Roma stadium commissioner Sessa expresses cautious optimism after first service conference

Lorenzo Pellegrini is close to signing a new contract with Roma after his deal expired on 30 June. The club has made the midfielder's renewal a priority following recent extensions for Paulo Dybala, Gianluca Mancini, and Bryan Cristante. Pellegrini, who continues to put Roma first despite being out of contract, remains sidelined by injury and has missed the early stages of pre-season. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini views Pellegrini as essential to the squad both technically and as a leader in the dressing room. The player is equally committed to staying in Rome, and negotiations are progressing with confidence. Roma aim to finalise the deal in the coming days—ideally before the team departs for their training camp in Wales. The proposed agreement runs until 2028 with an option for a further season, at a salary of 2.5 million euros per season plus bonuses. Once signed, Pellegrini could rejoin the squad during the second phase of summer preparation and begin working with Gasperini ahead of the new season.

Alessandro Florenzi, the former Roma, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain defender, has praised Gian Piero Gasperini's appointment as Roma head coach. Speaking at an event in Rome after competing in a seven-a-side football tournament at Parco Schuster, Florenzi told Il Messaggero: "I would have liked very much to be coached by him, for what he makes his full-backs express, for how he interprets football. I'm fortunate, as a Roma fan, to have a coach like Gasperini." Florenzi was asked about Roma's prospects following their qualification for next season's Champions League. He expressed confidence in the team's direction but cautioned that results will determine how far they can go. "I don't know, the pitch will tell us," he said. "The objective last year was very clear and I think it will be the same this year: to try to finish in the top four and have a respectable season." Florenzi's comments underscore the optimism surrounding Gasperini's arrival at the Giallorossi. The former Roma fullback highlighted the tactical approach the new coach brings, particularly his system of play for attacking defenders—a quality that would have suited Florenzi's style during his playing career at the club.

Santiago Castro's potential arrival at Roma would place him in a storied line of Argentine forwards who have worn the giallorossi shirt. Arturo Chini Luduena, Roma's first foreign player in history, scored 61 goals in 180 appearances between 1927 and 1934. He was followed by Enrique Guaita, who netted 43 goals in 63 matches before departing alongside compatriots Stagnaro and Scopelli out of fear of conscription into the Italian army for the Ethiopian war. The bond between Roma and Argentina has remained strong, particularly among attackers. Argentine influence shaped Roma's first Scudetto, with Miguel Angel Pantò partnering alongside Amadei and Krieziu. In the all-time top scorers list, "Piedone" Manfredini ranks sixth with 104 goals in 164 games, contributing to the Coppa delle Fiere victory in 1960–61 and Coppa Italia success in 1963–64. Abel Balbo stands eighth with 82 goals in 182 appearances across the 1990s and early 2000s; after departing in 1998, he returned in 2000 alongside Gabriel Omar Batistuta. Batistuta made an immediate impact with 20 goals in a single season, helping Roma claim their third Serie A title, though age and injury limited his effectiveness thereafter. More recent Argentine figures include Caniggia, Perotti, Lamela and Osvaldo. Paulo Dybala arrived in summer 2022 following a contract renewal and has since recorded 139 appearances and 45 goals. If negotiations succeed, Castro will join the Argentine contingent at the club.