Roma to launch under-23 side in Serie C as part of youth pathway strategy

Luciano Spalletti has reflected on his time at Roma, his relationship with Francesco Totti, and his assessment of Daniele De Rossi in a lengthy interview with Tuttosport. The conversation ranged across the emotional demands of managing in Italy's most passionate cities and the complex dynamics that shaped his tenure at the Giallorossi. Spalletti contrasted the experience of working in different Italian footballing environments, saying: "Fatico ad andare nei salotti e conoscere gente. Torino, for example, is perfect: they leave you in peace. At Naples the love of the fans takes your breath away, for some it can even become suffocating, but I breathed it all in deeply. The same as Rome. I also understand that way of living football, because I went through it myself." He spoke warmly of De Rossi as a young coach to monitor, noting: "I like Daniele De Rossi. And I also watch Francesco Farioli at Porto." The most revealing section addressed Totti directly. Following recent comments from the former number 10 that the two would need to "tell each other the whole truth" to make real peace, Spalletti responded with both deflection and substantive reflection. "But no, don't make me cause trouble," he said. "In November we're going to shoot the second part of the advert you've already seen on TV: we climbed trees, we put rafts in the lake, we created tunnels. But let this be clear: in these years I've argued more with the people around him than with him. We both made mistakes, but he's skilled. Even at being light, at coming to wind you up all the time." When the conversation shifted to Totti's ability as a player, Spalletti's language became even more emphatic. He described Totti's technical brilliance with a striking image: "He was capable of constructing technical malice. He had the strength to transform plays into schemes, and usually the opposite happens. I gave him the machine of the future: I suffered for years from his charisma, his power, and when I arrived at Roma and found myself coaching him I couldn't believe my eyes. I loved him and suffered under him as a totem of footballing beauty."

Roma's chief executive John Galantic has pledged to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini that the club will sign an attacking winger in the January transfer window to complete the squad. The position has been unfilled for fifteen months despite an extensive summer search for high-level profiles. With the forward line already competitive, the aim is to add an unpredictable offensive element that has been a long-standing priority. Roma have moved decisively into the race for Endrick, Real Madrid's 2006-born Brazilian talent. The winger has accumulated only 44 minutes across the start of this season under Carlo Ancelotti and faces a shortage of opportunities, prompting Madrid to evaluate a temporary departure that would allow him regular playing time. Roma are preparing a loan offer to persuade the Spanish club to release the youngster to the capital. If the Madrid path becomes complicated due to transfer formulas, Roma maintains several alternatives. Giorgi Kvernadze, the Georgian winger, has impressed in an early Serie B run with Frosinone, delivering three goals and one assist in his first five appearances. Frosinone president Stirpe values Kvernadze between €10 and €12 million. Roma continues to monitor other profiles targeted in the late stages of the summer window—Luiz Henrique, Jamie Gittens and Jamie Leweling—names for which the club had set aside a budget of approximately €35 million. These players could return to relevance if loan-with-option-to-buy arrangements became available under the right conditions.

Roma's Under-23 side is no longer a concept. Following John Galantic's announcement at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, the Friedkin Group is developing the intermediate step between the Primavera and first team that currently does not exist, matching the structure already in place at Juventus, Atalanta, Milan and Inter. Galantic said: "We need more Lulli and more Pisilli, we must invest in the youth academy. And then we need a growth stage between Primavera and first team. So we need an Under-23 side." The project aims to prevent the academy's best products from being sold or loaned out during the most sensitive phase of their development, while also incorporating possible synergies with Cannes. Two major obstacles remain. The first is the stadium: Tre Fontane does not currently meet all necessary requirements, and Roma is evaluating a renovation. The alternative is Stadio Stella Polare, the ground used by Ostiamare. The second concerns the cost of the operation. The total investment needed is estimated at around 20 million euros, with annual running costs between 2.5 and 3.5 million euros for salaries, staff, travel and logistics. Serie C admission requires a non-repayable contribution of 720,000 euros, provided a place becomes available in the league. While significant, this investment aligns with the club's sustainability strategy and is viewed favourably under UEFA financial rules. The Under-23 would allow Roma to manage directly the development of young players, filling the gap that often emerges when a player outgrows the Primavera but is not yet ready for regular Serie A football. The club's philosophy reflects this commitment: forming more players at Trigoria, guiding them toward professional football, and making the academy a structural component of the sporting and economic project. This approach is evident in recent recruitment, with signings including Rodrigo Mora, Koulierakis, Vaz and Santiago Castro, all with significant development potential.

Matías Soulé has made his Argentina debut against Burkina Faso, with Santiago Castro also appearing for the national team in the second half of the same match. The pair are among a number of Roma players currently away on international duty and due to return to Trigoria over the coming days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will see his squad reassemble gradually. Evan N'Dicka, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Giorgio De Marzi are arriving on the morning of 6 October, while Gianluca Mancini, Daniele Ghilardi, Emanuele Lulli and Niccolò Pisilli will return this evening after commitments with Turkey and Poland respectively, at Bologna and Pescara. Manu Koné is expected on the afternoon of 6 October and will rejoin full training on 9 October. Rodrigo Mora, currently with Portugal's Under-21 side, has his final fixture on the evening of 6 October and will report back on 9 October. The trio of South American players—Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Castro—will not return until the morning of 7 October after their transatlantic journey. Training resumes on 6 October.

