Roma target Garnacho as Manchester United eye Koné

Roma's players largely avoided the Trigoria training ground after their opening Serie A victory over Fiorentina at the Olimpico, leaving supporters gathered at the facility's gates disappointed. The team coach arrived practically empty, as the vast majority of Gian Piero Gasperini's squad chose to travel directly home from the stadium immediately after the final whistle rather than return to the center as fans had hoped to greet them. Jan Ziolkowski stood out as the sole exception. The young Polish defender was the only squad member present at the training ground—a detail of significance given his uncertain future at the club. The 2005-born defender remains at the centre of transfer speculation, with Saudi club Neom reportedly ready to make a move with an offer worth approximately €20 million to take him from Roma. The scene highlighted the contrasting priorities between the playing staff and the supporters who had gathered outside the Bernardini gates following the opening day success.

Roma have completed the signing of Oosterwolde on a paid loan with an option to buy. The deal is structured at €16 million plus €2 million in add-ons. The player is due to land tomorrow morning at 11:35.

Jayden Oosterwolde is arriving at Roma from Fenerbahçe. The Dutch defender is due in the capital tomorrow morning, 25 August, with his arrival scheduled for 11:35 at Ciampino airport. The 2001-born player can operate as a centre-back, as a defensive midfielder, or on the wing, providing tactical flexibility for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Oosterwolde represents another defensive reinforcement following the arrival of Konstantinos Koulierakis, with Jan Ziółkowski's future at the club still uncertain. However, Oosterwolde is currently managing a muscular issue that will keep him sidelined for another two weeks. Before heading to Amsterdam earlier on 24 August, he released a statement in which he admitted that he did not want to leave Fenerbahçe.

Donyell Malen scored a hat-trick as Roma demolished Fiorentina 4–0, with the Dutch winger later captured in a video posted by his wife Delisha performing as a DJ to celebrate the result. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini praised the performance across the squad. In his post-match comments, Gasperini said: "Mora is extraordinary. Dybala is a beast. We need a few more reinforcements." Paulo Dybala also spoke after the match, stating: "We can finish higher than third place. I never had doubts about the contract renewal." Malen added: "Playing with Dybala is extraordinary. I don't want to say how many goals I'll score." The emphatic victory showcased Roma's attacking threat, with Dybala operating at his sharpest alongside Malen's match-winning display.

Roma opened their 2026-27 season with a commanding 3-0 victory over Fiorentina, with Donyell Malen scoring a hat-trick and Paulo Dybala providing three assists. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini saw encouraging debuts from Rodrigo Mora, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Santiago Castro. With a trip to Lecce at the Via del Mare scheduled for Monday 31 August at 18:30, Gasperini has given the squad a day's rest. Training will resume on Wednesday afternoon at Trigoria, ahead of the next fixture.

Bryan Cristante was interviewed after Roma's opening match of the 2026–27 season against Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico on 24 August. The midfielder said the team had put in a strong performance from the start and credited the squad's preparation during pre-season for their readiness. "We're in good shape, we had a good pre-season with all our efforts. If we carry on with performances like this it's very good. We're more ready because the squad is the same one. We're more prepared for the workload and the manager's demands, so we started with an extra gear," Cristante said. Cristante highlighted the impact of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, saying they "make the difference when they're in good form." He noted that Dybala has been making a difference in Italian football for years, while Malen scored immediately in January. Cristante also praised a player referred to as "Lulli", describing it as "a great performance" and saying he "can give us a hand." On the team's defensive solidity, Cristante reflected: "We've always done great training sessions, but in pre-season the workload takes its toll. However, the staff always get us ready when matches that count begin." The midfielder also reflected on his personal milestone, saying he was entering Roma's top ten for players with the most appearances for the club. "It's an incredible club and city. I'm honoured to enter the top ten. I hope to make as many appearances as possible and continue to win with performances like this," he said. On the team's ambitions, Cristante added: "Yes, we want to do better. We're starting from a more consolidated base: we're the same group. We're starting with an extra gear, but the season is long. Starting well is important, we want to improve on last year's result."

