Soulé under pressure from Mora ahead of Fiorentina opener as Milan circles

Roma have made an attempt to sign Tottenham winger Tel in recent days, but the English club have given a firm rejection. Tottenham head coach De Zerbi considers the French winger untouchable and has closed the door on any departure. The imminent arrival of Savinho at the club is unlikely to change De Zerbi's stance on retaining the former Bayern talent. With two days until Roma's league campaign begins, head coach Gasperini still awaits two reinforcements: a striker and a winger. Sporting director D'Amico is working to meet the coach's demands, though the path remains difficult as the transfer window enters its final weeks and available targets narrow. Tel was the latest name explored by Roma as they continue to seek solutions in attack and defence. Roma have also kept winger Gittens on their radar, pushing Chelsea for a loan move, but the Premier League club remain resistant for now. French midfielder Fofana remains another option under evaluation by D'Amico. Roma continue to assess and pursue the right fit, but time is running out.

Matías Soulé is fighting for a starting place in Roma's opening Serie A match against Fiorentina on 24 August, with competition from Rodrigo Mora for the attacking midfield role behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Mora has impressed the coaching staff in early training and is challenging Soulé for the position, which does not perfectly suit the Argentine's playing style but which he must learn to interpret effectively. Soulé has regained fitness during pre-season after arriving at Trigoria carrying extra weight in mid-July, and his enthusiasm has been boosted by the arrival of two other Argentine players. However, transfer speculation has continued to shadow the final weeks of the summer window. Milan have been linked with a move, though no concrete offers have materialised and a departure appears unlikely at this stage. Soulé does not wish to leave the club and remains motivated to carve out his role in Gasperini's squad.

Roma are considering selling Neil El Aynaoui and Jan Ziółkowski to Saudi Arabian clubs to generate funds for further signings before the transfer window closes. The club has set El Aynaoui's asking price at €35 million, targeting a net surplus of at least €15 million after the midfielder's €25 million acquisition last summer on a contract to 2030. Roma are seeking €20 million for defender Ziółkowski, whose departure has also attracted concrete offers from Saudi Arabia, particularly from Neom. Combined sales would bring in over €50 million—the figure needed to finance a final attacking reinforcement in the coming days. UEFA Financial Fair Play rules have forced Roma into a cautious approach. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has pressed the ownership and CEO John Galantic to accelerate incomings, but the response has been firm: no departures, no new arrivals. The proceeds from El Aynaoui and Ziółkowski would enable Roma to target Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, valued at €35 million by Chelsea, though sporting director D'Amico is monitoring multiple attacking profiles. This financial squeeze reflects the club's need to balance squad ambitions against regulatory constraints as the window enters its final phase.

Matías Soulé is fighting for a starting place in Roma's opening Serie A match against Fiorentina on 24 August, with competition from Rodrigo Mora for the attacking midfield role behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Mora has impressed the coaching staff in early training and is challenging Soulé for the position, which does not perfectly suit the Argentine's playing style but which he must learn to interpret effectively. Soulé has regained fitness during pre-season after arriving at Trigoria carrying extra weight in mid-July, and his enthusiasm has been boosted by the arrival of two other Argentine players. However, transfer speculation has continued to shadow the final weeks of the summer window. Milan have been linked with a move, though no concrete offers have materialised and a departure appears unlikely at this stage. Soulé does not wish to leave the club and remains motivated to carve out his role in Gasperini's squad.

Roma's recruitment drive continues with three months to go before the start of the new campaign, as Gian Piero Gasperini's squad still requires reinforcement despite the imminent league opener against Fiorentina. The club's hierarchy is working to deliver two additional arrivals before the close of the transfer window: a midfielder and a winger. The arrival of Rodrigo Mora — deployed as a backup to Paulo Dybala on the left — falls short of addressing Gasperini's need for a dynamic wide player capable of breaking matches open with pace and technical ability. These acquisitions are contingent on outgoings; should players like Matías Soulé or Jan Ziółkowski depart, the number of incoming deals could rise to three. Among the targets on sporting director D'Amico's radar is Chelsea's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, an Elite Project client who has dropped out of the Blues' plans. If Chelsea confirm their willingness to negotiate a loan deal, the operation could accelerate significantly. Roma are also evaluating at least three attacking options while maintaining interest in Youssouf Fofana as a midfield candidate.

