Spalletti backs Çelik signing as Juventus prepare for pre-season

Roma's collapse against Real Madrid on Wednesday exposed a critical weakness: the absence of potent attacking alternatives on the bench. José Mourinho was able to deploy Arda Güler, Carlos Espí and Endrick to reshape Madrid's attack and mount their comeback, while Gasperini had to manage a squad already stretched by the injuries of Koné and Dybala, limiting his ability to shift the match through substitutions. The disparity underscores gaps in Roma's summer recruitment and points to unmet requests from the coaching staff. The club's priority remains a left-sided attacking winger, preferably right-footed, capable of beating defenders, creating numerical superiority and offering a concrete alternative to the regular starters. Roma also needs a left-footed full-back to broaden the manager's tactical options. Endrick would have represented one of the most appealing opportunities, as he demonstrated against Madrid, but Mourinho has publicly restated his determination to keep the Brazilian, declaring that anyone wanting to take him away in January will have to "fight" with him—language that makes any deal particularly difficult. Inspection has turned to other targets. Jamie Gittens at Chelsea has accumulated only 56 minutes in official competitions this season and may be open to a move in the next transfer window due to limited opportunities. Jamie Leweling at Stuttgart decided to stay over the summer but has not secured a regular starting place; in the first five Bundesliga matches he started only once, though he played over seventy minutes in the last fixture against Paderborn. His situation remains unresolved. New names on the radar include Kvernadze and Van Bommel. Tony D'Amico's task in the coming weeks will be to assess which opportunities can materialise—either from targets already monitored in summer or from new situations involving discontented players, those with limited game time, or those who become suddenly available. In January, Roma will seek above all another signing in the mould of Malen: a ready-made reinforcement to slot into rotation and immediately strengthen attacking depth. Wednesday's match against Real highlighted once more how heavily alternatives can weigh, especially when a contest is decided in the final twenty minutes.

Endrick came off Real Madrid's bench at the Olimpico on Tuesday night and delivered a masterclass in exactly why Roma had pursued him as a potential signing. The Brazilian entered with Madrid trailing 3–1 and proved decisive in their comeback: his header forced Gollini into a save that led to Espí's goal to make it 3–2, then Endrick himself scored to level at 3–3. Beyond those moments, his aggression, dribbling and ability to create danger in the box transformed Madrid's attacking threat in the final stages—a painful reminder to Gasperini's squad of what they lacked. The contrast between the two benches laid bare one of Roma's remaining gaps. Mourinho could call on Arda Güler, Carlos Espí and Endrick to shift momentum; Gasperini, already without the injured Koné and Dybala, had no equivalent tools for tactical change through substitution. The issue points directly to the transfer market. Although Roma acted in the summer, not all of Gasperini's targets were met, and some roster vacancies remain unresolved. The primary gap is a left-sided attacking winger—preferably right-footed, capable of beating defenders, creating superiority and offering a genuine alternative to the regular starters. Gasperini has also requested greater depth at left wing-back. Endrick would have been one of the most attractive opportunities, but Mourinho has publicly protected him, stating he has no intention of letting him leave and declaring that anyone wishing to sign him in January would have to "fight" him. That firm stance complicates any move now. However, Endrick did not entirely rule out a winter departure after the Olimpico match, explaining that if he leaves in January, he will do so. Roma must now find an alternative. Jamie Gittens at Chelsea remains under observation: he has logged only 56 minutes across official competitions so far this season, little playing time that could prompt a January exit. Jamie Leweling presents a different picture. The German chose to stay at Stuttgart in the summer and has not become a fixture; in the Bundesliga he started only one of the first five matchdays, though he played over seventy minutes against Paderborn most recently. His use has been inconsistent, and his name could regain relevance if his situation does not improve. Tony D'Amico's task is now to identify which opportunities may emerge in the coming weeks—not necessarily names already chased in the summer, but perhaps deals that develop unexpectedly by exploiting a dissatisfied, underused or suddenly available player. Roma will seek in January what they need: another signing like Malen, a player who can slot immediately into rotation and alter the squad's attacking weight. The night against Real showed how vital alternatives become when matches enter their final twenty minutes.