Roma's full-backs have become a cornerstone of Gian Piero Gasperini's push to the top of Serie A, a marked shift from last season when they proved problematic. Wesley and Nahuel Molina are now among the club's key strengths, and both will start when Roma resume the league campaign against Como, where they will face manager Fabregas. The turnaround reflects Gasperini's tactical evolution since arriving at the club: in his first season, Wesley was the only defender fully convincing on the flanks, while Zeki Çelik had to make do elsewhere. Now the picture is entirely different. Gasperini has uncovered Emanuele Lulli in the course of the season, and Molina has gradually built his fitness, delivering quality and assists to Roma's attacking phase. For the Como fixture, Gasperini plans to deploy Molina on the right and Wesley on the left. The selection reflects not just Roma's attacking ambitions but also Gasperini's defensive strategy: by using two attacking full-backs, he aims to stretch Como's wide players—Baturina on one flank and Diao on the other—and occupy them throughout the match. Wesley, the more naturally offensive of the pair, will be tasked with driving forward and supporting the build-up play. Molina is likely to carry greater defensive responsibility, balancing his own contributions with the need to contain Como's threats on the wing.

Roma's Under-23 side is no longer a concept. Following John Galantic's announcement at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, the Friedkin Group is developing the intermediate step between the Primavera and first team that currently does not exist, matching the structure already in place at Juventus, Atalanta, Milan and Inter. Galantic said: "We need more Lulli and more Pisilli, we must invest in the youth academy. And then we need a growth stage between Primavera and first team. So we need an Under-23 side." The project aims to prevent the academy's best products from being sold or loaned out during the most sensitive phase of their development, while also incorporating possible synergies with Cannes. Two major obstacles remain. The first is the stadium: Tre Fontane does not currently meet all necessary requirements, and Roma is evaluating a renovation. The alternative is Stadio Stella Polare, the ground used by Ostiamare. The second concerns the cost of the operation. The total investment needed is estimated at around 20 million euros, with annual running costs between 2.5 and 3.5 million euros for salaries, staff, travel and logistics. Serie C admission requires a non-repayable contribution of 720,000 euros, provided a place becomes available in the league. While significant, this investment aligns with the club's sustainability strategy and is viewed favourably under UEFA financial rules. The Under-23 would allow Roma to manage directly the development of young players, filling the gap that often emerges when a player outgrows the Primavera but is not yet ready for regular Serie A football. The club's philosophy reflects this commitment: forming more players at Trigoria, guiding them toward professional football, and making the academy a structural component of the sporting and economic project. This approach is evident in recent recruitment, with signings including Rodrigo Mora, Koulierakis, Vaz and Santiago Castro, all with significant development potential.

Matías Soulé has made his Argentina debut against Burkina Faso, with Santiago Castro also appearing for the national team in the second half of the same match. The pair are among a number of Roma players currently away on international duty and due to return to Trigoria over the coming days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will see his squad reassemble gradually. Evan N'Dicka, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Giorgio De Marzi are arriving on the morning of 6 October, while Gianluca Mancini, Daniele Ghilardi, Emanuele Lulli and Niccolò Pisilli will return this evening after commitments with Turkey and Poland respectively, at Bologna and Pescara. Manu Koné is expected on the afternoon of 6 October and will rejoin full training on 9 October. Rodrigo Mora, currently with Portugal's Under-21 side, has his final fixture on the evening of 6 October and will report back on 9 October. The trio of South American players—Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Castro—will not return until the morning of 7 October after their transatlantic journey. Training resumes on 6 October.

Roma's Under-23 side is no longer a concept. Following John Galantic's announcement at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, the Friedkin Group is developing the intermediate step between the Primavera and first team that currently does not exist, matching the structure already in place at Juventus, Atalanta, Milan and Inter. Galantic said: "We need more Lulli and more Pisilli, we must invest in the youth academy. And then we need a growth stage between Primavera and first team. So we need an Under-23 side." The project aims to prevent the academy's best products from being sold or loaned out during the most sensitive phase of their development, while also incorporating possible synergies with Cannes. Two major obstacles remain. The first is the stadium: Tre Fontane does not currently meet all necessary requirements, and Roma is evaluating a renovation. The alternative is Stadio Stella Polare, the ground used by Ostiamare. The second concerns the cost of the operation. The total investment needed is estimated at around 20 million euros, with annual running costs between 2.5 and 3.5 million euros for salaries, staff, travel and logistics. Serie C admission requires a non-repayable contribution of 720,000 euros, provided a place becomes available in the league. While significant, this investment aligns with the club's sustainability strategy and is viewed favourably under UEFA financial rules. The Under-23 would allow Roma to manage directly the development of young players, filling the gap that often emerges when a player outgrows the Primavera but is not yet ready for regular Serie A football. The club's philosophy reflects this commitment: forming more players at Trigoria, guiding them toward professional football, and making the academy a structural component of the sporting and economic project. This approach is evident in recent recruitment, with signings including Rodrigo Mora, Koulierakis, Vaz and Santiago Castro, all with significant development potential.

