Roma to pass on free agents; Gasperini eyes two January arrivals

Guido Angelozzi, now sporting director at Spezia and formerly sporting director at Cagliari until June 2026, has revealed the details of his dealings with Roma last year. Speaking on Radiolina, he said Cagliari were close to signing Niccolò Pisilli, the Roma academy product, and that Cagliari had been trying to sign Romano. Angelozzi said Roma sporting director Massara had refused to let Romano go completely. Angelozzi spent a year at Cagliari before leaving by mutual agreement at the end of last season, after the club's president wanted to change direction. He said Cagliari are continuing the path set out last year under a young coach in his first managerial role. Romano had been managed by Cagliari for some years, Angelozzi said, and last year Cagliari were taking him on, but Massara would not fully release him. Angelozzi praised Cagliari for a big signing and congratulated the director who brought the player in, saying the player has an important future. He said: "Massara ci aveva detto no per Romano. Ed eravamo vicini a Pisilli." He added: "Sono contento che sia arrivato a Cagliari, sia per lui che per Pisilli. A gennaio stavamo prendendo anche lui, ma non è stato possibile."

Roma are reportedly back in contact over Real Madrid forward Endrick and Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens as possible January reinforcements, while Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné are still absent from training ahead of Saturday's match against Sassuolo. According to Matteo Moretto, D'Amico continues to talk with the entourage of Endrick, who has been little used by Mourinho. Roma would be ready to take him on loan in January, but the Portuguese coach does not want to let him go. Milan and foreign clubs are also interested in the player. For Gittens, the Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Roma are targeting a quick attacking winger capable of beating his man, and that the Chelsea player is one of the main objectives. D'Amico is also tracking Leweling of Stuttgart and Kvernadze of Frosinone. The idea is to take advantage of a loan opportunity, without ruling out a move for a midfielder. Dybala and Koné did not appear in the images of Friday's training at Trigoria, and their recovery for Saturday remains difficult. Gasperini is considering starting Mora alongside Soulé, with Malen as the centre-forward. Ndicka is expected to return in defence, while Molina is the favourite on the right after Rensch's injury. Rensch is set to be out for about three weeks with a right adductor injury picked up at Manchester. Gollini is recovering from a back problem and could be available against Sassuolo; if not, Vásquez will continue in goal. Svilar has no chance of returning before the international break. Fabio Capello analysed the collapse at Old Trafford, where Roma dominated the first half before becoming unrecognisable. He pointed to a drop in concentration, fatigue and United's intensity as the main causes. His verdict on the squad is that it is competitive in Italy but still needs completing to face Europe's biggest sides. Elsewhere, Marten de Roon spoke about his arrival in the capital after Gasperini's call. Given his rivalry with Roma during his Atalanta days, he had expected a difficult dressing room, but his first impressions proved those fears wrong. On the sales side, Eintracht Frankfurt are following Sangaré, the young Spanish full-back who has been sold permanently to Elche for €4.5m. Moretto reports that the German club have begun initial contacts with his entourage. Roma retain 20% of any future sell-on fee and could therefore profit from a further transfer. No official offer has been made so far.

Roma are reportedly still considering a midfield signing when the January window opens, with Pierre-Emile Højbjerg of Marseille among the names being discussed. Journalist Eleonora Trotta reported the interest on social media. The squad is objectively short at the moment, Gian Piero Gasperini has acknowledged. The injury to Manu Koné has weighed heavily on rotation in midfield, which is the area where the giallorossi are looking to strengthen. Højbjerg had already been considered by Roma during the summer and could return to the conversation soon. The Danish midfielder currently plays for Marseille, a club that, as the report notes, is not swimming in money. That financial position may shape how any deal could be structured, and Roma's interest reflects the depth problems the squad faces while Koné is sidelined.

Barcelona have decided to sell left-back Alejandro Balde, who is finding game time increasingly hard to come by in La Liga, and Manchester United are now reportedly in the running for the Spanish wing-back alongside Roma, according to ElNacional.cat. The reports describe interest rather than a concrete negotiation. Balde has never started a match for Barcelona, and coach Flick has reportedly opened the door to his departure. Roma's interest is not new: the left-back profile was linked to the Giallorossi in the previous weeks as well. Balde would be an alternative to Oosterwolde for the left-back berth in Roma's defence. The article adds that Balde's profile has been mentioned in connection with Roma before, and that the left-side options under consideration include Balde as a replacement for Oosterwolde in the lower band of the defence.

