Roma to overhaul youth academy with Margiotta appointment; Conti declines interim role

Roma have made six signings and the window does not close until tomorrow evening, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pushing the Friedkin Group to add two more players before the deadline. The club restart their campaign this afternoon at Lecce following last week's win over Fiorentina, in which Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen formed a striking partnership that has drawn comparisons to the club's great attacking duos. The owners are prepared to keep strengthening the squad without financial restraint, targeting a league title and a deep Champions League run. De Roon arrived on a free transfer, released by Percassi, with Roma agreeing to pay one million euros in performance bonuses only if the club wins the Scudetto or reaches the Champions League final. Gasperini has defended the signing despite the lukewarm reception it received at Roma. The manager has requested further reinforcements: "I don't know if it will be possible, but I would like an attacking winger and a midfielder, numerically we are missing two players." The club are pursuing two internationals to fill those gaps — Brazilian winger Luiz Henrique from Zenit and German winger Leweling from Stuttgart, the latter reportedly the preferred target. Matías Soulé's future remains uncertain, with his agent Guastadisegno claiming for weeks that offers are incoming, including one reportedly from Fulham, though no confirmed bid has reached the club.

Leonardo Balerdi has been confirmed as available for Gian Piero Gasperini and is included in the squad for the fixture against Lecce. In his first interview, the Argentine defender signalled his focus on the Derby della Capitale, sidelining Lazio without naming them directly. When asked about playing at the Stadio Olimpico, Balerdi said: "I've been here before and we played against another team. I want to know it from this side." The remark delighted Roma supporters. Bareldi has already demonstrated proficiency in Italian, surprising observers during the interview. His fluency stems from his girlfriend, who was born in Milan, and his mother, an Italian language teacher in Argentina. The combination of derby awareness and linguistic ease has made an immediate impression on the fanbase as the club prepares for the opening fixture.

Leonardo Balerdi has given his first interview since completing his transfer from Olympique Marseille to Roma. The Argentine defender spoke to the club's official channels about his early impressions in the capital, his reasons for choosing Roma and his relationship with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Balerdi brings experience from Bundesliga football with Borussia Dortmund, Ligue 1 with Marseille and Argentine domestic football with Boca Juniors, along with 11 caps for the Argentina national team. He has played in the Conference League, Europa League and Champions League. His arrival adds defensive depth to Gasperini's squad for the 2026–27 campaign. On his decision to join Roma, Balerdi said: "Many things pushed me, but I think I had something with this shirt. When I was small I saw this shirt and said: 'It's beautiful.' I really liked it and that's why I wanted to play here. I got to know the club and the fans, I saw their passion and I wanted to be here." He revealed his mother was an Italian-language teacher in Argentina and his girlfriend is Italian, explaining his fluent Italian. Asked about Argentine players in Roma's history, he named Paulo, Leandro, Gabriel, Walter Samuel and Gabriel Batistuta. When discussing his idols, he singled out Fernando Gago, who played for Roma: "When I was small I wanted to play as a midfielder and Fernando Gago was my idol. He played here. He was one of my childhood idols. I had saved many photos of Gago in this shirt. Incredible." Regarding Gasperini, Balerdi acknowledged limited direct contact so far: "We've had some contact, but not directly. I also know he looked for me when he was at Atalanta." To the Roma fans, he said: "I want to play, I want to wear this shirt right away and I want to give all my heart, all my strength, to take Roma as high as possible. Thank you for everything. Let's go Roma."