Transfer window closes: Koné stays after Chelsea approach, El Aynaoui departs for Leipzig

Roma completed their summer transfer window on 1 September with six new signings but fell short of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's full requirements. The club added Leonardo Balerdi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Rodrigo Mora and Santiago Castro, while also securing permanent moves for Daniele Ghilardi and Donyell Malen and extending contracts for Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala. Despite these arrivals, Gasperini's requests for a left winger and left-back went unfulfilled. Last-minute attempts to bolster the squad fell through. A move for Juventus defender Juan Cabal collapsed when the Colombian declined to join, while forward targets Florian Leweling and Jeremy Gittens also failed to materialise. Singer Damiano David reportedly became unexpectedly involved in discussions over Leweling's potential arrival. On the outgoing side, Neil El Aynaoui and Robinio Vaz departed the club, while the future of Salah-Eddine remains to be decided. Manu Koné, whose status had been uncertain, stays at Roma.

Neil El Aynaoui has departed AS Roma and joined RB Leipzig on loan with a right of purchase, the club confirmed on 1 September 2026. The Moroccan midfielder leaves after a single season in the Giallorossi colours, during which he made 35 appearances across league and cup competition and scored 2 goals. El Aynaoui arrived at Roma last summer on a five-year deal from Lens but did not establish himself as a regular starter. His move to the German club ends his spell in the Italian capital, at least temporarily, and represents a fresh start in the Bundesliga.

Anass Salah-Eddine has turned down a transfer to West Ham in the closing stages of the transfer window, despite the English club's desire to complete the deal. The Roma left-back's future remains unresolved, with limited prospects at the Italian club. Roma's inbound transfer activity has ended, but outgoing deals remain possible through various deadlines: England and Spain until midnight today (1 September), Turkey until Friday 4 September, and Saudi Arabia until 12 October. Salah-Eddine could be a candidate for departure to one of these destinations given the scarcity of first-team opportunities in Italy. According to Voetbal International, the full picture of where the defender will end up has yet to be clarified.

Roma completed their summer transfer window on 1 September with six new signings but fell short of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's full requirements. The club added Leonardo Balerdi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Rodrigo Mora and Santiago Castro, while also securing permanent moves for Daniele Ghilardi and Donyell Malen and extending contracts for Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala. Despite these arrivals, Gasperini's requests for a left winger and left-back went unfulfilled. Last-minute attempts to bolster the squad fell through. A move for Juventus defender Juan Cabal collapsed when the Colombian declined to join, while forward targets Florian Leweling and Jeremy Gittens also failed to materialise. Singer Damiano David reportedly became unexpectedly involved in discussions over Leweling's potential arrival. On the outgoing side, Neil El Aynaoui and Robinio Vaz departed the club, while the future of Salah-Eddine remains to be decided. Manu Koné, whose status had been uncertain, stays at Roma.

Neil El Aynaoui has departed AS Roma and joined RB Leipzig on loan with a right of purchase, the club confirmed on 1 September 2026. The Moroccan midfielder leaves after a single season in the Giallorossi colours, during which he made 35 appearances across league and cup competition and scored 2 goals. El Aynaoui arrived at Roma last summer on a five-year deal from Lens but did not establish himself as a regular starter. His move to the German club ends his spell in the Italian capital, at least temporarily, and represents a fresh start in the Bundesliga.

Roma's summer transfer window closed at 20:00 on 1 September after one of the longest and most active market periods in recent years. Sporting director Tony D'Amico oversaw a substantial squad rebuild across every department to meet the demands of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The club secured permanent deals for Donyell Malen and Daniele Ghilardi, and brought in Santiago Castro, Nahuel Molina, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Rodrigo Mora, Leonardo Balerdi and Marten de Roon. The signings added experience, physicality and talent to the squad, though the hunt for an attacking winger remained unresolved until the final hours. Roma's overhaul was equally significant in departures. Artem Dovbyk, Zeki Çelik, Angeliño, Neil El Aynaoui, Robinio Vaz, Matteo Baldanzi and Jan Ziółkowski left the club, alongside several young players and others outside Gasperini's plans. D'Amico remained active on business until the closing deadline, orchestrating a comprehensive transformation of the playing squad. The question now centres on whether Roma emerged strengthened from the window and whether Gasperini received a group capable of meeting his tactical requirements. The club invited supporters to vote in a survey assessing their satisfaction with the summer's work across incomings and outgoings combined.

Roma completed their summer transfer window on 1 September with six new signings but fell short of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's full requirements. The club added Leonardo Balerdi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Rodrigo Mora and Santiago Castro, while also securing permanent moves for Daniele Ghilardi and Donyell Malen and extending contracts for Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala. Despite these arrivals, Gasperini's requests for a left winger and left-back went unfulfilled. Last-minute attempts to bolster the squad fell through. A move for Juventus defender Juan Cabal collapsed when the Colombian declined to join, while forward targets Florian Leweling and Jeremy Gittens also failed to materialise. Singer Damiano David reportedly became unexpectedly involved in discussions over Leweling's potential arrival. On the outgoing side, Neil El Aynaoui and Robinio Vaz departed the club, while the future of Salah-Eddine remains to be decided. Manu Koné, whose status had been uncertain, stays at Roma.