Cristante is in Roma's squad for the trip to Napoli, according to the squad list published by Il Messaggero. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini is short in the final third, with Pellegrini, Dybala, Svilar and Koné all sidelined. He has only Mora and Soulé behind Malen, and is considering playing Cristante further forward. The squad list names Balerdi, Ghilardi, Hermoso, Koulierakis, Lulli, Mancini, Molina, N'Dicka, Rensch and Wesley in defence; Cristante, De Roon, Mora and Pisilli in midfield; and Malen, Soulé and Castro in attack. Camara and Di Nunzio are also listed. The situation is serious enough that Roma are expected to act in the January transfer window. The club must spend to give Gasperini at least two reinforcements between attack and the flanks. Gittens and Leweling remain on the list, and the club has not ruled out the complicated pursuit of Endrick. A new left-back name has emerged: Alejandro Balde of Barcelona, who is finding few minutes under Flick and has been offered by Jorge Mendes. His name joins that of Oosterwolde. Sky Sport reports that Roma are close to the final details of a contract renewal for Lulli, which would run to 2031. The deal has not yet been officially announced, and the last points must be settled before it is formalised. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport at the Amsterdam stop of the EA7 World Legends Padel Tour, Stekelenburg was asked about Svilar. He said: "If I had to put him in the top five... no, not yet. After all, there are Courtois, Neuer and others. But he is a young lad and he is doing an excellent job. He just has to keep growing." Asked to choose between Højlund and Malen if he were a sporting director, Graziani said: "Malen without thinking twice. Hojlund I like a lot, and sometimes he looks to me like a 'little Lukaku' the way he leads the attack and the physical battles he takes on, and he has a great sense of goal; but Malen is my ideal striker, for the way he attacks space, for his dribbling, for the acceleration he has in the last twenty metres and because he can roam across the whole attacking front."

Roma are reportedly eyeing a left-sided option, and Giallorossi.net's transfer column "Consigli per gli acquisti" has picked Union Berlin left-back Tom Rothe as its latest profile. The column is looking for a left-footed, athletic, physically robust player who can operate across the full flank in Gian Piero Gasperini's system, and Rothe is presented as fitting that brief. Born on 29 October 2004, Rothe is 21 and a natural left-footer standing 1.93 metres and weighing 85 kilos, which is unusually big for a flank player. He came through at St. Pauli and Borussia Dortmund, making his Bundesliga debut for BVB at just 17 and scoring straight away. After a loan spell at Holstein Kiel, where he finished with 4 goals and won promotion to the Bundesliga, Union Berlin bought him in summer 2024 for around 5 million euros. His natural position is left-back, but he can play as a wing-back and could be developed as a left-sided centre-back in a three. The article describes Rothe as more of a physical presence than a typical winger. He is strong in the air, holds his ground in duels and has a long stride, though he is not a pure sprinter, with a top speed of around 31.5 km/h. His main asset is the ability to run the flank continually, carry the attack and offer a physical presence in both phases. The writer argues this mix suits Gasperini's emphasis on one-on-one duels, and that at 21 he has considerable room to grow, so Roma would be buying a player to develop into a starter in the coming years. Rothe is not yet a finished product. He needs to improve the quality of his final pass, the accuracy of his crosses and his attacking one-v-one play. He creates more through physicality, running and runs into the box than through dribbling. He also had a fairly long lay-off between December and March last season. The article finds no pattern that would make him a particularly fragile player, but it is still an aspect to monitor. Union Berlin paid around 5 million euros for him, and his market value is now put at around 10 million euros. Taking into account his age, first-team status and potential, the German club would presumably ask for more, but the deal would still sit within a plausible economic range for Roma. One detail needs checking: when Union signed Rothe, Borussia Dortmund kept a buy-back right. Before any negotiation, it would be necessary to establish whether that clause is still valid and on what terms. The writer concludes that Rothe is not yet ready for a major European club, which is precisely what makes him interesting now. He is 21, left-footed, 1.93 metres tall, a regular in the Bundesliga and part of the Germany Under-21 set-up. Compared with Oosterwolde, he is less explosive but taller and has greater room for growth. The column wants to highlight young, physical players who remain affordable before they become too expensive.

