Soulé marks Argentina debut with emotional message

Roma players will begin filtering back to Trigoria from tomorrow, 6 October, as Gian Piero Gasperini prepares his squad for the trip to Como on Sunday 11 October at 12:30. The club have trained with a reduced group during the international break, and the staggered returns will allow Gasperini to resume full preparations. Evan N'Dicka, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Giorgio De Marzi are expected back in the morning, with further arrivals throughout the day. The Italy contingent—Gianluca Mancini, Daniele Ghilardi, Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli—will arrive in the evening. Manu Koné, the France midfielder, will be the last to rejoin, returning to the squad on Wednesday and training with the group a day behind the initial batch of returnees.

Endrick is among Roma's priority targets for the January transfer window after lengthy speculation over him during the summer. The Brazilian striker remains deeply unhappy with his situation at Real Madrid despite choosing to stay with the club, having received only four minutes of action against Elche under Mourinho's management. During the international break, Endrick's representatives held talks with Real Madrid's hierarchy to reiterate their frustration, but the club has made its position clear: no permanent sale will be entertained. Roma and AC Milan are both positioned to pursue a loan deal, the only avenue currently available. Several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Tottenham, have registered interest but are unwilling to consider a loan arrangement. AC Milan already attempted to bring Endrick to Italy during the summer, a fact confirmed by Pato in an interview at the Festival dello Sport. The Serie A remains one of the most concrete and attractive destinations for the player in January, and Roma have the strongest chance of securing him on loan. Gasperini is pushing for Endrick's arrival, and Roma's director D'Amico is actively working the deal. The coming weeks are expected to bring significant developments in the pursuit of the 17-year-old forward.

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke to Sky Sport from a vineyard in Castelnuovo Don Bosco, Asti, during the launch of his wine project "3-4-3"—named after the formation that has defined his career—and addressed multiple Roma themes including Bryan Cristante's recovery, the Friedkin family's engagement, and the summer transfer window. Gasperini expressed his desire to involve the Friedkin family more closely with the squad and supporters ahead of Roma's centenary. He acknowledged that the Percassi family, from his previous club, had maintained daily contact and a relationship extending beyond work, but with the Friedkins the dynamic differs. "I feel their trust and support even though they come to Rome very little," he said. "Now they have appointed Galantic, who certainly creates a tighter connection between Roma and them. My objective remains to involve them more—not for me, but for them and for the fans. To bring a closer relationship into the centenary is an objective." He praised the appointment of Galantic as a link between the club and ownership. On Cristante's fitness, Gasperini said: "He is recovering, it takes time. We will not be willing to risk anything. The objective is to recover him properly even if he were to miss one or two more matches." Regarding Koné and summer market rumours of a late departure, Gasperini explained: "We could not replace him in such a short time. It was not feasible. The market was long, arriving at very few hours before closure there were no timescales. These transfers bring the involvement of many people; I do not see how an operation like that could have been done. Personally I am happy. He will have the opportunity, and is already doing so, to increase his value." On the tight fixture list, Gasperini noted that five substitutions help manage the energy expenditure, and that injuries remain a constant risk in football. He praised Soulé's early-season form, noting he had recovered from pubalgia over the summer, and expressed happiness with Dybala's recent output: "He is a boy who when he takes the field does well. He was born with the ball at his feet. The fact of having to miss many matches made him sad. Now he is happy, he has enthusiasm, these are good milestones." Gasperini also reflected on his first season at Roma, calling it a major success to win the appreciation of supporters who initially viewed him as an opponent.

AS Roma are planning to establish an Under 23 side to compete in Serie C, following the model adopted by Juventus, Atalanta, Milan and Inter. Chief executive John Galantic announced the project at the Festival dello Sport, emphasising the need to build a bridge between the youth academy and the first team and reduce the discontinuity that often hinders the transition from Primavera to professional football. Galantic said: "We don't live by sales alone, we need more Lullis and more Pisillis, we must focus on youth development," and indicated potential strategic partnerships with Cannes, another club owned by the Friedkin family. The initiative aims to develop homegrown talent and prevent young prospects from leaving the club. The project hinges on two critical elements the club will address in coming months. The first concerns the stadium that will host the second team's home matches. The Tre Fontane currently lacks the structural requirements for Serie C football, and Roma are evaluating whether renovation is feasible. The alternative under consideration is the Stella Polare stadium in Ostia, home to Ostiamare, managed by Daniele De Rossi. The second element is financial sustainability: the initial investment is estimated at €20 million, with approximately €3 million annually required for operational costs including wages, travel, logistics and registration fees. The UEFA classifies spending on second teams and youth sectors as "virtuous" investments, providing direct benefits to the club's balance sheet under Financial Fair Play regulations. The Under 23 project reflects Roma's established commitment to youth development, evident in recent transfer activity. The club has recruited Rodrigo Mora (19), Konstantinos Koulierakis (22), a player named Vaz (19) and Santiago Castro (21). This direction will continue in the winter window, with the club monitoring prospects including Endrick, Kvernadze, Van Bommel and Bakola. Recent encouragement has come from Matías Soulé and Castro earning senior debuts for Argentina.

Matías Soulé has made his Argentina debut against Burkina Faso, with Santiago Castro also appearing for the national team in the second half of the same match. The pair are among a number of Roma players currently away on international duty and due to return to Trigoria over the coming days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will see his squad reassemble gradually. Evan N'Dicka, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Giorgio De Marzi are arriving on the morning of 6 October, while Gianluca Mancini, Daniele Ghilardi, Emanuele Lulli and Niccolò Pisilli will return this evening after commitments with Turkey and Poland respectively, at Bologna and Pescara. Manu Koné is expected on the afternoon of 6 October and will rejoin full training on 9 October. Rodrigo Mora, currently with Portugal's Under-21 side, has his final fixture on the evening of 6 October and will report back on 9 October. The trio of South American players—Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Castro—will not return until the morning of 7 October after their transatlantic journey. Training resumes on 6 October.

Roma's Under-23 side is no longer a concept. Following John Galantic's announcement at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, the Friedkin Group is developing the intermediate step between the Primavera and first team that currently does not exist, matching the structure already in place at Juventus, Atalanta, Milan and Inter. Galantic said: "We need more Lulli and more Pisilli, we must invest in the youth academy. And then we need a growth stage between Primavera and first team. So we need an Under-23 side." The project aims to prevent the academy's best products from being sold or loaned out during the most sensitive phase of their development, while also incorporating possible synergies with Cannes. Two major obstacles remain. The first is the stadium: Tre Fontane does not currently meet all necessary requirements, and Roma is evaluating a renovation. The alternative is Stadio Stella Polare, the ground used by Ostiamare. The second concerns the cost of the operation. The total investment needed is estimated at around 20 million euros, with annual running costs between 2.5 and 3.5 million euros for salaries, staff, travel and logistics. Serie C admission requires a non-repayable contribution of 720,000 euros, provided a place becomes available in the league. While significant, this investment aligns with the club's sustainability strategy and is viewed favourably under UEFA financial rules. The Under-23 would allow Roma to manage directly the development of young players, filling the gap that often emerges when a player outgrows the Primavera but is not yet ready for regular Serie A football. The club's philosophy reflects this commitment: forming more players at Trigoria, guiding them toward professional football, and making the academy a structural component of the sporting and economic project. This approach is evident in recent recruitment, with signings including Rodrigo Mora, Koulierakis, Vaz and Santiago Castro, all with significant development potential.