Summerville-Gasperini: A long-standing admiration as Dutch winger emerges as Roma's left-wing priority

Roma have altered their transfer strategy following the Rodrigo Mora operation, pivoting their attention towards a left-back after initially pursuing other targets. The club are pressing Luis Henrique, the Brazilian left-back, though an agreement has not yet been reached. Hector Fort of Barcelona is also under consideration, but the defender has prioritised a move to Borussia Dortmund. The pursuit of Yacine Fofana has grown more distant; Roma deem Lyon's asking price of €35 million plus bonuses excessive, despite having reached an agreement with the 2005-born winger. Cacciamani is similarly off the radar. In outgoings, Jan Ziółkowski is poised to leave the club, potentially to Saudi Arabia. Should the defender depart, Roma would seek a centre-back on loan, with Fenerbahçe's Oosterwolde re-emerging as a target. Meanwhile, Manchester City's reported interest in Manu Koné has been confirmed; the midfielder is among the names in contention for their midfield.

Roma have paused negotiations with Lyon over midfielder Fofana following the arrival of Rodrigo Mora, according to Fabrizio Romano. The gap between the clubs remains small, but Roma are prioritizing the signing of a left winger before reviving that deal. Lorenzo Pellegrini will miss Roma's opening Serie A fixture against Fiorentina on Monday evening at the Olimpico. The number 7 is recovering from a right rectus femoris injury and requires further time before returning to Gasperini's squad. He will also sit out the subsequent match at Lecce on Monday 31 August, with a return to group training planned for early September. Pellegrini is targeting involvement in the match against Atalanta on Saturday 5 September at the Olimpico. Positive news emerged from training today as Niccolò Pisilli worked fully with the squad following a minor issue. Wesley trained partially with the group and is targeting full fitness to start against Fiorentina. Head coach Gasperini will hold his first pre-match press conference of the season on Saturday at 13:30.

Roma are tracking Barcelona right-back Hector Fort as director D'Amico expands the club's search for defensive reinforcements following the Rodrigo Mora operation. The 20-year-old Spanish defender, born in 2006, has received proposals from both Roma and Real Sociedad but is prioritising a move to Borussia Dortmund. Fort is willing to wait until the final day of the transfer window to complete a transfer to Germany, where Dortmund and Barcelona are in direct contact to find a solution. The hunt for a full-back comes as Roma continue their summer recruitment drive. Luis Henrique is among other targets being monitored by the club's recruitment department as Gasperini's side prepares for the 2026-27 season. Fort is capable of playing on both flanks, adding versatility to any potential move.

Radio pundits debated Roma's transfer strategy on 20 August, with analyst Sabatini arguing the season depends on how many goals Malen scores and how many matches Dybala can play. "It is difficult to think that they can play more than 20 matches as regular starters," Sabatini said on Radio Radio. Commentator Carina added that Roma has spent heavily but must make outgoings to balance the books, noting that Soulé's agent has guaranteed offers will arrive at Trigoria in the coming days. Carina also highlighted Roma's failure to sign a left-footed right winger despite it being a stated priority: "We are on 20 August and Roma has bought everything except that player." Marcacci suggested Fofana would have been a more useful acquisition than Mora for Roma's midfield needs, while Pes called for Roma to strengthen the attack with additional physicality and athleticism. Torri reported that an agreement exists between Lyon and Fofana, with conditions in place to close the deal. He also underlined Roma's two-year absence of a right-footed left winger despite spending over 10 million euros in that market. Speculation mounted around Koné's future, with Pes noting Manchester City interest but estimating Roma would demand 60 million euros for the midfielder.

Rodrigo Mora impressed in his first training session and now has four days to convince Gasperini he deserves the starting role in Roma's match against Fiorentina on Monday. The Portuguese forward will compete with Matías Soulé for the trequartista position in a 3-4-1-2 formation that Roma trialled on 19 August. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are set to start as the two strikers, with Mora eyeing an opportunity to stake his claim in the role that suits him best. Soulé's availability for the match remains uncertain as AC Milan continues to press for his signature, alongside English club Sunderland. The competition for places elsewhere in the team appears settled: Molina is ready to make his debut, Wesley will start at left-back, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné will operate in midfield, and the defensive line in front of Mile Svilar will comprise Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso. Gasperini's early feedback on Mora has been positive, giving the forward genuine scope to earn a starting berth.

Roma are in the final stages of their summer transfer business ahead of Monday's Serie A opener against Fiorentina, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini overseeing moves for defensive and attacking reinforcements. The club's attacking setup will centre on Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, supported by Rodrigo Mora, who recently arrived at the club. Gasperini has requested a more physical midfielder, with Malick Fofana of Lyon emerging as the top target. An agreement in principle worth approximately €35 million plus bonuses has been reached, though Lyon wish to retain Fofana until 26 August for their Champions League preliminary round against Fenerbahce. The final decision now rests with the Friedkin Group. Parallel to the Fofana pursuit, Roma are exploring left-back options, with Alessio Cacciamani of Torino identified as the hottest lead. Torino's recent closure of defender Fortini in the same position may prompt owner Cairo to soften his initial demands. Alternative targets Udogie and Luis Henrique are considered more complicated, with formulae and costs regarded as prohibitively high. Roma's incoming activity is contingent on outgoings: the club must resolve the situations of Salah-Eddine, Ziolkowski, and Robinio Vaz, while Matías Soulé, valued at approximately €40 million and attracting Milan's interest, remains under monitoring. Gasperini has Niccolò Pisilli available for selection and is assessing Wesley's fitness ahead of Monday's match. The likely starting XI is expected to mirror last season's shape, with Molina on the flank and the Dybala–Soulé pairing behind Malen, while Mora is poised for a substitute appearance.