Roman radio stations analysed Gasperini's post-match demeanour and Roma's transfer window on 24 August, with the coach reportedly venting frustration after a pre-match press conference. David Rossi of Rete Sport said Gasperini "attempted to maintain composure during the conference, so much so that once it finished he let off steam—we have audio of what he said after the conference, but we won't play it because we're decent people—but hearing the post-conference outburst tells you he is not serene." Gasperini has been actively involved in the market alongside D'Amico, reiterating his desire for a left-footed winger and left-sided striker, though the station noted that if those signings do not arrive, it is not a failure to pursue them but a failure to secure them. The broader consensus across the stations was mixed. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport identified Fofana as "the best option that remains," better than other targets, suggesting Lyon's potential Champions League qualification could enable a deal structured as a loan with a conditional obligation to buy. Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista offered strong backing of the existing squad, stating: "With him you would not win the Champions League, but you would not have won it either with Summerville; in fact, I think you have more chances with Mora than with the Dutchman. If you signed Gittens, you would have Gittens, Mora, Dybala, Soulé, Castro and Malen… Last year you had Venturino, Zaragoza, Baldanzi, Dovbyk, Ferguson… and we finished third. This is why I tell you we must be very satisfied with what is happening, very satisfied. And all of this without selling players. But guys, what more do we want? For me, if the market completes in this manner, it will be the best since the days of Batistuta." Analysts debated the likely formation and deployment of recent arrivals. Lorenzo Pes suggested Roma could play with a trequartista behind two strikers, noting uncertainty over whether Soulé or Rodrigo Mora would occupy that role. Mario Mattioli expressed scepticism about Mora's involvement, predicting he would not start and questioning whether he could break through substantially. Roberto Pruzzo backed Santiago Castro as a strong addition who would receive more minutes than expected, while Checco Oddo Casano voiced concern that Roma was not equipped to compete for the Champions League, predicting a third- to sixth-place finish in Serie A. Alessio Nardo highlighted Dybala's history of injury problems at Roma, noting that last season his meniscus injury was mismanaged; he added that should Dybala complete the season without significant injury, "it would be a sort of miracle of Gasperini and his staff." The match against Fiorentina was set for the evening of 24 August. Pes cautioned that Fiorentina would be difficult to assess as an opponent, having conducted an ambitious transfer window under new management. The window closes on 31 August, with Gasperini's requirements for additional signings still unmet.

Roma's transfer window has been solid on paper, but a sense of incompleteness lingers as the 2026–27 season approaches. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini harboured genuine title ambitions and believed the club could break free from the trophy drought that has gripped Roma since 2001 with a pair of elite signings. Names such as Greenwood, Summerville, Nusa and Fofana circulated—not transcendental acquisitions, but players who could have offered greater guarantees to a squad that has failed to close the gap with Inter and Napoli. Instead, Roma finds itself lumped among Como, Milan, Juventus and Atalanta in what the article describes as "the usual free-for-all". While the squad is objectively stronger than it was a year ago—with changes such as Castro for Dovbyk, Molina for Çelik, and Mora for Bailey—no blockbuster arrival materialised. Gasperini has acknowledged both D'Amico's serious work and the communication difficulties with the Friedkin Group ownership. Roma avoided selling major players, a point in its favour, yet failed to offload the figures whose departures might have unlocked genuine transformation. The question of whether that constitutes merit or fault remains open. Even the most optimistic voices cannot claim Roma is positioned as Inter's antidote this season, nor can anyone expect the kind of transfer signing that would have forced police deployment at Rome's airports. Gasperini is acutely aware the squad does not possess title credentials—arguably not even Champions League credentials, despite finishing third last season on a photo-finish. The breakthrough he sought was meant to unlock funds throttled by UEFA agreement complications that have clouded recent years. Instead, "the reckoning" will arrive in the coming months, after which title dreams may finally take root. Much will depend on Paulo Dybala's form, the promises of Mora and the consistency of Donyell Malen. Ten days remain before the season begins, and that nagging sense of "I would but I cannot" has not yet lifted.

