Roma tables €15m bid for Oosterwolde as Fenerbahçe holds firm at €20m valuation

Mario Hermoso is close to signing a contract extension at Roma, with negotiations underway and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pushing to finalise the agreement. According to La Repubblica, as reported by TeleRadioStereo, the deal would add two more years with an option. The centre-back's current contract expires at the end of the season. Hermoso has enjoyed a strong run in Rome, scoring 8 goals in 49 appearances for the club, three of them in the current campaign. Gasperini was influential in keeping him at the club in the first place. Hermoso joined as a free agent in 2024 after his time at Atlético Madrid, but he struggled to win regular minutes in his first few months. He was loaned to Bayer Leverkusen in January, and a shoulder injury prevented the German side from buying him outright, so he returned to Roma. Hermoso was reportedly on the chopping block in the summer of 2025, until Gasperini took a liking to him. The coach made him a linchpin of the side, as his skill set and dynamism suited his style well. The Real Madrid product also spent time at Espanyol earlier in his career and has five caps for Spain, although he has not been called up since 2019. Gasperini likes good ball handlers and sound athletes in every position, and especially in the 'braccetti' role. Hermoso's goalscoring is a bonus that has served the team well, as they can bring almost the whole side into the final third when they are firing. The extension is seen as a no-brainer, as the financial sums are not expected to be a problem.

Porto's finance director, José Pedro Pereira da Costa, has clarified the economics of Rodrigo Mora's move to Roma, which was one of the club's biggest investments in the latest summer transfer window. Speaking to the Portuguese outlet ECO, he said Porto's sale of Mora is an overall operation worth €50 million, even though the initial transfer was structured at a lower figure. Pereira da Costa set out the wider summer picture. "Overall, in summer 2026/27 we invested 37 million euros, compared with around 110 million the previous summer. And we made sales worth 78 million euros, including Rodrigo Mora for 50 million." He explained the structure of the deal, which he said was set at €25 million for 50%. Porto, however, holds an option that depends exclusively on its own decision, which is why the club views the transaction as a €50 million operation. For Roma, the detail matters because Mora is part of the current squad and his transfer terms are now being spelled out publicly. The explanation shows that the figure initially reported was only part of the financial picture, with the option giving Porto a further route to the full valuation. In his own words: "It was 25 million euros for 50%, but we have an option that depends exclusively on our will. For us it is a 50 million euro operation." The comments offer a rare insight into how Porto have accounted for the deal across the summer, with the €37 million invested and €78 million in sales giving a clear view of the club's transfer balance.

Porto's finance director has revealed that the club values the sale of Rodrigo Mora at €50 million, citing a clause in last summer's agreement that allows the Portuguese side to demand a further €25 million from Roma. Roma bought Mora outright for €25 million plus €2 million in bonuses, but Porto kept the right to 50% of any future resale. José Pedro Pereira da Costa, Porto's financial director, spoke to the Portuguese economic daily ECO. Roma can remove that 50% share by paying another €25 million. The agreement also gives Porto an option: once the agreed terms have matured, the Portuguese club can decide to sell the economic stake it still holds, obliging Roma to buy it. In practical terms, Porto could collect €50 million in total, plus any bonuses. Mora is not still a co-owned player. He belongs entirely to Roma on the pitch, while Porto retains an economic percentage of his future sale, and it is that percentage that the options in the agreement govern. Pereira da Costa said: "We have made sales worth 78 million euros, considering Rodrigo Mora as a 50 million operation." The figure includes the part of the agreement the Portuguese club has not yet collected. On the terms of the transfer he added: "It was 25 million for 50%, but we have an option that depends exclusively on our will. For us it is a 50 million operation." He also stressed the financial side of the deal: "I am not a sporting director, for me it is a financial sale." Porto invested a total of 37 million in the last summer window, compared with around 110 million the year before, while still keeping the most used players from last season. For Roma, the cost of Mora could become considerably higher than the initial €25 million. How much depends on how the options in the agreement are handled, but Porto has structured the deal to retain strong bargaining power even after the player's sale.

