window closes, and Fofana remains among the squad members who could depart if a substantial offer arrives. L'Équipe values Fofana at around €40 million, a figure Roma are currently unwilling to pay. The standoff is expected to intensify in the final days of the market. The timing may also be influenced by Roma's Champions League qualifying replay against Fenerbahçe, scheduled for Wednesday evening, which could affect the club's resources and priorities as the window nears its end.

Donyell Malen encountered Samuel, a Roma-supporting social media personality who has gained online attention for his striking resemblance to the Dutch forward, the day after Malen scored a hat-trick in Roma's 4–0 Serie A season opener against Fiorentina. The two crossed paths in Rome's streets, and Samuel had the chance to meet Malen in person for the first time. The most significant moment came when the two embraced, with the visibly emotional fan meeting his on-field counterpart. The encounter took place just hours after what proved to be a memorable evening for Malen on his competitive debut for the Giallorossi. He netted three goals in Roma's commanding victory in the first match of the league campaign, establishing himself as a key attacking weapon in his new surroundings. Malen's day was therefore particularly intense: first the three goals and opening-day win over Fiorentina, then this brief but striking meeting away from the pitch. The moment, captured and shared across social platforms, naturally drew significant attention online. For a moment at least, distinguishing Malen from his lookalike required a second glance.

Gian Piero Gasperini deployed three different formations during Roma's match against Fiorentina, avoiding the 3-4-2-1 system that defined last season but never abandoning the aggressive one-on-one pressing and intensity that characterise his approach. The tactical adjustments were made to nullify Fiorentina's threats rather than to compensate for transfer market gaps or absences. Gasperini's willingness to shift shape underscores a deeper principle: Roma's behaviour remains unchanged regardless of formation. The side consistently attacks, with N'Dicka operating as a target on the attacking third and Mancini and Hermoso—later replaced by Koulierakis—covering the flanks. Fiorentina manager Grosso began in a 4-3-2-1 before moving to 4-2-4 when Roma went two goals clear. With Kean deployed alongside Pellegrino, Gasperini matched the adjustment with an identical system. The lineup featured Svilar in goal, Lulli, Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso across the back, Cristante and Koné in midfield, and Soulé, Dybala, Malen and Wesley in attack. Soulé had replaced Mora at 2-0. When Grosso shifted to 4-3-3 late on, Gasperini responded by introducing El Aynaoui and Pisilli for Koné and Dybala, switching to a 3-5-1-1. This brought Mancini, N'Dicka and Koulierakis across the back, a five-man midfield of Lulli, Pisilli, Cristante, El Aynaoui and Wesley, with Soulé supporting Castro in attack. Roma scored a fourth goal. Gasperini's track record with such adjustments is long and proven, but the club now needs a right-footed winger capable of providing thrust on the break and winning one-on-one duels. The manager will learn soon whether Chelsea is willing to negotiate for Gittens, and after Lyon play Fenerbahce tomorrow evening, whether an agreement with Fofana can be finalised.

Roma's opening Serie A victory drew a full Stadio Olimpico and inspired the week's match ratings. Donyell Malen emerged as the standout performer, his finishing so prolific that the rater suggested he deserved to take the entire goal frame home with the ball. Rodrigo Mora's competitive debut under Gasperini from the start caught observers off guard; rather than showing nerves, he impressed with his footwork, particularly his right foot. Bryan Cristante delivered a measured, geometric display in midfield, structuring Roma's passing lanes with steady control. Mario Hermoso held his defensive line and regularly blocked Fiorentina's Mastantuono on the wing, occasionally venturing forward in search of space. Fiorentina, managed by Grosso, fielded what the rater described as a laboratory of new signings still seeking cohesion. The visiting side capitulated to Roma from the opening phases without establishing any meaningful attacking principle, despite assembling a squad with considerable investment. Naples, overseen by Allegri, struggled at Genoa; the rater noted that beyond the result itself, the team faced real difficulty and courted dangerous moments that could have proved costly had Roma's attack been more clinical, suggesting the visiting midfield lacked fluidity. Two moments drew specific criticism. De Bruyne's incident at Genoa—described as an elbow strike between the shoulder blades of Vásquez—was framed by the rater as technically a shoulder charge, raising questions about the officiating standard. Separately, pundit Fabio Capello faced scrutiny for suggesting that Gasperini owes everything to Malen for finishing third in the previous campaign, with observers questioning whether Capello applied the same logic to his own trophy wins with Batistuta and Montella. Alexandro Vescini, a DAZN journalist, drew harsh online criticism after stumbling over his words while not realizing he remained on air. The rater noted that many of those attacking him struggled with basic grammar themselves, highlighting a broader problem with online discourse.