Paulo Dybala has become Roma's entire foundation rather than merely the final flourish of an ambitious squad, as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's decisive intervention this summer kept the Argentine at the club despite transfer interest from MLS and Boca Juniors. At 32, approaching 33 in November, Dybala will again be the focal point when Roma debut against Fiorentina on Monday evening at the Olimpico in front of 67,000 supporters. The concentration of attacking responsibility on Dybala presents both an asset and a vulnerability. Having a player of his calibre is undoubtedly an extraordinary resource, but the squad risks becoming entirely dependent on his performances—raising the fundamental question of what happens when the Argentine needs rest or must manage the usual physical complaints. Finding a reliable alternative to lead the attack during his absences remains an open issue for Roma's technical project. Matías Soulé attempted to provide that depth last season before pubalgia problems halted his progression. This season, attention has turned to Rodrigo Mora, a Portuguese talent with crystalline ability, but expecting a recently arrived player to immediately shoulder the responsibility of driving the team represents excessive optimism at present.

Matías Soulé is fighting for a starting place in Roma's opening Serie A match against Fiorentina on 24 August, with competition from Rodrigo Mora for the attacking midfield role behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Mora has impressed the coaching staff in early training and is challenging Soulé for the position, which does not perfectly suit the Argentine's playing style but which he must learn to interpret effectively. Soulé has regained fitness during pre-season after arriving at Trigoria carrying extra weight in mid-July, and his enthusiasm has been boosted by the arrival of two other Argentine players. However, transfer speculation has continued to shadow the final weeks of the summer window. Milan have been linked with a move, though no concrete offers have materialised and a departure appears unlikely at this stage. Soulé does not wish to leave the club and remains motivated to carve out his role in Gasperini's squad.

Fabio Capello has assessed Roma's prospects ahead of their Serie A return against Fiorentina on Monday evening at the Olimpico, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini tasked with delivering an immediate response after a mixed pre-season. Inter, the defending champions, opened the new season on Saturday, while Roma must wait two more days for their own campaign debut. Capello warned that Gasperini faces an urgent challenge in fine-tuning his squad before facing a Fiorentina side that has undergone significant changes this summer, including a managerial switch, and will be keen to avoid another difficult campaign. Roma's return to the Champions League after seven years comes on the back of friendly matches that have not gone smoothly, though Capello acknowledged that pre-season tests help identify where tactical adjustments are needed. In his assessment, Capello said: "Gasperini has done a fine job and I think he will continue to do so, but if he finished third he must thank Malen. Very valid and dangerous. It's no accident that he's the one Roma's market activity has been built around." The former manager emphasised the midfielder's importance both in achieving last season's third-place finish and in anchoring the club's transfer strategy heading into the new campaign.

Gian Piero Gasperini has resolved most selection questions ahead of Roma's Serie A opener against Fiorentina on Monday evening at the Olimpico, with the main decision point centring on the attacking midfield role behind Donyell Malen. Rodrigo Mora, described as a new acquisition, has made an immediate positive impression in early training at Trigoria. The Portuguese player arrives with an advantage in match fitness after Porto's season had started over a week earlier, and currently leads Matías Soulé for the chance to support Paulo Dybala from the start, though Soulé's market situation remains fluid. Better news comes from the flanks. Wesley has fully recovered from the ankle problem sustained before the Borussia Dortmund friendly and completed a full training session, clearing him to occupy the left wing regularly alongside Niccolò Pisilli. On the opposite flank, Nahuel Molina is poised for his Roma debut, eager to play after serving a seven-match ban with the Argentine national team.