Roma target Chelsea's Gittens as Gasperini's leading priority for left-wing spot

Roma have approved the sale of Jan Ziółkowski to Monza on loan with a €18 million purchase option. The defender's departure clears the way for the club to pursue Aston Balerdi from Olympique Marseille, with director D'Amico negotiating a loan deal with an obligation to buy, subject to conditions. Bareldi was a genuine target for Roma a year ago, when Marseille rejected a move and demanded €30 million. The two clubs are now in talks over different terms. The Argentine centre-back has already agreed personal terms with Roma, as he had a year prior, and is awaiting confirmation to travel to the capital. His arrival would make Balerdi the fifth Argentine player in Roma's squad.

Roma are targeting Leonardo Balerdi to strengthen their defence as Jan Ziółkowski prepares to leave for Monza. The 27-year-old Argentine centre-back, who rose through Boca Juniors and Borussia Dortmund before establishing himself at Marseille, brings high-level experience and solid international credentials. Balerdi is no conventional stopper of muscle and clearances. His principal strength is his relationship with the ball: he enjoys building from the back, escaping pressure, playing vertical passes and carrying possession out of defence. Last season he ranked among defenders with the highest percentages for completed passes and accuracy in forward play. He is also an aggressive centre-back who prefers to anticipate the striker rather than wait inside the area, and plays with personality and authority — he is comfortable in a three-man defence, where his ability to step up against an attacker plays to his strengths. Yet his asset is also his liability. Balerdi's technical confidence sometimes leads him to attempt one more action than necessary. When an exit goes wrong or he loses position, the error can be costly. This happened repeatedly at Marseille, and the alternation between excellent displays and occasional lapses drew criticism and whistles from the Vélodrome crowd. In short: he is not a faultless defender, but a modern, technical and courageous centre-back. If he can limit his distractions, he can be a player of significant calibre. A right calf injury in March was followed by another in June that forced him to withdraw from Argentina's Copa América squad. The problem appeared resolved during pre-season when he returned to regular action, but in August he felt fresh calf pain and missed Marseille's opening league match against Strasbourg. This does not necessarily signal a fragile player, but it is an aspect Roma will need to examine carefully during medical checks. Compared to Ziółkowski, Balerdi would represent a clear shift: less prospect of future development, but far more immediate experience. He would arrive ready from the start, with quality on the ball and commanding presence.

Roma have submitted a bid to Olympique Marseille for centre-back Leonardo Balerdi on a loan deal with a conditional obligation to buy. According to Gianluca Di Marzio's report, the proposal centres on a loan with a right of rescission that would convert to an obligation upon the fulfilment of certain conditions. No fees or specific conditions triggering a permanent deal have been disclosed. The move signals a shift in Roma's defensive recruitment strategy under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the club seeks to bolster its back line. Bareldi, 27, is an Argentine centre-back standing approximately 1.88 metres tall and right-footed. He joined Europe in 2019 with Borussia Dortmund before moving to Marseille, where he has been a regular since 2020. He has also earned caps for the Argentine national team. Roma's interest adds an experienced international profile to their list of possible defensive reinforcements, and the outcome will now depend on Marseille's response and whether the two clubs can find common ground on the proposed structure.

Roma's final weeks of the summer transfer window will see not only the completion of Gian Piero Gasperini's squad but also a profound transformation of the group built in previous sessions—a wholesale dismantling of the roster assembled under former sporting director Florent Ghisolfi and Ricky Massara. Defender Jan Ziółkowski is poised to leave. The Polish centre-back has opened talks over a move to Monza, who are ready to pay approximately €1.2 million for a paid loan. Details of the buyout clause remain to be finalised, though one proposal links the cost of the loan to Ziółkowski's appearances—the more he plays, the lower the fee for Monza. Roma will not greenlight his departure until a replacement arrives. The primary target is Morato, a Brazilian centre-back at Nottingham Forest, with negotiations centred on a loan formula, though no agreement has yet been reached between the clubs. Thilo Kehrer of Monaco has also been evaluated as an alternative, as has Nayef Aguerd, the 1996-born Moroccan defender at Marseille, in a potential loan deal. More delicate is the situation of Neil El Aynaoui. The Moroccan midfielder has failed to build the tactical understanding with Gasperini required to become a cornerstone of the project, and Roma are ready to let him go after just one season if the right offer arrives. However, proposals from Germany so far have been structured only as loans with buyout clauses, while Trigoria prefers an outright sale. El Aynaoui's departure would force Roma to return to the market. Gasperini had identified Franck Kessié as his target, but the Ivorian is now close to joining Juventus, leaving Roma to find an alternative quickly. Ziółkowski and El Aynaoui could join a lengthy list of players who arrived under Ghisolfi and Massara but have since exited the project: Bailey, Ferguson, Tsimikas, Venturino and Zaragoza are cited, while Robinio Vaz is close to Hull City, with an agreement between the clubs pending the player's approval. The transformation reflects Gasperini's tactical preferences and the new sporting direction's priorities.

Roma are preparing two formal departures—Robinio Vaz and Jan Ziółkowski—with Neil El Aynaoui a surprise third name potentially heading out if an offer meets the club's valuation. The Moroccan midfielder has fallen down Gasperini's midfield hierarchy and lacks rapport with the coach, making his exit increasingly likely. Vaz has attracted interest from Hull City on a loan deal worth 2 million euros with a 30 million euro purchase option; the next move rests with the player. Ziółkowski, the Polish academy graduate, has already signalled interest from Monza, who are prepared to pay 1.2 million euros for a loan. El Aynaoui has been placed on the market and Roma want a permanent exit. Should he depart, Gasperini had identified Frank Kessié as a replacement, though Kessié is increasingly close to joining Juventus. These departures follow the exits of Bailey (January 2025), Ferguson, Tsimikas, Venturino and Zaragoza from earlier recruitment. Among the signings of Massara's tenure, Ghilardi, Malen and Wesley are set to remain. The article notes that a number of players from recent market windows are being cleared out, with the club pursuing permanent deals where possible to address squad depth and create space for tactical adjustments.

Roma are accelerating departures among signings made under previous sporting director Massara, with Robinio Vaz poised to join Hull City on a loan deal worth €2 million plus a €30 million option to buy. The club has also fielded a loan offer from Monza for Jan Ziółkowski, reportedly valued at €1.2 million, though Roma's sporting hierarchy will not greenlight Ziółkowski's exit until a replacement arrives. One alternative being explored is Kehrer from Monaco. Neil El Aynaoui has unexpectedly been placed on the market after failing to build a working relationship with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Roma would prefer a permanent sale. Among Massara's acquisitions, only Daniele Ghilardi, Donyell Malen and Wesley are certain to remain. Evan Ferguson, Kostas Tsimikas, Venturino and Zaragoza have all been cleared for departure, following Bailey, who left in January. Claudio Aloisi reported in Il Messaggero that Monza is ready to pay €1.2 million for Ziółkowski's loan, with Morato from Nottingham lined up as a potential replacement, though El Aynaoui's exit remains the crucial precedent. Should El Aynaoui leave, Gasperini has identified Frank Kessié as a candidate to fill the void.