Roma are reportedly back in contact over Real Madrid forward Endrick and Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens as possible January reinforcements, while Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné are still absent from training ahead of Saturday's match against Sassuolo. According to Matteo Moretto, D'Amico continues to talk with the entourage of Endrick, who has been little used by Mourinho. Roma would be ready to take him on loan in January, but the Portuguese coach does not want to let him go. Milan and foreign clubs are also interested in the player. For Gittens, the Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Roma are targeting a quick attacking winger capable of beating his man, and that the Chelsea player is one of the main objectives. D'Amico is also tracking Leweling of Stuttgart and Kvernadze of Frosinone. The idea is to take advantage of a loan opportunity, without ruling out a move for a midfielder. Dybala and Koné did not appear in the images of Friday's training at Trigoria, and their recovery for Saturday remains difficult. Gasperini is considering starting Mora alongside Soulé, with Malen as the centre-forward. Ndicka is expected to return in defence, while Molina is the favourite on the right after Rensch's injury. Rensch is set to be out for about three weeks with a right adductor injury picked up at Manchester. Gollini is recovering from a back problem and could be available against Sassuolo; if not, Vásquez will continue in goal. Svilar has no chance of returning before the international break. Fabio Capello analysed the collapse at Old Trafford, where Roma dominated the first half before becoming unrecognisable. He pointed to a drop in concentration, fatigue and United's intensity as the main causes. His verdict on the squad is that it is competitive in Italy but still needs completing to face Europe's biggest sides. Elsewhere, Marten de Roon spoke about his arrival in the capital after Gasperini's call. Given his rivalry with Roma during his Atalanta days, he had expected a difficult dressing room, but his first impressions proved those fears wrong. On the sales side, Eintracht Frankfurt are following Sangaré, the young Spanish full-back who has been sold permanently to Elche for €4.5m. Moretto reports that the German club have begun initial contacts with his entourage. Roma retain 20% of any future sell-on fee and could therefore profit from a further transfer. No official offer has been made so far.

Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné did not appear in images of Roma's group training session at Trigoria, a sign that their return for Saturday's match against Sassuolo is becoming more difficult. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are preparing for the Serie A fixture, which kicks off at 20:45 at the Olimpico, two days after the club's disappointing defeat to Manchester United. Dybala is not yet ready, while Koné, who is close to returning, is being treated with caution. A call-up for Koné remains to be decided in the coming hours. Gasperini appears set to keep Rodrigo Mora in the number ten role behind Matías Soulé, with Donyell Malen leading the attack. Mora is expected to get another start after strong recent performances. In defence, Evan N'Dicka is likely to return to the heart of the back line, while Nahuel Molina and Wesley could reclaim the full-back positions. Molina is in line to regain a starting place following the injury to Devyne Rensch, who has suffered a mild muscle lesion to his right adductor and will be out for around three weeks. Gollini, who is struggling with a back problem, remains doubtful. The aim is clear: return to winning immediately after the comeback Roma suffered against Manchester United and close out this demanding phase of the season in the best possible way. A long-awaited break will follow, giving Gasperini time to recover energy and, hopefully, a significant number of injured players. First, though, there are three points to win against Sassuolo, whose coach is Alberto Aquilani. Roma's training session on Thursday was shared by the club on its social channels in a video showing several moments of the session.

