Roma unlikely to sign winger in current window as focus shifts elsewhere

Franck Kessié has turned down a transfer to Juventus, Sky Sport and Gianluca Di Marzio reported on 29 August. The Ivorian midfielder's entourage communicated to the Turin club that the conditions for completing the move were not in place. Fabrizio Romano confirmed the news, stating that there was no agreement on a third year of contract and the signing bonus tied to that third year. Juventus has now frozen the operation unless circumstances change. Roma have emerged as a potential destination for Kessié. The Giallorossi had shown interest in the midfielder, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini knows him well from their time together at Atalanta. However, the collapse of the Juventus deal does not automatically open the door to Roma. The club must determine whether it can and wants to meet Kessié's financial demands, which had already complicated negotiations with Juventus. Kessié has also received substantial offers from Saudi Arabia. The Juventus talks had continued until the final hours, with club officials including Massara and Spalletti hopeful of reaching an agreement. The negotiations, however, found no common ground. Kessié's future now remains completely open following the rejection of the Bianconeri's proposal.

Leonardo Balerdi is set to become Roma's fifth summer signing, joining from Olympique Marseille on loan with a right of purchase that can become an obligation based on certain appearance thresholds. The Argentine defender, who holds Italian citizenship and was born in 1999, is expected to arrive imminently and will sign a contract through 2031. The deal is valued between €15 and €20 million in total and was completed in just over 48 hours through quiet negotiations by the Roma hierarchy. Bareldi's path to Roma stretches back years. In 2025, then-sporting director Ghisolfi pursued him, while last summer Gasperini specifically requested the signing. However, Marseille's valuation proved prohibitively high at that time; only now, with the French club needing to offload players, has the operation become feasible. Sporting director D'Amico had identified Balerdi while working with Gasperini at Atalanta in summer 2024, following a Europa League semi-final meeting between the clubs. That interest stalled over valuation concerns. D'Amico had also negotiated with Marseille over defender Aguerd in recent days, but the Moroccan declined a loan move, bringing Balerdi back into focus. At 27, Balerdi will join Roma's growing contingent of Argentine players at Trigoria: Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and Nahuel Molina.

Roma are intensifying their pursuit of Chelsea winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens as their primary target for the left-wing position. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini views Gittens as the ideal fit for his system, citing the player's physical attributes, pace and ability to attack goal. Roma have maintained contact with Chelsea and stepped up pressure through intermediaries in recent days, with sporting director Tony D'Amico seeking a formula that would bring Gittens to Roma initially on a paid loan with an option to buy that could become an obligation subject to specific conditions. Chelsea have not yet opened the door to a loan arrangement, however, which remains the central obstacle. The overall valuation of the operation is placed between €40 million and €50 million. Roma continue to work on the structure of the deal, hoping that Chelsea will soften their stance in the final days of the transfer window. Malick Fofana of Lyon is listed as the alternative option and would welcome a move to Rome, but Lyon are insisting on a permanent sale. Without an opening from Chelsea on their preferred terms, the winger saga risks dragging into the closing hours of the market.

Roma will learn the full league-phase schedule for the UEFA Champions League on 29 August, with the phase running from 8–10 September through 27 January. Real Madrid, Sporting, Lille and Slovan Bratislava will visit the Olimpico, while Roma travel to face PSG, Manchester United, Fenerbahçe and AEK Athens. The club has already sold 40,000 cup subscriptions, with the Curva Sud and Distinti Sud sections sold out. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini appears set to keep the starting eleven largely intact following Roma's convincing opening display against Fiorentina, fielding it again away at Lecce on Via del Mare. Rodrigo Mora is on course to start alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack, with a battle between Giorgio De Marzi and Nahuel Molina for the right-back position. Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, Mario Hermoso, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are expected to retain their places. Defence headaches persist: Devyne Rensch will miss the Lecce trip due to a left-flexor problem and continues treatment, while Lorenzo Pellegrini continues his recovery work on an individual programme.