Roma are looking to strengthen in January, with sporting director Tony D'Amico prioritising a quick, right-footed winger who can operate from the left, cut inside and beat his man, as Gian Piero Gasperini has been waiting for since the summer. The club's room for manoeuvre is limited by the settlement agreement with UEFA, which is preparing a new fine for the Friedkin Group's club in November. For that reason, D'Amico is working on a model similar to the Donyell Malen deal: a loan with a option to buy, which could be turned into an obligation under certain conditions, spreading the investment over several financial years. The first name remains Endrick. The Brazilian from Real Madrid is still D'Amico's dream target, and contacts are being kept alive to see whether a door could open in January. The 2006-born talent is getting very little playing time and needs regular football. However, Roma must overcome the resistance of the Spanish club and its coach José Mourinho. Endrick also does not perfectly fit the profile of the left-sided winger with pace that Gasperini wants, although he would represent an opportunity of the highest level. The other concrete option leads to Jamie Gittens of Chelsea. The Englishman, already chased last summer, is a winger closer to the characteristics the coach is seeking. He too is struggling to find minutes, and the Blues could consider a temporary move. Competition is not lacking, but the possibility of a loan makes this option particularly interesting for Roma. The name of Giorgi Kvernadze of Frosinone also remains warm, but mainly with a view to next summer. The Ciociaro club does not seem willing to part with the Georgian mid-season and is working to tie him down with a renewal and a significant salary increase, so a January move appears complicated, while the discussion could reopen at the end of the season. Gasperini is also reportedly weighing the addition of a midfielder to his rotations. Over the summer he considered four central players sufficient, but the tight schedule of matches and the injury to Manu Koné have shown how thin the midfield cover can become. Among the names circulating again is Pierre-Emile Højbjerg of Marseille, a club facing financial difficulties. The Dane was already evaluated in the summer and could come back into focus. Wiafe of Genoa and Darryl Bakola of Sassuolo are also attracting interest, the latter a young profile with long-term potential on whom competition is already significant. For now these are interests to be explored, with no defined negotiations. Jayden Oosterwolde, by contrast, does not look set to be revisited, the move having fallen through over the summer after problems emerged in his medical tests. The striker therefore remains the absolute priority, but January could also bring a second signing. D'Amico must balance Gasperini's requests, the opportunities offered by the market and the club's financial constraints. Roma are showing they can compete at the top of Serie A, and the goal now is to give the coach more options to face the second half of the season without constantly asking the same players for extra effort.

Roma are beginning to plan for the January transfer window, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and sporting director D'Amico both weighing up targets. Before the match against Sassuolo, D'Amico reiterated Roma's desire to bring an attacking winger to the capital. Gasperini is also pushing for an attacking winger and a midfielder. The advice to strengthen the squad carries Francesco Totti's signature, even though it came from Kuwait. Roma's options are limited, however. Any deal will have to be a loan with a possible obligation to buy, in the style of the Malen signing, because of an impending UEFA fine. Chelsea's Gittens and Real Madrid's Endrick are the front-runners in attack, while Hojbjerg has moved up the list in midfield as Marseille face a deep economic crisis. Genoa's Wiafe and Sassuolo's Bakola are also liked by the club. Oosterwolde has been ruled out. Totti's message was direct: "One or two reinforcements, then Roma can win the Scudetto." Gasperini is understood to share that view, and D'Amico has already started work on the market. Meanwhile, the squad is enjoying a rest period during the international break at Trigoria, where Dybala and Svilar are preparing to return to full training with the group.

Francesco Totti has said Roma need one or two new signings to become genuine title contenders, in comments that come amid reports linking him with a role at Fenerbahce. Speaking as a guest on SashaSports, the former captain also dismissed talk of a return to Roma, but his remarks carry weight given his status as a club legend. Totti said: "Le cose si devono fare in due o non si fanno." In English: "Things have to be done by two people or they don't get done." He added: "Forse bisognerebbe chiedere ad altre persone per capire i motivi, ma io non mi lamento, non recrimino e non voglio creare alcun tipo di problema. Loro stanno facendo bene, tutto funziona, la società è in salute, c'è un grande allenatore e la squadra è forte." Translated: "Perhaps you should ask other people to understand the reasons, but I'm not complaining, I'm not looking back in anger and I don't want to create any kind of problem. They are doing well, everything works, the club is healthy, there is a great coach and the team is strong." Totti was at the centre of strong rumours on Sunday that he could become a director at Fenerbahce, reports officially denied by the Turkish club and by Totti's own entourage. Fenerbahce had earlier also denied interest in Greenwood. Totti's view is that the squad is not yet strong enough to compete for the Scudetto. He said: "Probabilmente servirebbero uno o due innesti per rinforzare la squadra e renderla una vera candidata, una squadra capace di sognare il campionato fino alla fine. In Champions ad esempio questo si è visto, serve una rosa più attrezzata." Translated: "Probably one or two additions would be needed to strengthen the team and make it a real contender, a side capable of dreaming of the title until the end. In the Champions League, for example, this has been seen, a better-equipped squad is needed." Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is reportedly pushing hard for an attacking winger of "gamba" and a midfielder, according to Francesco Balzani writing in Leggo. Sporting director is working on deals, but only operations in the style of Malen are possible, meaning loans with a possible obligation to buy, given an imminent UEFA fine. Gittens of Chelsea and Endrick of Real Madrid are reportedly the front-runners up front, while Hojbjerg is advancing in midfield as Marseille are in deep financial crisis. Wiafe of Genoa and Bakola of Sassuolo are also liked, while Oosterwolde has been ruled out. Meanwhile, Roma are enjoying a break during the international pause at Trigoria, where Dybala and Svilar are preparing to return to the group.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