Roma return to Serie A on Saturday evening, hosting Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico in the eleventh round, the last fixture before the international break. Kickoff is at 20:45 on Saturday 7 November. Sassuolo are coached by former Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani, and Gasperini's side will look to bounce back from the disappointment of a late comeback against Manchester United in the Champions League. Roma lost 3-2 at Old Trafford, having led 2-0 at half-time through goals from Soulé and Malen before Manchester United completed the turnaround in the second half. In Serie A the mood is far brighter. Roma beat Udinese 5-2 in their last outing and sit third after ten rounds with 24 points, from seven wins and three draws. They have scored 28 and conceded 10, and remain unbeaten in the league this season. Sassuolo, by contrast, are seventeenth with 8 points from ten matches. They arrive on a run of four consecutive defeats and have the worst defence in Serie A. Their last game ended in a 4-2 defeat at the Mapei Stadium to Fiorentina, and they have also lost to Lazio, Como and Frosinone in recent weeks. Gasperini faces an early selection problem in goal. Pierluigi Gollini missed the Manchester United game with a back problem that came up during training, and his condition will be monitored up to the match. If he is ruled out, Devis Vásquez, who started at Old Trafford, will again be in goal. Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso are expected back in defence, although Ghilardi remains a concrete option after good performances in recent weeks. Molina and Wesley are favoured on the flanks. Devyne Rensch will not be available, having suffered a right adductor injury against Manchester United. Cristante is expected to keep his place in midfield, while the partner alongside him is still open, with Pisilli possibly giving de Roon a rest. Up front, Soulé and Malen look certain to start, with Mora expected to play behind or alongside the Argentine. Koné and Dybala are doubtful, with both hoping to be available at least on the bench. Svilar will certainly miss the game, as he completes his recovery from a stress fracture to his fifth toe and is expected back after the break. Pellegrini is also out, still recovering from the muscle problem he suffered against Slovan Bratislava. Sassuolo are expected to line up in a 4-3-3. Turati is the favourite in goal, protected by a back line of Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé and Doig. Thorstvedt returns in midfield after serving his suspension against Fiorentina, and is expected to be joined by Matic and one of Bakola or Adzic. Up front, Aquilani will rely on his most creative players: Berardi on the right, Laurienté on the opposite flank and Sebastiano Esposito as the central reference point. Leysen, who has a serious knee injury, and Ismaël Koné, who is recovering from a leg fracture, are out for Sassuolo, along with Boloca and Volpato. Roma's head-to-head record at the Olimpico against Sassuolo is strong. Of 12 Serie A meetings played in Rome, Roma have won six, five have ended level and Sassuolo have won just once, a 4-3 victory in March 2023. The most recent meeting was on 10 January 2026, when Roma won 2-0. Overall, including matches in Emilia, the record reads 13 wins for Roma, 9 draws and just 2 wins for Sassuolo. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN and Sky Sport Calcio, and streamed via Sky Go and NOW. Official line-ups will be announced about an hour before kickoff at 20:45 on Saturday 7 November.

Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné did not appear in images of Roma's group training session at Trigoria, a sign that their return for Saturday's match against Sassuolo is becoming more difficult. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are preparing for the Serie A fixture, which kicks off at 20:45 at the Olimpico, two days after the club's disappointing defeat to Manchester United. Dybala is not yet ready, while Koné, who is close to returning, is being treated with caution. A call-up for Koné remains to be decided in the coming hours. Gasperini appears set to keep Rodrigo Mora in the number ten role behind Matías Soulé, with Donyell Malen leading the attack. Mora is expected to get another start after strong recent performances. In defence, Evan N'Dicka is likely to return to the heart of the back line, while Nahuel Molina and Wesley could reclaim the full-back positions. Molina is in line to regain a starting place following the injury to Devyne Rensch, who has suffered a mild muscle lesion to his right adductor and will be out for around three weeks. Gollini, who is struggling with a back problem, remains doubtful. The aim is clear: return to winning immediately after the comeback Roma suffered against Manchester United and close out this demanding phase of the season in the best possible way. A long-awaited break will follow, giving Gasperini time to recover energy and, hopefully, a significant number of injured players. First, though, there are three points to win against Sassuolo, whose coach is Alberto Aquilani. Roma's training session on Thursday was shared by the club on its social channels in a video showing several moments of the session.

