Roma to discuss contract renewals and transfer strategy

Manu Koné is taking a detour through Spain before rejoining Roma, visiting his former club Toulouse in San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, where the French club are conducting their summer training camp. The Roma midfielder, who will return to Gasperini's squad on Monday 10 August, has spent time there reconnecting with the club where he developed as a player before his move to Borussia Mönchlegladbach. Koné posted on social media to mark the visit, saying: "When I was at the centre, I was told that once you've worn the violet shirt, you become part of the Toulouse family forever. It was important to come back here, meet familiar faces and exchange with the new generation of pitchounes. Thanks to everyone for the welcome, I wish you the best for this season." Koné, who wore number 17 for Roma, has recently recovered from the demands of representing France at the World Cup and was linked with Manchester United in recent weeks, though that move did not materialise. His return to first-team training will add depth to Roma's midfield as Gasperini prepares the squad for the coming campaign.

AS Roma's board of directors has formally established the operational scope and delegated powers of new chief executive John Galantic, the former Nike executive whose appointment was registered in recent days. Galantic holds central authority over daily club governance, subject to spending limits set by the board. He may autonomously sign or close contracts up to €500,000, with the threshold rising to €3 million for professional and sporting agreements, provided he immediately informs the board. On the financial side, he will manage bank accounts and banking operations with a ceiling of €1 million per new debt commitment, alongside responsibility for factoring and credit transfers. Galantic's remit extends to personnel management, including hiring staff, setting employment contracts within defined salary thresholds, and formally acting as employer under workplace safety legislation. His delegated powers also cover legal representation of the club and institutional relations with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Serie A, CONI, and other national and international sporting bodies. He holds responsibility for dispute resolution and acts as data protection officer. This governance structure ensures Roma has agile and effective operational leadership in daily activities while maintaining board control over strategic decisions and major investments.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has signed a contract renewal with Roma, extending his agreement with the club until 2027. The midfielder's previous contract had expired on 30 June, after which Roma and Pellegrini negotiated terms while he recovered from injury. The club announced the renewal on 8 August, committing Pellegrini to a further year at the Giallorossi. Pellegrini came through Roma's academy system and will continue his career at the club. The renewal reflects the midfielder's alignment with Roma's sporting vision and project values, as confirmed by his decision to accept the club's proposal.

Roma closed their British pre-season tour with a 3–0 defeat to Brighton at the American Express Stadium on 8 August, following earlier losses to Cardiff City and a win over Newport County. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged a poor performance but stressed the squad's wider progress during the week's training in ideal conditions. Gasperini attributed some sluggishness to players returning from World Cup duty—N'Dicka, El Aynaoui, and Malen among them—and noted the squad felt disjointed as a collective. He highlighted Paulo Dybala's recovery and welcomed the imminent availability of Lorenzo Pellegrini, who becomes eligible to play in September after at least a month. On the transfer market, Gasperini said: "Numerically it seems to me that there is still a need for something, but you know." He pointed to changes already made—Molina arriving to replace Çelik (to be assessed on Tuesday), Castro coming in for Dovbyk, and Koulierakis joining to complete the defence—but emphasised that future signings depended on the club's chief executive. When asked about outgoing transfers, Gasperini deferred: "We have a chief executive, you should ask him these questions about what Roma can or cannot do. On numbers and market possibilities Roma passes to him." He noted D'Amico was pursuing "very young but also very important" players.

Roma suffered a second defeat in three pre-season outings, losing 3–0 to Brighton in what Gasperini described as a concerning display two weeks before the season begins. Wesley emerged as the standout performer, while Neil El Aynaoui stepped back from his midweek form, and the defence was repeatedly breached. Gianluca Mancini (5) lost his man on Brighton's third goal and appeared less commanding than usual, while Mario Hermoso (5) was partly culpable for the opening goal and departed with a foot problem. Evan N'Dicka (5.5) offered insufficient security at the back, and Devyne Rensch (4.5) endured a forgettable afternoon at right-back following several indecisions; Koulierakis (6) and Daniele Ghilardi (6) came on at half-time and improved the display, though the match was already decided. Wesley (6) impressed with his physicality and athleticism, particularly a close effort at the 28-minute mark, while Paulo Dybala (5.5) created Roma's most dangerous opportunity despite a subdued showing. Neil El Aynaoui (4.5) was erratic in midfield, losing the ball in an exchange with Rensch that led to Brighton's second goal. Bryan Cristante (5.5), the captain, struggled to control the midfield as his experience might demand. Matías Soulé (5.5) lacked incisiveness despite constant movement. Donyell Malen (5) remained short of match fitness and rarely troubled the goalkeeper. Gasperini rated the performance 5, noting that Roma has conceded eleven goals across the last 360 minutes of pre-season play. Though he acknowledged no points are at stake in August, he expressed disappointment for the 750 Roma supporters in attendance. The transfer market remains underdeveloped, he added, but the squad must perform better ahead of competitive fixtures.