Roma's summer transfer window closed at 20:00 on 1 September after one of the longest and most active market periods in recent years. Sporting director Tony D'Amico oversaw a substantial squad rebuild across every department to meet the demands of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The club secured permanent deals for Donyell Malen and Daniele Ghilardi, and brought in Santiago Castro, Nahuel Molina, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Rodrigo Mora, Leonardo Balerdi and Marten de Roon. The signings added experience, physicality and talent to the squad, though the hunt for an attacking winger remained unresolved until the final hours. Roma's overhaul was equally significant in departures. Artem Dovbyk, Zeki Çelik, Angeliño, Neil El Aynaoui, Robinio Vaz, Matteo Baldanzi and Jan Ziółkowski left the club, alongside several young players and others outside Gasperini's plans. D'Amico remained active on business until the closing deadline, orchestrating a comprehensive transformation of the playing squad. The question now centres on whether Roma emerged strengthened from the window and whether Gasperini received a group capable of meeting his tactical requirements. The club invited supporters to vote in a survey assessing their satisfaction with the summer's work across incomings and outgoings combined.

Roma's summer transfer window closed on 1 September with no late moves for Leweling, Gittens or Luiz Henrique, but significant reinforcement across the squad. The most expensive acquisition was Santiago Castro, signed from Bologna for €36 million. Rodrigo Mora, a Portuguese playmaker born in 2007, arrived from Porto for €25 million in a deal balancing present strength with future investment. The defence received Konstantinos Koulierakis from Wolfsburg for €16.5 million and Leonardo Balerdi on loan from Marseille for a €1 million fee. Right-back Nahuel Molina joined from Atlético Madrid for €13 million. Marten de Roon, a player Gasperini knows well, came from Atalanta on a free transfer. Two squad members were also retained through permanent deals: Donyell Malen was bought outright from Aston Villa for €25 million, and Daniele Ghilardi from Verona for €8 million. Outgoings were largely managed without major upheaval. Zeki Çelik moved to Juventus on a free transfer, while Stephan El Shaarawy departed as a free agent after his contract expired. Mattia Mannini, a young defender, went on loan to Benevento with a right of redemption set at €1.5 million; Roma retained 30 per cent of any future sale fee. Angeliño moved to Deportivo La Coruña and Marash Kumbulla to Rayo Vallecano on temporary deals. Artem Dovbyk also left the club. Robinio Vaz and Neil El Aynaoui are reportedly heading to Hull City and Leipzig respectively, though those moves lacked official confirmation at the window's close. The restructuring touched every department. In defence, Koulierakis and Balerdi arrived while Ghilardi was secured permanently; Jan Ziółkowski and Kumbulla departed. On the right flank, Molina's arrival accompanied Çelik's exit and the departure of Abdulhamid, who returned from loan and left again. De Roon adds experience to Gasperini's midfield rotation, while Mora brings quality and unpredictability to attacking midfield. Castro represents the summer's flagship investment and joins Malen to reshape the forward line after Dovbyk and El Shaarawy moved on.

Roma radio commentators have aired concerns over the club's transfer strategy and player welfare in early September. Enrico Camelio suggested that had Roma sold Manu Koné, they could have signed both Rios and Gittens, but stated that Gasperini wants an attacking winger and is "quite angry" about the situation. Ilario di Giovambattista warned that Roma risks missing out on an attacking winger entirely. Meanwhile, Alessandro Vocalelli expressed worry about Paulo Dybala's physical condition, saying: "I don't trust Dybala's fitness. I hope the Argentine can hold up as long as possible." Angelo Mangiante highlighted a contrast in medical procedures, noting that Fenerbahce claimed Oosterwolde could play a match within two weeks, while Roma wanted to conduct medical examinations immediately.

Roma's decision to walk away from Jayden Oosterwolde has been proven correct. The Dutch defender is undergoing surgery today after the club rejected him during his medical examination, citing concerns over recovery time from a biceps femoris tendon injury. Oosterwolde has since joined Fenerbahçe, where he will now go under the knife. Roma's medical staff had flagged the risk of surgery to Fenerbahçe before the transfer was terminated. The club deemed the recovery period from Oosterwolde's injury too long to proceed with the signing. That assessment has now been validated by events; Oosterwolde's return to action is not expected until January, a timeline that aligns with Roma's initial reservations following their medical checks. Cihan Kamer, a member of Fenerbahçe's board of directors, confirmed the situation: "The deal with Roma fell through because of Oosterwolde's injury. He is being operated on today." The extended recovery window mirrors the concerns Roma's medical team identified during the player's examination at the club.

Roma's decision to terminate negotiations with Fenerbahçe for winger Jayden Oosterwolde has been validated after the Dutch player underwent surgery today for a biceps femoris tendon injury. Roma's medical team identified during his examinations in the capital that recovery times would be prohibitively long, and immediately informed the Turkish club of the likelihood of surgical intervention. Cihan Kamer, a member of Fenerbahçe's board, confirmed the situation: "The deal with Roma collapsed because of Oosterwolde's injury, and he is being operated on today." The cautious approach taken by Roma's management proved prudent, protecting head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's squad from being left without a key player for the opening phase of the season. Oosterwolde faces a lengthy rehabilitation period, with his return to action estimated only for January. The handling of the medical assessment demonstrated the club's diligence in avoiding a problematic signing that could have hampered early-season performance.