Roma target Nusa and Fresneda as Gasperini plots summer overhaul

Artem Dovbyk's stint at Roma has ended with the Ukrainian forward moving to Bologna on loan as part of the deal that brings Castro to the capital. Dovbyk departs after scoring 20 goals in 63 appearances, leaving a sense of what might have been following a transfer that cost the club 41 million euros in the summer of 2024. Dovbyk's first season proved reasonably productive despite Roma's turbulent campaign. He scored his opening goal on 15 September at Marassi under Daniele De Rossi, and added 17 goals in 45 appearances during 2024–25, with crucial strikes against Como, Cagliari, Lecce, and Fiorentina helping Roma climb to fifth place under Claudio Ranieri. However, the 29-year-old, fresh from a 24-goal season at Girona where he won the Pichichi, never truly settled in the capital. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, competition from loan signing Evan Ferguson intensified, and Dovbyk's impact diminished. He missed two penalties against Viktoria Plzen, suffered a thigh strain, then endured a three-month layoff from a left thigh tendon injury. His final appearance came on 17 May in the derby, a two-minute cameo as substitute for Paulo Dybala. The disconnect between the forward and the Roma fanbase was evident throughout. While individual performances warranted optimism at moments, Dovbyk struggled to operate effectively with teammates and lacked conviction in physical challenges. The separation reflects mutual recognition that the substantial investment failed to yield the expected returns.

Santiago Castro received a rousing welcome to Rome late on Wednesday evening as more than 200 Roma supporters gathered to greet him outside Termini station, complete with scarves and chants. The Argentine striker, Roma's first summer signing, arrived from Bologna to scenes of genuine passion from the Giallorossi faithful on a warm end-of-July evening. Castro's arrival marks the beginning of Roma's summer recruitment drive under the Friedkin Group's ownership. The warmth of the reception at one of Rome's main transport hubs underscored the club's supporters' enthusiasm for the incoming talent and their eagerness to embrace new players joining the squad.

Artem Dovbyk left Rome for Bologna on a loan deal with a buyout clause set at approximately €20 million. The Ukrainian forward travelled to Fiumicino airport in the morning to catch his flight to begin his new spell with the Emilia-Romagna club. Roma supporters spotted him at the airport and posed for photographs with the striker. Dovbyk's departure marks another change in Roma's squad following Santiago Castro's arrival at Termini station the previous day. The loan arrangement with Bologna includes an option to make the move permanent, with the buyout figure reported at around €20 million.

Roma are actively scouting replacements at left-back after Gian Piero Gasperini and his coaching staff decided Angeliño is not part of their plans. The Spanish full-back, sidelined for much of last season by injury, has lagged behind athletically during the opening two weeks of pre-season training, prompting the club to explore alternatives. Gasperini has not changed his initial thinking: Angeliño is available for transfer, with La Liga a plausible destination given Betis's earlier interest, though all options remain open. Roma's priority targets for the flank include Nusa, widely appreciated at Trigoria, but Leipzig's asking price remains high following their sale of Diomande to Real Madrid for over 100 million euros. The club has launched discrete probes for other candidates, including Schade and Elzazzouli, though both have costs deemed prohibitively expensive. The Lang option has not been pursued. On the departures front, negotiations are underway with Rayo Vallecano over Kumbulla, and Salah-Eddine appears closer to an exit. Koné is expected to attract substantial interest in the coming days, principally from Manchester United in the Premier League, with Chelsea and Arsenal less actively engaged. Angeliño's exit would leave Roma needing at least one new left-back, possibly two given the departures of Salah-Eddine and Angeliño and Zeki Çelik's lack of confirmation. Fresneda, Sporting Lisbona's right-back, features on the shortlist.

Kostas Tsimikas has been named Liverpool captain for the first time, a striking turnaround after his disappointing spell at AS Roma. The left-back arrived in Rome last summer to bring experience from his years at Liverpool, but failed to establish himself on the flank despite Angeliño's absence. His time at the Stadio Olimpico was marked by poor performances, including a memorable poor free-kick attempt against Como and being substituted for Bryan Zaragoza. Roma supporters view the development with bitter irony—what promised to be a valuable acquisition under Gasperini became a complete failure. Tsimikas has now returned to Liverpool, where he has been warmly received by the club's supporters. Manager Arne Slot, who took over from predecessor Jurgen Slot, has confirmed the Greek defender in the squad for next season and appears committed to building around him. The contrast between Tsimikas's struggles in Serie A and his embrace at Anfield illustrates how drastically circumstances can differ for the same player at different clubs. His captaincy represents a significant show of faith from Liverpool's new management.

Roma's move for Atalanta forward Mateo Castro neared completion as radio commentators across Roman airwaves weighed in on the transfer and other squad developments. Castro reportedly requested Bologna allow him to leave after learning of Roma's interest, with negotiations focusing on how the deal structure would be financed. Carina told Radio Radio: "Castro ormai sia in chiusura. È contato molto l'entusiasmo del ragazzo: appena ha saputo che la Roma lo voleva, ha chiesto al Bologna di lasciarlo andare." The striker, available at 35 million euros, is viewed as a versatile attacking option who can play multiple positions and create for teammates. Pruzzo compared Castro to a Muriel-type talent, while Mattioli questioned whether the fee represented full value for a player who isn't a pure number nine. Doubts linger over veteran forward Artem Dovbyk's future at Roma. Carina assigned a 60 per cent probability to Dovbyk remaining, noting Roma had rejected a loan option and that negotiations with Bologna centred on converting conditional clauses into an obligation—an approach Bologna resisted. Orsi remarked that with Castro's arrival, "Dovbyk non mi sembra un acquisto sbagliato" but acknowledged the striker requires different tactical deployment under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's system. Refereeing controversy from a pre-season friendly drew sharp criticism. Cristofori told Radio Romanista: "Ieri il direttore di gara ha causato un danno alla Roma," condemning Wesley's expulsion as unjust for a training-level match. Giustiniani added that Angeliño remains significantly behind Gasperini's fitness demands.