Roma could decide against replacing Jayden Oosterwolde after the failed Fenerbahce deal, with the club reassessing its transfer priorities as the market approaches closure. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's evaluation has shifted following Emanuele Lulli's impressive debut against Fiorentina. The young player could provide an additional option at right wing alongside Nahuel Molina, while on the left the coach can rely on Wesley and Devyne Rensch, potentially making an immediate wide signing unnecessary. Roma may instead retain their current wide options and defer any further investment in that area to January. Lulli's performance has prompted a tactical reassessment at board level, with director D'Amico and Gasperini prioritizing differently than anticipated. The club could still act if a particularly attractive opportunity arises in the closing days, but a second winger is no longer viewed as an urgent priority. Instead, Roma's final market efforts are likely to concentrate on the position Gasperini considers genuinely essential: a left-footed right-wing forward. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Malick Fofana remain the leading targets on that agenda. Following the Balerdi situation, the club appears ready to channel its remaining significant effort exclusively into offensive reinforcement.

Roma are closing in on defender Leonardo Balerdi from Marseille, with the transfer expected to be finalised today, 29 August, ahead of the summer window's closure at 20:00 on 1 September. Balerdi, an Argentine with Italian citizenship, will arrive on a loan deal worth approximately €2 million, with a conditional right of purchase tied to appearances and set at around €15 million according to La Gazzetta dello Sport—though Il Messaggero puts the loan fee at €1 million and the purchase option at €20 million. If the deal is triggered, the player will sign a contract lasting until 2031. The arrival clears the way for Roma to intensify their pursuit of a left-sided attacker, the club's primary remaining market target. Two names dominate the search: Jadon Gittens and Romain Fofana, with Gittens preferred. Roma have proposed a loan with a purchase option linked to appearances for Gittens, but Chelsea have not yet opened the door to a loan deal. Fofana, meanwhile, is waiting for Roma's call, though Lyon's asking price remains high because the French club missed out on Champions League qualification. The two signings illustrate a broader shape to Roma's window: they are willing to use loans and conditional options to manage fees. Roma's plans to strengthen the left-back position appear unlikely to happen. Despite the collapse of the Oosterwolde operation, the club does not intend to reinforce the fullback ranks unless a last-minute opportunity emerges. Wesley, Nahuel Molina, Devyne Rensch and Emanuele Lulli remain available to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini at that station. Separately, Roma continue to monitor midfielder Franck Kessié, who remains a free agent after rejecting a move to Juventus. However, Roma must first offload Neil El Aynaoui on a permanent basis—a difficult task given that only loan proposals from Crystal Palace and German clubs have arrived, with the costs of his wages, signing bonus and agent commissions proving prohibitive.

Franck Kessié has turned down a transfer to Juventus, Sky Sport and Gianluca Di Marzio reported on 29 August. The Ivorian midfielder's entourage communicated to the Turin club that the conditions for completing the move were not in place. Fabrizio Romano confirmed the news, stating that there was no agreement on a third year of contract and the signing bonus tied to that third year. Juventus has now frozen the operation unless circumstances change. Roma have emerged as a potential destination for Kessié. The Giallorossi had shown interest in the midfielder, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini knows him well from their time together at Atalanta. However, the collapse of the Juventus deal does not automatically open the door to Roma. The club must determine whether it can and wants to meet Kessié's financial demands, which had already complicated negotiations with Juventus. Kessié has also received substantial offers from Saudi Arabia. The Juventus talks had continued until the final hours, with club officials including Massara and Spalletti hopeful of reaching an agreement. The negotiations, however, found no common ground. Kessié's future now remains completely open following the rejection of the Bianconeri's proposal.

Roma will learn the full league-phase schedule for the UEFA Champions League on 29 August, with the phase running from 8–10 September through 27 January. Real Madrid, Sporting, Lille and Slovan Bratislava will visit the Olimpico, while Roma travel to face PSG, Manchester United, Fenerbahçe and AEK Athens. The club has already sold 40,000 cup subscriptions, with the Curva Sud and Distinti Sud sections sold out. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini appears set to keep the starting eleven largely intact following Roma's convincing opening display against Fiorentina, fielding it again away at Lecce on Via del Mare. Rodrigo Mora is on course to start alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack, with a battle between Giorgio De Marzi and Nahuel Molina for the right-back position. Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, Mario Hermoso, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are expected to retain their places. Defence headaches persist: Devyne Rensch will miss the Lecce trip due to a left-flexor problem and continues treatment, while Lorenzo Pellegrini continues his recovery work on an individual programme.