Gian Piero Gasperini defended Roma's transfer approach at his pre-match press conference on 22 August, two days before the Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico. The coach confirmed that UEFA financial regulations have forced a strategic shift in the market, compounding constraints that stem from years of previous spending. "The profile is only that of UEFA; there are no other possibilities," Gasperini said. "There are situations that UEFA imposes and from which our ownership, even wanting to, cannot escape. I thought that after six months or with arrival in the Champions League the situation would be resolved, but it is not so." Gasperini emphasised that Roma remain the only Italian club currently under UEFA supervision. "Roma has already had two deferrals and probably cannot have any more," he noted. "Now the reckoning has arrived, but we will do well anyway." Despite those constraints, he expressed satisfaction with arrivals in the window. Álex Molina replaced Zeki Çelik after winning the World Cup two months earlier; Christos Koulierakis joined as a defensive profile the squad lacked; and Rodrigo Mora arrived as a young long-term investment. Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson departed, replaced by Mateo Castro. El Shaarawy, Bryan Zaragoza, Angeliño and Kostas Tsimikas also left. Gasperini stated: "All the players who arrived have strongly wanted to come to Roma. They have also reduced their salaries—and under this aspect I believe very positive work has been done. There are still ten days of the market left and we hope to complete everything." On the left wing position that Roma had pursued, Gasperini offered flexibility: "Only if he can be added value, otherwise I am not going to load myself with players just for the sake of it." Numerically, two squad slots remain available from a full complement of 23. He praised Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante for accepting significant wage cuts. On Dybala's fitness prospects, Gasperini said: "I am certain, because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He completed a pre-season perhaps for the first time without injuries." Dybala suffered two serious injuries last season—one requiring meniscus surgery that sidelined him for three and a half months. Gasperini stated that further squad exits may follow only if they represent tactical switches rather than pure departures. "If there are other exits it is only for changes, to switch," he said. "In this moment there is nothing certain." The window closes in ten days. Roma finished last season on 73 points and third place in Serie A, but Gasperini stressed the slate resets: "Every year you start from zero. What was done was very positive and satisfactory for all, but when the season starts everyone begins at 0 points and the 73 points from last year must be played again."

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini praised Rodrigo Mora as a talent of exceptional potential following Roma's first-day Serie A match against Fiorentina. The 19-year-old, who arrived from Porto after winning the Scudetto, showed personality and physicality in his appearance, entering the squad only a week before the fixture. Gasperini said: "We are in front of an extraordinary talent. He is 19 years old and has already won the Scudetto with Porto. He certainly has room for evolution but he has personality and showed it tonight. Every time he touches the ball something beautiful happens. For the characteristics he has he is resilient and has athletic values at a high level. A versatile player who can play anywhere across the front and has football as a talent. There is work to do on all aspects, he has been here a week but will give us great satisfaction." Gasperini centred his post-match assessment on the squad's mentality and commitment. He highlighted the continuity from last season, noting that players including Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Bryan Cristante and Mario Hermoso had driven to remain at Roma, while new arrivals including Mora and others "did everything to come to Roma". The coach stressed the strength of the environment: "I feel strongly the desire and the beauty of this setting, where they want to express themselves." On Dybala's form at 32 years old, Gasperini was emphatic: "Absolutely yes, he is a boy who at 32 is in the full maturity both physical and technical. He may have a bit less speed but not that much less. He has a bit less power in his shot, but even today he is among the very first in our championship, if not the first. He is well, he plays. Last year he was very unfortunate, he had two injuries one kicking a penalty and one a free kick. This time he did a preparation as perhaps he had never done in recent years, proof that he is increasingly resilient. At the end I took him off but he can play even extra time and is always one of the freshest." On the squad more broadly, Gasperini noted that new signings including Konstantinos Koulierakis, Nahuel Molina, Santiago Castro and Mora were positioned correctly: "We have not yet completed, rather numerically we need to play three competitions. If you look at the calendar after the break there is reason to shudder, so we necessarily need to have some extra numbers to tackle the season." Gasperini acknowledged Roma's tactical flexibility and praised Donyell Malen as a world-class operator who feels valued in the environment and is "a leader on the pitch". He added that Manu Koné, who featured in the Fiorentina match, had been pushed slightly given his recent return from World Cup duty and is recovering his best condition. On the increased effective playing time implemented in the fixture, Gasperini supported the new rule: "It benefits the public, who no longer has to watch the goalkeeper wasting time holding the ball. Now nobody makes a scene anymore. These are very well thought-out rules: people want to see the game, not players wasting time."