Roma faced Brighton at the Amex Stadium in the final warm-up match of their British tour. Gasperini named Donyell Malen in the starting eleven, while leaving new arrivals Castro and Koulierakis on the bench to manage their workload ahead of the 2026–27 season opener. The Roma boss fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso, and a four-strong midfield of Devyne Rensch, Bryan Cristante, Neil El Aynaoui, and Wesley. Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala occupied the advanced midfield roles, with Malen leading the attack. The fixture served as a final examination of the squad's preparation during the pre-season tour, with Gasperini using the match to assess combinations and match sharpness before competitive action resumes.

Roma ended their pre-season training camp in Wales with a 3–0 defeat to Brighton. Rutter and Ayari, who scored twice, were decisive for the home side. The loss concluded what proved a disappointing retreat before the Giallorossi return to Rome and prepare for their final warm-up fixture against Borussia Dortmund ahead of the 2026–27 season launch. In the second half against Brighton, Castro and Koulierakis were brought on to gain match time. Back at Trigoria, Roma await the return of Pellegrini and Koné, the latter having rejoined the squad after his summer break. Individual performances saw Bryan Cristante earn a rating of 6 for his display, while Mario Hermoso (4) and Wesley (4.5) both endured difficult afternoons in defence.

Roma closed their British pre-season tour with a 3–0 defeat to Brighton at the American Express Stadium on 8 August, following earlier losses to Cardiff City and a win over Newport County. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged a poor performance but stressed the squad's wider progress during the week's training in ideal conditions. Gasperini attributed some sluggishness to players returning from World Cup duty—N'Dicka, El Aynaoui, and Malen among them—and noted the squad felt disjointed as a collective. He highlighted Paulo Dybala's recovery and welcomed the imminent availability of Lorenzo Pellegrini, who becomes eligible to play in September after at least a month. On the transfer market, Gasperini said: "Numerically it seems to me that there is still a need for something, but you know." He pointed to changes already made—Molina arriving to replace Çelik (to be assessed on Tuesday), Castro coming in for Dovbyk, and Koulierakis joining to complete the defence—but emphasised that future signings depended on the club's chief executive. When asked about outgoing transfers, Gasperini deferred: "We have a chief executive, you should ask him these questions about what Roma can or cannot do. On numbers and market possibilities Roma passes to him." He noted D'Amico was pursuing "very young but also very important" players.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has signed a contract renewal with Roma, extending his agreement with the club until 2027. The midfielder's previous contract had expired on 30 June, after which Roma and Pellegrini negotiated terms while he recovered from injury. The club announced the renewal on 8 August, committing Pellegrini to a further year at the Giallorossi. Pellegrini came through Roma's academy system and will continue his career at the club. The renewal reflects the midfielder's alignment with Roma's sporting vision and project values, as confirmed by his decision to accept the club's proposal.

Roma closed their British pre-season tour with a 3–0 defeat to Brighton at the American Express Stadium on 8 August, following earlier losses to Cardiff City and a win over Newport County. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged a poor performance but stressed the squad's wider progress during the week's training in ideal conditions. Gasperini attributed some sluggishness to players returning from World Cup duty—N'Dicka, El Aynaoui, and Malen among them—and noted the squad felt disjointed as a collective. He highlighted Paulo Dybala's recovery and welcomed the imminent availability of Lorenzo Pellegrini, who becomes eligible to play in September after at least a month. On the transfer market, Gasperini said: "Numerically it seems to me that there is still a need for something, but you know." He pointed to changes already made—Molina arriving to replace Çelik (to be assessed on Tuesday), Castro coming in for Dovbyk, and Koulierakis joining to complete the defence—but emphasised that future signings depended on the club's chief executive. When asked about outgoing transfers, Gasperini deferred: "We have a chief executive, you should ask him these questions about what Roma can or cannot do. On numbers and market possibilities Roma passes to him." He noted D'Amico was pursuing "very young but also very important" players.

Zeki Çelik has defended his recent free-transfer move to Juventus, telling Sky Sport he made the right decision for his career. The Turkish defender, who departed Roma on a free transfer this summer, said: "I made the best choice for my career. I have known Massara for some time and when he contacted me I said yes immediately and I am happy to be here, I am pleased to prove myself on the pitch." Çelik spent several years at Roma, where he credited the club with his development both as a player and as a person. He said: "There I grew and improved a lot both physically and mentally and as a human being. For this reason I want to thank all my coaches, teammates, staff members and all the fans who have always supported me." His departure marks the end of his spell in giallorossi colours after arriving from Lille in July 2022. Roma have moved quickly to replace Çelik, closing a deal for Nahuel Molina, who was expected to arrive in Italy on 8 August.

Gasperini held a meeting lasting over four hours with Roma's new CEO Galantic and sporting director D'Amico late into the night to discuss how to complete the squad during the final phase of the transfer window. The conversation centred on both incomings and departures through to September. Gasperini made clear his frustration at the failure to sign a right-footed winger, an area identified as the club's primary need. Compared to last season's starting XI, the only change so far has been the swap of Çelik for Molina. Despite the arrivals of Koulierakis, Castro and Molina, Gasperini conveyed a sense that Roma remains incomplete. He sought reassurances from ownership and expects to be heard. Beyond incoming transfers, he was surprised by another matter during the meeting: Roma is willing to sell one of its key players if an irresistible offer arrives. Manu Koné and Matías Soulé are among the most sought after at this stage of the window, with Soulé courted by Milan, who have offered Rafael Leão as part of their approach.