Totti's Roma return stalls after rejecting Friedkin offer

Roma's 2026–27 season officially began with a 6–0 friendly win over the Primavera under Mattia Scala, played in four 20-minute periods. Paulo Dybala and Artem Dovbyk scored twice each, with Matías Soulé and Bryan Cristante also on the scoresheet under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Crysencio Summerville is emerging as Roma's primary summer transfer target. The club has reached a tentative agreement with the Dutch winger but must negotiate with West Ham, who rejected an initial offer of €40 million plus €5 million in bonuses. Roma are preparing a counter-bid and are considering paying the €53 million release clause in Summerville's contract. The player has reportedly reduced his wage demands, with Roma offering €4 million annually plus bonuses to seal the deal. Meanwhile, director D'Amico continues working to secure contract renewals for Gasperini's squad. Gianluca Mancini, Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante have all signed new deals, but Lorenzo Pellegrini's renewal remains unsigned. Roma supporters have displayed a banner at Trigoria urging the club to complete Pellegrini's contract: "Making a mistake can happen, repeating it means negligence. Let's hold Lorenzo tight." The message echoes concerns over Zeki Çelik's summer departure to Juventus. Elsewhere, Manu Koné has attracted interest from Manchester United and other top European clubs following strong displays at the World Cup; Roma will not consider offers below €50–60 million, having rejected Atlético Madrid's €43 million bid in June.

Roma defeated their Primavera side 6-0 in a friendly training match. Artem Dovbyk and Paulo Dybala each scored twice, with additional goals from Matías Soulé and Bryan Cristante. The fixture served as a workout for Gian Piero Gasperini's squad during the club's daily schedule at Trigoria. Dybala expressed his happiness over signing a new contract with the club. A banner supporting Lorenzo Pellegrini was displayed outside the training ground.

Tony D'Amico, Roma's sporting director, will hold his first press conference at Trigoria next week, with the specific date to be confirmed. The announcement follows Gian Piero Gasperini's introduction as head coach. D'Amico attended yesterday's friendly against the Primavera between managing transfer business. Roma's priority remains securing Summerville from West Ham, who are demanding €50 million. D'Amico is working to increase Roma's offer to close the deal. The sporting director is also monitoring other targets, with Garnacho and Nusa on the club's radar. For the role of deputy to Malen, Tresoldi is the preferred candidate, while negotiations for Moreira are currently on standby.