Roma turn to Fofana if Mora deal collapses; Lyon face Champions League playoff test

Luigi Cherubini is on the verge of joining Serie B side Benevento on loan with a right of purchase that becomes an obligation upon the fulfilment of certain squad and individual conditions. The 2004-born winger will first sign a contract renewal with Roma through June 2029, extending his current deal that expires next June. The move has been in the works for a week but had not yet been finalised as of 14 August, held up by the delay in completing Cherubini's contract extension with the club. Cherubini, a former Sampdoria and Carrarese player, represents another piece of business on Roma's transfer agenda. Benevento manager Antonio Floro Flores addressed the situation at a press conference on 13 August ahead of the club's Coppa Italia round of 32 tie against Fiorentina. Flores said: "I know they have promised us Cherubini, the club has said 'if he leaves here he comes to you'. We welcome it, we are waiting for him with open arms." The transfer will add to the workload already on Roma's director of sport D'Amico's desk.

Roma are readying an improved bid for Torino left-back Alessio Cacciamani, a prospect born in 2007 whom head coach Gian Piero Gasperini rates highly. The club have asked sporting director D'Amico to continue talks after their initial offer of €12 million plus €3 million in bonuses was rejected. Roma are now poised to increase their bid to approach the €20 million valuation set by Torino for the player. Cacciamani spent the previous season on loan at Juve Stabia in Serie B and returned to Torino in June. Though Torino coach Abate holds him in high regard and the player had expressed a preference to remain and develop gradually at the club, president Cairo—who previously stated his intention not to sell—must now balance the financial pressures of generating profit. Gasperini has identified Cacciamani as a key piece for strengthening Roma's left flank and views him as an important asset for the club's future plans.

Artem Dovbyk has explained his difficult final season at Roma after joining Bologna on loan with a right of purchase, in a swap deal that saw Santiago Castro move in the opposite direction. The Ukrainian striker told Il Messaggero that he lost confidence under the pressure at the Stadio Olimpico. "Last season was difficult, with injury, but that came later," Dovbyk said. "After pre-season Roma told me to look for minutes elsewhere, but there wasn't time. I was very close to Milan, but there were three days left in the transfer window and it didn't happen. I stayed and tried to convince the manager I deserved more space, but I started the season playing little and they made clear I would be the backup striker. I was preparing for a long season as the main man, and it was hard to accept that wouldn't happen. I played less and less and wasn't enjoying it anymore. Then I got injured." Dovbyk reflected on the unique pressures of playing for Roma compared to his previous spell in Spain. "There are fantastic players there in my position, like Dybala, Soulé, El Shaarawy," he explained. "But playing there is different—there's so much pressure, mistakes aren't an option. Sometimes I'd get just one chance in a match, and if I didn't score it was over. Many managers came and went, and the club changed a lot too, and from the pitch it was hard to understand all that. Several of us couldn't give our best. Even someone like Dybala struggled." At Bologna, Dovbyk feels valued again: "I'm physically fine now and starting a new challenge. At Bologna I felt welcomed by a strong group, a family. I hope soon I'll show my best version here—now I feel I can enjoy football again."