Tsimikas criticises Gasperini over limited playing time at Roma

Roma are actively working to sign Santiago Castro from Bologna as a potential understudy to Donyell Malen. According to reports, contacts between the two clubs remain live as Roma look to strengthen their attacking depth. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has made clear the priority: finding a forward who can deliver goals, intensity, and consistency when Malen is unavailable. The Giallorossi had previously pursued Tresoldi, but Brugge's €50 million valuation stalled that move. Bologna now represent a warmer option, though negotiations carry significant obstacles. The Emilian club have valued Castro at approximately €40 million and show no willingness to discount. One element appears settled: Artem Dovbyk will not be offered as a makeweight in any deal. The Ukrainian striker remains available on the market but will not be used as a counterpart in a potential Bologna transfer.

Roma's summer transfer market remains frozen with no new arrivals by late July, frustrating head coach Gasperini who expected reinforcements at Trigoria. Targets Mason Greenwood and Luis Summestre have already fallen through, while director D'Amico searches for the opening piece of the window. El Mala and Alexander Nusa top the priority list, though the Norwegian's high asking price and injury history give The Friedkin Group pause—they are reluctant to take on another injury-prone signing and have delayed movement. Nusa has not yet signalled openness to Roma. The pursuit of Tresoldi has become complicated despite the German's willingness to join. Club Brugge's steep demands are slowing negotiations. Fresh names emerging at Trigoria include Castro and Oscar Bobb, while midfielder Franck Kessié remains a live possibility. Noa Lang was offered to Roma in attack, but the club rejected the proposition, seeking different profiles for the forward line. Patience is wearing thin both among Roma supporters and sections of Everton's fanbase, who have begun to lose confidence in the Americans' transfer strategy. Ryan Friedkin has returned to the United States.

A meeting is scheduled for Monday regarding Roma's new stadium project. In the transfer market, Roma have made contact with RB Leipzig over winger Nusa, but Leipzig value the player highly and there remains a significant gap between the clubs' valuations. Nusa has not yet opened the door to a Roma move. Roma have also been proposed numerous other wide players, including Luiz Henrique of Zenit, though he was not pursued. Meanwhile, Gian Piero Gasperini and the Roma squad await the return of Lorenzo Pellegrini following injury. The midfielder wants to secure a contract renewal and has accepted reducing his salary, but a key sticking point remains: Pellegrini is pushing for a three-year deal while the club currently offers only two years. Nevertheless, both the player and the club show clear willingness to stay together. After Roma's friendly against Trastevere, Bryan Cristante spoke openly about his teammate, emphasising the squad is waiting for Pellegrini with open arms. Pellegrini was also spotted dining with Gianluca Mancini at a Roman trattoria, a signal of his continued bond with the group. Elsewhere, Roma are tracking Franck Kessié as Juventus pursue the midfielder. Juventus have been in contact for several weeks but no agreement has been reached, with salary and squad integration among points still to be finalised. Roma are prepared to move decisively should Manu Koné depart.

Roma find themselves in unexpected stasis on the transfer market one month before their Serie A opener against Fiorentina, hampered by slow planning, a complex summer constrained by Settlement Agreement rules, and difficulty delivering the reinforcements Gian Piero Gasperini has requested. As of late July, Roma had completed zero signings and just one minor departure, leaving six players from last season's squad still to be replaced: El Shaarawy, Ferguson, Tsimikas, Celik, Venturino, and Zaragoza. The club also has several players ready to depart—Salah-Eddine, Kumbulla, and Dovbyk among them—while others including Soulé and Koné remain uncertain. Contract complications surround Dybala, and Pellegrini's position requires clarification. Delays stem from structural issues worsened by Tony D'Amico's late arrival as sporting director, who became operational only in the final ten days of June following a dispute with Atalanta, compounded by World Cup scheduling and Settlement Agreement restrictions. Gasperini intends to compete at the highest level while preserving the squad's core and adding only a few elite signings. Roma pursued Mason Greenwood and Luis Summerville at length, becoming committed to the Dutch player beyond their budgeted limits before the deal collapsed entirely.

Kostas Tsimikas has expressed his joy at returning to Liverpool after spending the previous season on loan at AS Roma. Speaking to the club's official channels, the Greek left-back reflected on his time in the capital and his feelings about rejoining the English side. "I'm very happy to be back, it's as if I never left," Tsimikas said. "I couldn't wait, honestly. Last season was a hard and strange year for me." Tsimikas spent the 2024–25 campaign at Roma but made limited appearances despite training consistently. He acknowledged the difficulties of that period, explaining that he had worked hard on his fitness both during and after the season. His departure from Liverpool was temporary, and he has now completed his return to Merseyside. "I trained hard by myself at the end of the season," the defender continued. "I did so during the season too, even though for some reason I didn't play much. Now I'm here and I'm happy, I can't wait to wear this shirt." The move marks the end of Tsimikas's loan spell and his reintegration into Liverpool's squad.