Roma have submitted a bid to Olympique Marseille for centre-back Leonardo Balerdi on a loan deal with a conditional obligation to buy. According to Gianluca Di Marzio's report, the proposal centres on a loan with a right of rescission that would convert to an obligation upon the fulfilment of certain conditions. No fees or specific conditions triggering a permanent deal have been disclosed. The move signals a shift in Roma's defensive recruitment strategy under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the club seeks to bolster its back line. Bareldi, 27, is an Argentine centre-back standing approximately 1.88 metres tall and right-footed. He joined Europe in 2019 with Borussia Dortmund before moving to Marseille, where he has been a regular since 2020. He has also earned caps for the Argentine national team. Roma's interest adds an experienced international profile to their list of possible defensive reinforcements, and the outcome will now depend on Marseille's response and whether the two clubs can find common ground on the proposed structure.

Roma will learn the full league-phase schedule for the UEFA Champions League on 29 August, with the phase running from 8–10 September through 27 January. Real Madrid, Sporting, Lille and Slovan Bratislava will visit the Olimpico, while Roma travel to face PSG, Manchester United, Fenerbahçe and AEK Athens. The club has already sold 40,000 cup subscriptions, with the Curva Sud and Distinti Sud sections sold out. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini appears set to keep the starting eleven largely intact following Roma's convincing opening display against Fiorentina, fielding it again away at Lecce on Via del Mare. Rodrigo Mora is on course to start alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack, with a battle between Giorgio De Marzi and Nahuel Molina for the right-back position. Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, Mario Hermoso, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are expected to retain their places. Defence headaches persist: Devyne Rensch will miss the Lecce trip due to a left-flexor problem and continues treatment, while Lorenzo Pellegrini continues his recovery work on an individual programme.

Leonardo Balerdi is set to become Roma's fifth summer signing, joining from Olympique Marseille on loan with a right of purchase that can become an obligation based on certain appearance thresholds. The Argentine defender, who holds Italian citizenship and was born in 1999, is expected to arrive imminently and will sign a contract through 2031. The deal is valued between €15 and €20 million in total and was completed in just over 48 hours through quiet negotiations by the Roma hierarchy. Bareldi's path to Roma stretches back years. In 2025, then-sporting director Ghisolfi pursued him, while last summer Gasperini specifically requested the signing. However, Marseille's valuation proved prohibitively high at that time; only now, with the French club needing to offload players, has the operation become feasible. Sporting director D'Amico had identified Balerdi while working with Gasperini at Atalanta in summer 2024, following a Europa League semi-final meeting between the clubs. That interest stalled over valuation concerns. D'Amico had also negotiated with Marseille over defender Aguerd in recent days, but the Moroccan declined a loan move, bringing Balerdi back into focus. At 27, Balerdi will join Roma's growing contingent of Argentine players at Trigoria: Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and Nahuel Molina.

Roma could decide against replacing Jayden Oosterwolde after the failed Fenerbahce deal, with the club reassessing its transfer priorities as the market approaches closure. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's evaluation has shifted following Emanuele Lulli's impressive debut against Fiorentina. The young player could provide an additional option at right wing alongside Nahuel Molina, while on the left the coach can rely on Wesley and Devyne Rensch, potentially making an immediate wide signing unnecessary. Roma may instead retain their current wide options and defer any further investment in that area to January. Lulli's performance has prompted a tactical reassessment at board level, with director D'Amico and Gasperini prioritizing differently than anticipated. The club could still act if a particularly attractive opportunity arises in the closing days, but a second winger is no longer viewed as an urgent priority. Instead, Roma's final market efforts are likely to concentrate on the position Gasperini considers genuinely essential: a left-footed right-wing forward. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Malick Fofana remain the leading targets on that agenda. Following the Balerdi situation, the club appears ready to channel its remaining significant effort exclusively into offensive reinforcement.