Roma return to Serie A on Saturday evening, hosting Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico in the eleventh round, the last fixture before the international break. Kickoff is at 20:45 on Saturday 7 November. Sassuolo are coached by former Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani, and Gasperini's side will look to bounce back from the disappointment of a late comeback against Manchester United in the Champions League. Roma lost 3-2 at Old Trafford, having led 2-0 at half-time through goals from Soulé and Malen before Manchester United completed the turnaround in the second half. In Serie A the mood is far brighter. Roma beat Udinese 5-2 in their last outing and sit third after ten rounds with 24 points, from seven wins and three draws. They have scored 28 and conceded 10, and remain unbeaten in the league this season. Sassuolo, by contrast, are seventeenth with 8 points from ten matches. They arrive on a run of four consecutive defeats and have the worst defence in Serie A. Their last game ended in a 4-2 defeat at the Mapei Stadium to Fiorentina, and they have also lost to Lazio, Como and Frosinone in recent weeks. Gasperini faces an early selection problem in goal. Pierluigi Gollini missed the Manchester United game with a back problem that came up during training, and his condition will be monitored up to the match. If he is ruled out, Devis Vásquez, who started at Old Trafford, will again be in goal. Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso are expected back in defence, although Ghilardi remains a concrete option after good performances in recent weeks. Molina and Wesley are favoured on the flanks. Devyne Rensch will not be available, having suffered a right adductor injury against Manchester United. Cristante is expected to keep his place in midfield, while the partner alongside him is still open, with Pisilli possibly giving de Roon a rest. Up front, Soulé and Malen look certain to start, with Mora expected to play behind or alongside the Argentine. Koné and Dybala are doubtful, with both hoping to be available at least on the bench. Svilar will certainly miss the game, as he completes his recovery from a stress fracture to his fifth toe and is expected back after the break. Pellegrini is also out, still recovering from the muscle problem he suffered against Slovan Bratislava. Sassuolo are expected to line up in a 4-3-3. Turati is the favourite in goal, protected by a back line of Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé and Doig. Thorstvedt returns in midfield after serving his suspension against Fiorentina, and is expected to be joined by Matic and one of Bakola or Adzic. Up front, Aquilani will rely on his most creative players: Berardi on the right, Laurienté on the opposite flank and Sebastiano Esposito as the central reference point. Leysen, who has a serious knee injury, and Ismaël Koné, who is recovering from a leg fracture, are out for Sassuolo, along with Boloca and Volpato. Roma's head-to-head record at the Olimpico against Sassuolo is strong. Of 12 Serie A meetings played in Rome, Roma have won six, five have ended level and Sassuolo have won just once, a 4-3 victory in March 2023. The most recent meeting was on 10 January 2026, when Roma won 2-0. Overall, including matches in Emilia, the record reads 13 wins for Roma, 9 draws and just 2 wins for Sassuolo. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN and Sky Sport Calcio, and streamed via Sky Go and NOW. Official line-ups will be announced about an hour before kickoff at 20:45 on Saturday 7 November.

Roma's attack now depends almost entirely on Donyell Malen and Matías Soulé, with the pair accounting for 31 successful dribbles in the Champions League (16 and 15, with Wesley third on 6) and 23 shots on target (15 and 8, with Lorenzo Pellegrini third on 4). The Italian commentary argues that a third forward is missing from an attack that almost always lines up with three players up front. The Giallorossi's team statistics place them between 15th and 21st among Champions League clubs, including behind Sabah for successful dribbles, a sharp drop from Serie A where Roma are in the top three. The writer argues that the Champions League and Serie A are completely different in technical quality and physicality. The second half at Old Trafford reminded Roma that they can never relax, and showed again that the squad lacks the players to change the course of a match. Gasperini replaced Rodrigo Mora with Niccolò Pisilli, a decision the article describes as right or wrong depending on your view, but asks who else could have been used to exploit the space behind a Manchester side that was simply attacking. Roma have no players capable of a sudden burst of pace, and Malen and Soulé both faded mentally and physically after the break. The article says Gasperini is missing a third of his attack. Mora is an incredible talent but is not a winger, Pellegrini showed his fragility again, and neither Dybala nor Soulé is comfortable on the left flank, where they cannot cut inside onto their left foot. Gasperini had said on 30 August: "We still need one more piece there on the left to complete the squad." A high winger never arrived, and the club were left with an empty slot on the left. The writer concludes that the team remains incomplete today.