Roma opened their 2026–27 season with a commanding 4–0 victory over Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico, with Donyell Malen scoring a hat-trick and setting up further chances in a performance that announced the club's attacking potency. Paulo Dybala provided three assists, combining with Malen in what the match report describes as a partnership functioning "better than Goku and Vegeta". Niccolò Pisilli added the fourth goal. Rodrigo Mora made his debut and was given a standing ovation before kick-off, Gasperini launching him into the starting XI in a statement of intent that saw all new arrivals handed match time in a fixture played at high tempo with minimal defensive strain on Mile Svilar. The victory delivered immediate validation of Roma's summer recruitment. Dybala's fitness and form were on full display—the 8/10 rating in the match assessment noted he "wanted to be Roma's first goalscorer of the season" and that his connection with Malen was devastating when he was operating at this level. Malen's 8.5/10 reflected his ruthlessness, the report highlighting both a gift from Dybala for his opening goal and a second that was "pure Malen: grit, speed and killer instinct". Wesley, making his first competitive appearance, showed his ankle was holding up, though "not yet in dazzling form". Mora's brief introduction before his substitution at 53 minutes drew praise for a "curling shot that forced De Gea to work overtime", demonstrating the quality Villas-Boas had been reluctant to release. Gasperini's tactical blueprint was laid bare from the opening whistle. The boss "called the press, called for few touches" and had "already shifted into fifth gear" by the first match of the campaign, the report notes. In midfield, Bryan Cristante covered the most ground—averaging 10.2 km as he had done last season—while Manu Koné arrived dangerously on percussive runs, though Gasperini "threw him a look" when he forced an unnecessary acceleration on the 3–0 goal. The defence was untroubled; Evan N'Dicka, making an early impact, was "providential in closing on Pellegrino" within three minutes of his entry, and Gianluca Mancini "strapped the spaces by right" from the Fiorentina midfield. Matías Soulé came on at 53 minutes and "got tangled on the shot" despite doing everything else correctly in the box before playing a role in the fourth. Gasperini made five substitutions: Konstantinos Koulierakis replaced Mario Hermoso at 67 minutes, Santiago Castro came on for Malen at the same interval, Neil El Aynaoui entered for Koné at 78, and Pisilli replaced Dybala at 78, scoring shortly after "with a bit of fortune following a good flick".

Roma swept Fiorentina 4–0 in their Serie A opener at the Stadio Olimpico on 24 August, with Donyell Malen scoring a hat-trick and Niccolò Pisilli adding the fourth. The rout marked a confident start under Gian Piero Gasperini, who fielded Lulli and Rodrigo Mora from the first minute in his opening fixture. Paulo Dybala was the architects of Roma's dominance, setting up Malen's opening goal and then providing assists for each of the winger's three strikes. Dybala impressed with his physical condition and range of play, though the assessments noted he still needs to sharpen his finishing in the box. Malen's clinical display capped a straightforward afternoon in the capital — he claimed the matchball immediately after the final whistle. Gasperini's side showed hunger and cohesion from the outset, with Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné commanding the midfield. Cristante dominated the centre with relentless ball-winning and nearly unbeatable physicality in every challenge. Koné controlled proceedings in his familiar manner and impressed in both distribution and winning possession. The defence stood firm throughout. Evan N'Dicka engaged in a sustained duel with Fiorentina's Pellegrino, ultimately neutralising the threat without undue difficulty. Mario Hermoso played through early imprecision before settling into a battling rhythm, delivering a fine long ball for Dybala's assist on the second goal. Lulli made a strong debut, playing with personality and composure. Mile Svilar made few saves but was alert when Kean entered in the second half. Gasperini rotated from the 79th minute: Pisilli replaced Dybala to immediate effect, scoring and celebrating in front of the Curva Sud. Matías Soulé came on for Mora at the 53rd minute and struck the frame of the goal. Neil El Aynaoui entered the midfield in place of Koné as Roma sealed their opening victory.