Tsimikas paradox: Roma flop becomes Liverpool captain

Anass Salah-Eddine's future at AS Roma appears increasingly distant following the end of his loan spell at PSV Eindhoven. The left-back has returned to the capital but does not feature in Gian Piero Gasperini's plans; he was excluded from summer pre-season training, and the club is actively working to offload him. Salah-Eddine has reportedly approved a move back to the Dutch Eredivisie, a league he knows well and where he believes he can establish regular first-team football. While no formal offers have yet reached Roma's desk, several Dutch clubs have expressed interest and talks are progressing positively. Real Betis has also emerged as a suitor, conducting an initial enquiry on the 2002-born defender in recent days, though the Spanish side has not yet submitted a concrete proposal. Roma remain ready to listen to offers for a player who falls outside Gasperini's vision. A resolution is expected within the coming weeks as the Giallorossi weigh their options between interested parties in both the Netherlands and Spain.

Roma's transfer window is in full swing following Santiago Castro's arrival. The club has identified Antonio Nusa, the Norwegian winger, as its primary attacking target. The move could accelerate in the coming days after Nusa has reportedly signalled his willingness to join Roma. However, an agreement with Leipzig remains the stumbling block. The German club values Nusa's transfer at over €55 million and has little incentive to sell, particularly after receiving a fee slightly above €100 million from Real Madrid for Diomandé. Heads of recruitment D'Amico and coach Gasperini consider Nusa the ideal profile for Roma's project, given his age and technical qualities. The club had previously pursued Mason Greenwood and Dan Summerville before those avenues closed. Several alternatives are under consideration—including Adingra, Leao, Alajbegovic, and Martinelli—though Luiz Henrique of Zenit and Oscar Bobb of Fulham do not feature in D'Amico's plans.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is close to signing a new contract with Roma after his deal expired on 30 June. The club has made the midfielder's renewal a priority following recent extensions for Paulo Dybala, Gianluca Mancini, and Bryan Cristante. Pellegrini, who continues to put Roma first despite being out of contract, remains sidelined by injury and has missed the early stages of pre-season. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini views Pellegrini as essential to the squad both technically and as a leader in the dressing room. The player is equally committed to staying in Rome, and negotiations are progressing with confidence. Roma aim to finalise the deal in the coming days—ideally before the team departs for their training camp in Wales. The proposed agreement runs until 2028 with an option for a further season, at a salary of 2.5 million euros per season plus bonuses. Once signed, Pellegrini could rejoin the squad during the second phase of summer preparation and begin working with Gasperini ahead of the new season.

Roma played a pre-season friendly against Cannes, with Paulo Dybala scoring twice and assisting Donyell Malen in the first half to put the Giallorossi 3–0 ahead. Wesley was sent off in the 45th minute for a second yellow card, leaving Roma with ten men for the second half. Cannes staged a comeback with a brace from Lopez and a penalty goal from Oggad, which was caused by Artem Dovbyk. Dybala's strong display underscores his recent contract renewal and his commitment to Roma; his left foot proved decisive throughout the match. Malen responded well to a poor start to pre-season, finishing the chance created by Dybala without hesitation. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini used the fixture to give younger squad members valuable minutes. Gianluca Mancini, another recent renewal, required medical attention after falling in the 30th minute but returned without issue. Kostas Tsimikas (listed as Ndicka in the ratings) maintained his defensive positioning effectively. The squad will depart for Wales next as part of their pre-season schedule ahead of the competitive campaign. The match provided encouraging signs in terms of Dybala's form and Malen's return to previous standard, though defensive vulnerabilities against a second-half onslaught highlight areas for tactical refinement.

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 has named his squad for Roma's friendly against Cannes. The goalkeeper contingent includes De Marzi, Gollini and Svilar, whilst the defence features Rensch, Angeliño, Ndicka, Hermoso, Mancini, Ziolkowski, Wesley, Nardin, Lulli and Ghilardi. Midfield options are Cristante, Panico, Di Nunzio, Giammattei and Bah, with Dovbyk, Malen, Soulé, Dybala and Arena leading the attack. Roma have made an official bid to Club America for defender Israel Reyes, the Mexican defender born in 2000 and valued at approximately €8 million, according to journalist Gibran Araje. The contacts between the clubs are ongoing, and should the deal succeed, Reyes could become Roma's first summer signing. Simultaneously, Roma have been forced to abandon the pursuit of winger Said El Mala, the 2006-born talent who has rejected a move to the Giallorossi and prefers to continue his development in Germany, potentially waiting for a call from Borussia Dortmund or staying at Cologne. Manu Koné remains central to Gasperini's plans despite European interest following his World Cup success with France. Manchester United have cooled their approach to the midfielder, reportedly reflecting on a potential €60 million investment, though they have not entirely abandoned the pursuit.

