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Roma target free agents including Sancho as left-wing search drags on
·2 September 2026·50d ago

Roma target free agents including Sancho as left-wing search drags on

Source: Forza Roma

Roma remain without a left winger 12 months after the club began its search, and have now turned their attention to free agents as an interim solution. Head coach Gasperini has sought profiles such as Summerville, Greenwood and Nusa throughout the summer, but none arrived. Rodrigo Mora was the only new addition to the attacking unit, though he is not an outside player. Leweling came close to joining before withdrawing late in the window. Sporting director D'Amico confirmed the club would evaluate the free-agent market: "We will assess the list, but later on." That assessment will likely take place during the upcoming international break.

Jadon Sancho tops the available targets. The 26-year-old English winger remains without a club after reports of a move to Palmeiras proved false. He rejected Roma's approach last year, though a fresh offer could change his stance. His market value stands at €18 million, but his wage demands—reportedly around €6 million annually—present a significant obstacle. Sancho has trained alone and missed preseason preparation with any club, raising fitness questions.

Other free-agent options include Reiss Nelson, 26, who has played for Arsenal, Fulham and Brentford but with limited impact; Wilfried Zaha, 33, recently in the MLS whose peak appears behind him; and Raphaël Guerreiro. Guerreiro, newly available after leaving Bayern Munich, offers a potentially ideal solution. The left-sided defender has played throughout his career on that flank and has demonstrated elite-level quality, though age is advancing. The club also tracks Ryan Kent, Fábio Martins, Naïm Sliti, François Kamano, Henry Onyekuru, Yann Karamoh and Nemanja Radonjic.

D'Amico indicated that any decision would come later in the season, meaning Roma face the prospect of continuing without their sought-after left-winger addition until the January transfer window.

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Story Coverage2 sources on this story

Roma's search for a left-sided forward remains unresolved as the summer transfer window closes, forcing the club to explore free agents as an alternative. Both outlets confirm that head coach Gian Piero Gasperini had pursued several targets throughout the window—including Summerville, Greenwood and Nusa—without success, leaving the attacking unit short of the explosive winger the club sought. Under UEFA regulations, Roma face a midnight deadline today to submit their Champions League squad list, though players with contracts ending by 30 June can still be registered in Italy until 31 March 2027, offering a potential pathway for late recruitment.

Jadon Sancho, 26, tops the list of free-agent candidates. The English winger has remained without a club after reports of a move to Palmeiras proved false, and while he rejected Roma's approach last year, the outlets differ on whether circumstances have shifted. GialloRossi.net emphasises his instability—including a high-profile clash with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United over training standards and his removal from the squad for months following racial abuse after Euro 2020—alongside questions about his recent career trajectory. Forza Roma reports his wage demands at approximately €6 million annually present a significant obstacle, while his market value stands at €18 million. Both outlets note concerns over his fitness after training alone and missing preseason preparation with any club.

Other candidates divide the outlets' focus. GialloRossi.net emphasises Raheem Sterling, 31, and Wilfried Zaha, 33, as substantial options, though Sterling faces legal complications in England regarding dangerous driving charges and possession of nitrous oxide. Stephan El Shaarawy, 33, Roma's former player, also appears, though both question why the club would reverse its decision not to extend him. Forza Roma casts a wider net, naming additional targets including Raphaël Guerreiro, newly available from Bayern Munich and potentially offering an ideal left-sided solution, alongside Ryan Kent, Reiss Nelson, Fábio Martins, Naïm Sliti and others. D'Amico confirmed evaluation would continue later, signalling Roma may remain without their targeted addition until January.

AI synthesis of all sources below — always check the originals.

Testo Originale / Source Text

“Dodici mesi. Forse qualcosa in più. È questo il tempo passato dai vari ds della Roma, D’Amico e Massara , alla ricerca dell’ala sinistra tanto richiesta da Gasperini . Nulla di così complicato, come ammesso dallo stesso tecnico. Eppure, in tre sessioni di mercato, a Roma si sono visti soltanto un…”

Read the full article in Italian at Forza Roma.

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