Endrick put on a devastating performance against Roma on Wednesday evening at the Olimpico, dismantling the defence and extinguishing the enthusiasm of 60,000 supporters. The Brazilian winger spent half an hour terrorising the flanks with pace and dribbling that exhausted the energy of Hermoso and Molina before leaving Koulierakis in disarray. Roma had pursued Endrick intensely throughout the summer transfer window before Real Madrid blocked the move. The club remained in contact with the player, aware that a January opportunity might yet arise. That calculation may now have shifted. Endrick had played only four minutes all season before facing Roma and had made his frustration public. His standout display at the Olimpico was made all the more striking by the return to Rome of Mourinho.

Roma's full-backs have become a cornerstone of Gian Piero Gasperini's push to the top of Serie A, a marked shift from last season when they proved problematic. Wesley and Nahuel Molina are now among the club's key strengths, and both will start when Roma resume the league campaign against Como, where they will face manager Fabregas. The turnaround reflects Gasperini's tactical evolution since arriving at the club: in his first season, Wesley was the only defender fully convincing on the flanks, while Zeki Çelik had to make do elsewhere. Now the picture is entirely different. Gasperini has uncovered Emanuele Lulli in the course of the season, and Molina has gradually built his fitness, delivering quality and assists to Roma's attacking phase. For the Como fixture, Gasperini plans to deploy Molina on the right and Wesley on the left. The selection reflects not just Roma's attacking ambitions but also Gasperini's defensive strategy: by using two attacking full-backs, he aims to stretch Como's wide players—Baturina on one flank and Diao on the other—and occupy them throughout the match. Wesley, the more naturally offensive of the pair, will be tasked with driving forward and supporting the build-up play. Molina is likely to carry greater defensive responsibility, balancing his own contributions with the need to contain Como's threats on the wing.

Gian Piero Gasperini will deploy Nahuel Molina and Wesley as twin wingers in Roma's visit to Como, harnessing simultaneous attacking thrust down both flanks to counter Cesc Fabregas's side. With Molina fully recovered and Wesley in continued form, Roma will field two genuine wide operators capable of delivering width, high pressing and chances for the attacking midfielders. The tactical choice targets Como's possession-based play built around Baturina and Diao's unpredictability; Molina and Wesley are instructed to close down Como's wide references and attacking midfielders immediately, forcing them away from build-up play into long balls. In possession, the overlapping runs of Molina and Wesley will create lateral chains with Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé, opening space for crosses and inside passes. Last season Roma's right wing relied solely on Wesley alongside the converted Zeki Çelik, but the club now possesses one of Serie A's strongest selections of wide midfielders. Gasperini's side has already created thirteen goalscoring actions from wide midfielders this season—second in the league behind Inter's fourteen. Wesley leads with seven goal contributions, followed by Molina on four and eighteen-year-old Emanuele Lulli, an academy product promoted to the first team, who has added two decisive contributions and demonstrates the depth of alternatives available on the flanks. A key feature of Gasperini's system is the tactical flexibility of both players. Wesley and Molina can interchange wings during matches without loss of effectiveness, alternating deep play and crosses with cuts inside on their stronger foot to link with the attacking midfielders. This constant switching prevents opposing defences from finding fixed reference points and allows Roma to vary attacking approaches throughout the game.

Zeki Çelik produced a costly error in Turkey's match against Italy in Bursa, clearing a corner kick directly to Alessandro Bastoni, who opened the scoring for the Azzurri. Italy dominated the fixture in a redemptive performance after losing to Belgium on Friday. Çelik's mistake was immediately seized upon by social media users, with Roma supporters among those criticising the defender's display. One Roma fan wrote: "La spazza Celik" (Çelik the sweeper), while others joked about whether a 'Çelik-cam' video would emerge—a reference to footage released by DAZN following Çelik's first friendly for Juventus. The Turkish international has endured a difficult start to his spell in Serie A, facing criticism not only from Roma fans but also from his country's supporters.