Wesley has become far more than a traditional attacking full-back for Roma, according to an in-depth assessment of the Brazilian's development under Gian Piero Gasperini. The 23-year-old has channelled his disappointment at missing the World Cup through injury into a sharper, more complete game, adding creativity, reading of the game and defensive awareness to the running that has always been his main asset. The article notes that Gasperini has been instilling a never-give-up mentality in his Roma side, capable of bouncing back after the Real Madrid defeat and reacting after the heavy beating in Manchester. Wesley embodies that approach. Early in the season some had questioned whether he was falling short of expectations, and his goals have not yet arrived compared with last season. The writer argues that stopping there would be a mistake, because Wesley now offers much more: he creates, defends with greater attention, beats his man and poses a constant threat to opposing defences. The statistics underline the change. Wesley has created 23 chances in Serie A, level with De Bruyne, and the article describes this as the figure that best captures his evolution. Last season he created 33 chances across the whole campaign. He also has 57 passes that break lines, 45 balls won back and 14 successful crosses. He now creates 2.81 chances per game, compared with 1.21 last season. Gasperini said before the trip to Manchester: "Sta facendo bene, è cresciuto" (He is doing well, he has grown). The article adds that Roma are enjoying Wesley, and Gasperini even more so. Carlo Ancelotti, who continues to select him for Brazil, has also noticed his progress. Last season, the article says, Wesley was more raw: he ran tirelessly, scored and had begun showing early signs of his talent, but his work was far from finished. Now he covers more defensively and, when attacking, drifts inside, breaks opposition lines and becomes an extra option for team-mates. The relationship with Mora is described as increasingly important. The two understand each other on the pitch. Wesley starts on the flank but does not stay tied to the line, moving into central areas between the lines and supporting attacks as an additional offensive presence. Mora can exploit these runs to find more space and freedom in the final third without having to guarantee width and depth himself. Wesley attacks, Mora creates, and Roma gain two extra options in the same area of the pitch. The article acknowledges that he is not, for obvious reasons, a De Bruyne, but says this version of Wesley fits Gasperini's Roma perfectly. The coach wanted him strongly and has no intention of giving him up. Off the pitch, the article says Wesley seems to have found his place at Trigoria: he enjoys himself, goes live on social media and always smiles. Gasperini sees him as the hidden gold this squad needed.

Thirteen Roma players have been called up by their national teams for the November international break, a sign of the squad's growing standing at the highest level, according to Il Messaggero's Daniele Aloisi. Trigoria will be almost empty in the early part of the week, with the gates reopening on Wednesday, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini to prepare for the resumption with a heavily reduced group. Gasperini had already made clear his view of the break, calling the upcoming international fixtures "amichevoli o poco più" (friendlies or little more) after the match against Sassuolo. Argentina, the runners-up at the World Cup, begin a new cycle without Lionel Messi and have recalled Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro for friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica. Wesley faces a much longer trip, travelling to Singapore with Brazil for games against the hosts and Japan. Italy boss Roberto Mancini has opted for youth for the Nations League matches against France and Belgium. Niccolò Pisilli and Daniele Ghilardi will join up at Coverciano, while Bryan Cristante remains at Trigoria. Donyell Malen has also been called up and will meet Xavi, the new Netherlands coach, for the first time. Rodrigo Mora returns to the senior national team a year after his last call-up, which coincided with the campaign that ended in victory in the Nations League.