Ryan Friedkin takes direct control of Roma operations

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini seized a rest day for Roma to visit the coast at Santa Severa, where he enjoyed a fish lunch with sporting director Tony D'Amico and the club's coaching staff. Mattia Scala, Roma's Primavera coach, was also present at the gathering. The group's meal was documented by local restaurant Isola del Pescatore, which shared photographs of the occasion on social media. The outing came during a scheduled day off for the squad and allowed Gasperini and his backroom team to unwind away from the training ground. The relaxed setting provided a rare opportunity for the coaching staff to spend time together outside the intensity of match preparation and tactical work.

Gian Piero Gasperini used Roma's scheduled rest day to unwind at a beachfront restaurant in Santa Severa, north of Rome, alongside his technical staff and new sporting director Tony D'Amico. The outing came after the opening phase of pre-season training at Trigoria, offering the coach and his team a few hours away from the intensity of preparation work. Gasperini took charge of Roma ahead of the 2025–26 season and has been overseeing early summer training sessions at the club's Trigoria base. The relaxation break preceded a return to focus on tactical development and the club's ongoing transfer business, with the pursuit of a summer signing entering its decisive phase.

AS Roma's Curva Sud has announced plans for the club's 99th anniversary celebrations, calling supporters to gather at Piazza San Silvestro on the night of 21 July at 22:30. The ultras group issued guidance for the event, requesting families attend while discouraging the use of firecrackers and bombons. "The appointment for AS Roma's 99 years is now at our doorstep," the message stated. "Roma is ours. Let us demonstrate it once more. Forward Romanisti!" The Curva Sud appealed for civility during the night of celebration, particularly regarding the use of smoke bombs and torches, urging supporters to keep the streets clean as the procession passes through the capital. The 22 July date marks the official date of Roma's founding, making the 21 July evening gathering a traditional moment for fans to honour the club's colours and history throughout Rome.

Angeliño has drawn close scrutiny from Gasperini during the early weeks of pre-season, with the Spanish left-back seeking to rebuild after injury limited him to extended spells on the sidelines last season. His performance in a friendly against Roma's Primavera raised concerns: he offered little attacking thrust down the left flank and displayed a physical condition below optimal levels, prompting the coach to continue assessing his progress throughout the week. Gasperini's wide players operate as full-backs fundamental to his tactical system, and Roma remain actively hunting for reinforcements on the left wing. Diego Moreira of Strasbourg is among the names being tracked with particular interest. An alternative scenario could unfold if Roma acquire a starter for the right flank following Zeki Çelik's departure; Gasperini might then deploy Wesley regularly on the left after his strong performances last season. Either option would significantly reduce Angeliño's pathway to minutes, potentially prompting him to consider leaving Trigoria. Spanish clubs including Deportivo La Coruña, Espanyol, and Betis have already made enquiries about the player.

Roma defeated the Primavera side 6–0 in an internal friendly at Trigoria under the watchful eye of director Tony D'Amico, with Paulo Dybala orchestrating the performance. The match was played in four slots under Gasperini's new-look system. Roma struggled initially in the opening 20 minutes, with Artem Dovbyk spurning a clear chance in front of goal. Once Gasperini reshuffled the lineup around the quarter-hour mark, Dybala took control. Matías Soulé opened the scoring by heading in a Dybala cross, before Soulé himself added a second from a Dybala assist at the 44-minute mark. In the second half, Dybala converted a penalty won by Cherubini and added a fifth with a left-footed half-volley from Soulé's assist, demonstrating the twin's telepathic understanding. Bryan Cristante also scored from a distance, with Dovbyk adding the sixth late on. Angeliño featured for just one half, while Wesley played on the right flank in place of the injured Çelik. Hermoso led the defensive line with authority and precision. Gasperini granted the squad a day's rest following the exercise, with training resuming tomorrow at 18:00.

Roma cruised to a 6-0 victory over their Primavera side in a pre-season friendly, with Paulo Dybala delivering an influential display that included two goals and two assists. Artem Dovbyk opened the scoring with a header from close range, before Matías Soulé doubled the lead from a Dybala assist. Dybala then converted a penalty he had won himself to extend Roma's advantage, with Bryan Cristante adding a fourth. Dybala completed the demolition with a technical finish, and Dovbyk sealed the result with his second goal. The friendly offered manager Gian Piero Gasperini useful observations ahead of the new season. Beyond Dybala's influential contribution following his contract renewal, Mario Hermoso and Wesley impressed with their physical condition. However, Angeliño emerged as a concern, appearing visibly short of match fitness and his place in the technical project increasingly uncertain.