Roma's growth extends far beyond the pitch. The Friedkin Group is executing a comprehensive strategy built on investment, youth development, sustainability and a new stadium at Pietralata designed to fundamentally reshape the club's economic scale, according to CEO John Galantic speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport. Since the Friedkins arrived, the club has invested approximately €1 billion, with a further €1.3 billion allocated to the stadium project. Galantic outlined the club's approach to sustainable development: "We have three projects: renovating youth academies, thanks to people like D'Amico and Margiotta. Then the next growth stage between the Primavera and first team: the Under 23 is essential for us. And finally synergies with our team at Cannes, which is in the richest talent market. Every year we want to put new players developed in-house to grow and have a sustainable model." This strategy is already visible in the development of players like Emanuele Lulli and Niccolò Pisilli, who have become integral to the first team. The true transformation will arrive with the new stadium. Roma aims to lay the foundation stone by March 2027 and estimates that in its first full operational season, the stadium could generate a 245 per cent increase in matchday revenue compared to 2025, without accounting for potential new sponsorships. Galantic stated: "In four years the stadium will change everything, it raises revenue and allows us to make a very important sporting and economic leap. It's a stadium conceived for the fans." He contrasted the new ground with the Stadio Olimpico: "The Olimpico is beautiful and full of memories but it wasn't made for football. We've studied several exciting elements. We imagine the South Stand more united, it will be something special." On the ownership's broader approach, Galantic added: "The Friedkins did it in silence, with facts and with investments. Sometimes silence is golden and it works."

Matías Soulé has turned a turbulent summer into one of the brightest periods of his Roma career. Within days, the forward celebrated the birth of his first child and earned his maiden cap for Argentina, coming on at half-time in a friendly against Burkina Faso alongside Roma teammate Leonardo Balerdi. The moment, witnessed by his family in the stands, marked the culmination of a dramatic reversal in his fortunes at the club. From the end of last season through the recent transfer window, Soulé had been repeatedly linked with a departure. Roma considered him both a potential source of revenue ahead of the 30 June deadline and a possible sacrificial chip to fund moves for different attacking profiles. Despite multiple approaches from other clubs, neither Roma nor Soulé's representatives received offers they deemed adequate, and he remained at Trigoria under Gian Piero Gasperini's management. A complete recovery from the pubic pain that had hampered his performances in the second half of the 2025-26 season has accelerated his turnaround. In this opening stretch of the 2026-27 campaign, Soulé has claimed a prominent role in Gasperini's tactical setup. Across six matches in Serie A and the Champions League, he has started in four of them, rotating with Rodrigo Mora as support for Paulo Dybala and striker Donyell Malen. His impact has been immediate: he has scored against Atalanta and Lecce. Since joining Roma from Juventus for an investment of nearly €30 million, he has made 87 appearances, recording 14 goals and 14 assists. After his appearance in the celebratory match marking Lionel Messi's international retirement, Soulé will return to Rome to prepare for the upcoming away fixture at Como.

Roma return to Serie A action on Sunday at Como with Gasperini facing a decision over his attacking midfield line, according to Simone Valdarchi in Corriere della Sera. The club sits top of the table after the first international break and will resume training tomorrow afternoon with focus entirely on the match against Fabregas's side. The contest for the playmaking role alongside Dybala and Malen remains open, with Soulé having featured regularly in the season's opening weeks. Soulé's Argentina commitments may work against him for the Como fixture. The midfielder will remain with the Argentina squad for one more day to face Benin—a match marking Messi's farewell to the national team—before returning to Roma, potentially limiting his readiness for immediate action on Sunday. This could give Pellegrini and Mora the chance to contest the trequarti role. Pellegrini begins his third week of training tomorrow, while Mora is away with Portugal U21, who face the Czech Republic tomorrow. Both players will find regular opportunities in the matches ahead as Roma's fixture list accelerates to a game every three days.

Matías Soulé has made his Argentina debut against Burkina Faso, with Santiago Castro also appearing for the national team in the second half of the same match. The pair are among a number of Roma players currently away on international duty and due to return to Trigoria over the coming days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will see his squad reassemble gradually. Evan N'Dicka, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Giorgio De Marzi are arriving on the morning of 6 October, while Gianluca Mancini, Daniele Ghilardi, Emanuele Lulli and Niccolò Pisilli will return this evening after commitments with Turkey and Poland respectively, at Bologna and Pescara. Manu Koné is expected on the afternoon of 6 October and will rejoin full training on 9 October. Rodrigo Mora, currently with Portugal's Under-21 side, has his final fixture on the evening of 6 October and will report back on 9 October. The trio of South American players—Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Castro—will not return until the morning of 7 October after their transatlantic journey. Training resumes on 6 October.