Gian Piero Gasperini is closely monitoring Mandjou Camara, a 2009-born Guinean forward who made an impression in Roma's friendly against Trastevere. The match saw Roma field a largely youth-team lineup, with only Gollini, Ziółkowski, Ghilardi, Angeliño and Dovbyk from the senior squad on the pitch. While Arena scored, Camara stole the spotlight with several impressive moments despite not finding the net. During the second half, Gasperini's assistant Gritti positioned himself on the right flank to guide Camara's movements, calling out instructions such as "Drop back", "Shoot", and "Don't stay too deep". Camara is expected to join Roma's pre-season training camp in Wales, giving Gasperini further opportunity to assess his development. Camara arrived at Roma as the final signing from the youth academy oversight of Alberto De Rossi, who departed the club on 30 June after more than 32 years. Roma acquired him on a free transfer after he left SPAL. He began the season in the Under 17 category before being promoted to the Under 18 squad under Mattia Scala, who now coaches the Primavera. In thirty matches, Camara has registered eleven goals and nine assists. His one-on-one ability and dribbling have impressed Gasperini, who is working to facilitate his next step forward, though some technical refinement remains needed. Vinicius Junior is his inspiration.

Roma swept past Trastevere 6–0 in a pre-season friendly at Trigoria, with Donyell Malen making an immediate impact on his first appearance of the season. The Dutch forward unlocked the match after three minutes and provided an assist for Bryan Cristante's goal, though he squandered a close-range opportunity. Paulo Dybala and Cherubini completed the first-half scoring, while Angeliño and young player Arena added second-half goals. Despite the emphatic victory, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini faces a depleted squad. Seven players from last season remain unresolved in the transfer market, and several more are absent due to post-World Cup leave—including Manu Koné and Neil El Aynaoui. Matías Soulé was rested as a precaution, while Robinio Vaz and Niccolò Pisilli have physical issues; Pisilli is sidelined with a first-degree soleus muscle-fascial strain. Evan N'Dicka appears fully recovered and Cristante impressed with his solidity and attacking threat, though Angeliño showed signs of lacking match fitness despite his goal. Prospect Camara delivered a convincing display under close staff observation. Cristante reiterated Roma's ambitions for the upcoming Champions League campaign and expressed confidence in new signings arriving soon, while signalling full openness to Lorenzo Pellegrini's return to the group.

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.

Roma are pursuing Summerville to fill the most glaring weakness in Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical system. The club has identified a right-footed attacking winger—capable of playing as a trequartista or winger on the left—as the top priority for the new season, with sporting director D'Amico now working alongside Gasperini to address the gap. The void has persisted for seasons. Throughout August, the club sought a loan deal for a right-footed attacking option without success, pursuing targets including Fabio Silva (who remained at his club with one year remaining on his contract) and Jadon Sancho via videoconference. January brought only unsuccessful temporary deals for Bryan Zaragoza and Lorenzo Venturino, alongside the unproven centre-forward gamble of Robinio Vaz, signed for €25 million. Summerville's arrival would finally remedy what has been an obvious deficiency in Roma's attacking setup under Gasperini.

Roma's squad reported to Trigoria by 12 noon on Monday to begin their first week of training under Gian Piero Gasperini, who enters his second season in charge following the club's return to the Champions League. The first session, preceded by routine medical checks, was scheduled for the afternoon after lunch. The squad welcomed back no new faces, with departures including El Shaarawy, Ferguson, Zaragoza and Tsimikas, and the club opted not to publish the squad list publicly. The decision to withhold squad details reflects uncertainty over Paulo Dybala's contract situation. Roma's hierarchy worked to complete all formalities of Dybala's contract renewal by Monday morning, with the financial terms already agreed for several days. Çelik will be the first player to return following his involvement in international competition, though his own renewal announcement has not yet been confirmed. The full or near-full squad is expected only when the team convenes for a training camp in Wales. Gasperini is awaiting reinforcements from the club's sporting director D'Amico, who has drawn up a target list prioritising Moreira, while Garnacho and Tresoldi remain under consideration for the attack and centre-back positions respectively.