Paulo Dybala marked Argentina's 1–0 loss to Spain in a World Cup final by honouring Lionel Messi with a heartfelt social media post. The Roma forward shared a photograph of Messi after one of his two goals against England, accompanied by a white heart emoji in celebration of the 10's greatness. Dybala and Messi won the World Cup together in 2022. Despite this latest final ending in defeat for the Argentina squad, the Roma attacker moved quickly to acknowledge his former teammate's stature in the sport. The simple gesture underscored their shared history and Messi's standing as one of football's all-time greats.

Roma's push to sign Summerville from West Ham dominated Roman radio debate, with negotiations reportedly moving toward a deal worth 40–45 million euros. Francesco Balzani reported that talks between Roma and West Ham are progressing well, with a potential agreement expected between that evening and the following day. He cautioned that while Aston Villa poses a theoretical threat, no formal approach had been made at that stage, and timing is crucial: closing the deal quickly eliminates risk, but delay invites competition. Opinion split sharply on the player's merits and tactical fit. Piero Torri expressed enthusiasm for a three-man attacking unit of Summerville on the left, Paulo Dybala on the right, and Donyell Malen centrally, saying: "Summerville a sinistra, Dybala a destra e Malen al centro: con questo tridente non devi mai alzare il pallone, ma per il resto comincio a sentire un certo piacere molto simile all'orgasmo." Others, including former striker Roberto Pruzzo, voiced scepticism, arguing Summerville lacks the decisive quality required and suggesting Roma should pursue alternatives. Claudio Ranieri's unsuccessful pursuit of Mason Greenwood last summer weighed heavily on radio commentary; multiple voices urged caution about repeating that failed chapter. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's measured stance at his press conference—neither dismissing market challenges nor criticising the club's financial strategy—drew careful analysis from Antonio Felici, who noted the manager's tactical alignment with the board on wage discipline.

Alejandro Garnacho has made clear his preference for a transfer to Roma, rejecting an approach from Fiorentina. The Chelsea winger was officially offered to the Viola, but the Argentine responded with a categorical refusal, with Roma under Gian Piero Gasperini his sole focus. The prospect of playing Champions League football and linking up with fellow countrymen Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala at Trigoria holds total appeal for the attacker. Roma's sporting director Tony D'Amico has frozen the pursuit for now, with a significant structural gap between the clubs blocking progress. Roma, bolstered by a recent €46 million investment for Summerville, wishes to avoid further balance-sheet strain and is evaluating the deal solely on a loan basis with a right of purchase. Chelsea, by contrast, is pushing for an outright permanent sale to generate immediate revenue. Without concrete financial offers capable of swaying the London club, the operation remains on hold. Roma intends to return to the attack only at the end of the transfer window should Chelsea soften their stance on a temporary arrangement under more favourable terms.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is set to sign a new contract with AS Roma within the coming days, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini awaiting the midfielder's signature. The outline terms have been agreed and only final administrative details remain before completion. The new deal will run until June 2028 and carry an annual salary of €2.5 million. It will also include an automatic renewal option to extend the agreement through to 2029, following the same stability framework Roma previously applied in Gianluca Mancini's renewal. The extension moves will definitively end speculation over Pellegrini's future and remove any possibility of his departure from the club.

AS Roma is close to finalizing a new contract with Lorenzo Pellegrini after the midfielder rejected approaches from Juventus and Besiktas. The club's hierarchy expressed strong confidence in sealing the extension within the coming week, ending speculation over his future at the club. The broad terms of the agreement have been settled, with only final administrative details remaining before signatures. Pellegrini will receive a new deal running until June 2028 on wages of €2.5 million per year. The contract will include an automatic renewal option to extend the agreement through to 2029, mirroring the approach Roma adopted for Gianluca Mancini's recent renewal.

Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract renewal with Roma remains deadlocked, with the club offering a two-year deal while the 30-year-old captain seeks a three-year agreement after accepting a significant wage reduction. Having been sidelined last summer before being recalled by Gian Piero Gasperini, Pellegrini has been a free agent for 20 days and has turned down interest from Juventus, Napoli, and Inter—all of whom have made approaches—because he wants only Roma. Gasperini warned in a press conference on Saturday that delays are unhelpful and called for the contract to be resolved quickly, hoping to have the number 7 back in the squad soon. The delay has prompted a banner from the Roma ultras group to appear at Trigoria reading: "Fare un errore può succedere, ripeterlo vuol dire approssimazione. Teniamoci stretto Lorenzo" [Making a mistake can happen, repeating it means carelessness. Let's hold tight to Lorenzo]. Unlike Pellegrini's stalled talks, midfielder Bryan Cristante has signed a new contract through 2028, posting on social media: "Roma and the Roma, for me and my family, are home. A happy place... the city of my children... I prefer to speak little and demonstrate my attachment through sweat, but this bond until 2028 means something special to me: eternal love. I have always given everything for Roma and will continue to do so. I am honoured to continue my journey in giallorosso, a world that is and will always be home."