Gian Piero Gasperini's wing options have been severely depleted after Zeki Çelik's surprise departure, leaving the Roma boss to pursue reinforcements in that area. The squad reported for pre-season with Wesley, Devyne Rensch, and Angeliño as available options. While Wesley remains reliable and Rensch offers a capable alternative, Angeliño has failed to convince. Last season was troubled for the Spanish left-back, who started Roma's opening five league matches but managed only thirty minutes in the field across games against Lecce and Pisa in March and April, hampered by persistent physical problems from which he never recovered. Gasperini has been monitoring him closely during pre-season training, but even in Thursday's friendly against the Primavera, Angeliño showed no encouraging signs. Kostas Tsimikas, who departed to Liverpool without lingering regret, will not be available this season, though Salah-Eddine is expected to return. Gasperini has identified the wing positions as requiring a complete overhaul, given that attacking midfielders have historically been central to his tactical approach. The club's primary target is reportedly Moreira, though Strasbourg's demands of at least 50 million euros present a significant obstacle. Roma are also interested in Savona and Belghali. The club needs to recruit at least two wide players, with at least one capable of operating as both full-back and centre-back, or across both flanks—a versatility Çelik possessed before his sudden exit despite a verbal agreement to extend his contract through 2029.

Roma delivered a commanding performance in a summer preparatory match at Trigoria, crushing Trastevere 6-0 across two 35-minute halves. Donyell Malen opened the scoring with a tap-in from close range after three minutes, before Paulo Dybala doubled the lead on 12 minutes. Bryan Cristante made it 3-0 on 25 minutes, Luigi Cherubini added a fourth on 30 minutes, and Angeliño extended the advantage to 5-0 in the second period. Arena sealed the rout with the sixth goal to end the match. Gian Piero Gasperini used the friendly to build fitness and introduce his tactical demands to the squad, fielding two different lineups across the two halves. Wesley struck the woodwork during the first period, while Gianluca Mancini was cautioned for a foul on the edge of the box in the 18th minute. New sporting director D'Amico watched from the stands as Roma's players gained valuable game time following international commitments. N'Dicka and Malen had recently returned to Trigoria after their involvement in the World Cup.

Zeki Çelik's unexpected departure has forced Roma to accelerate their search for reinforcements on the flanks, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini requiring at least two new fullbacks to complete the defensive unit ahead of the new season. Wesley remains the main established option alongside Devyne Rensch, but concerns linger over Angeliño following a difficult campaign and evident lack of match fitness, while a departure is already confirmed for Salah-Eddine. Roma is hunting for defensive cover that can provide the positional flexibility lost with Çelik's exit, with one target capable of operating as a centre-back as well. Diego Moreira of Strasbourg remains the club's primary target, though negotiations have stalled over his €50 million valuation, which Roma consider excessive. Nicolò Savona of Nottingham Forest is also being monitored and fits the profile, but concerns about his physical readiness following a recent knee injury are tempering enthusiasm. Alternative options at Molina and Dodo are not currently gaining traction. The push for strengthening the fullback positions comes as Roma also pursue Louis Summerville to bolster the attacking department.

Gian Piero Gasperini's wing options have been severely depleted after Zeki Çelik's surprise departure, leaving the Roma boss to pursue reinforcements in that area. The squad reported for pre-season with Wesley, Devyne Rensch, and Angeliño as available options. While Wesley remains reliable and Rensch offers a capable alternative, Angeliño has failed to convince. Last season was troubled for the Spanish left-back, who started Roma's opening five league matches but managed only thirty minutes in the field across games against Lecce and Pisa in March and April, hampered by persistent physical problems from which he never recovered. Gasperini has been monitoring him closely during pre-season training, but even in Thursday's friendly against the Primavera, Angeliño showed no encouraging signs. Kostas Tsimikas, who departed to Liverpool without lingering regret, will not be available this season, though Salah-Eddine is expected to return. Gasperini has identified the wing positions as requiring a complete overhaul, given that attacking midfielders have historically been central to his tactical approach. The club's primary target is reportedly Moreira, though Strasbourg's demands of at least 50 million euros present a significant obstacle. Roma are also interested in Savona and Belghali. The club needs to recruit at least two wide players, with at least one capable of operating as both full-back and centre-back, or across both flanks—a versatility Çelik possessed before his sudden exit despite a verbal agreement to extend his contract through 2029.