Villas-Boas backs Mora to become a world-class talent and win over Roma fans

Roma have initiated contact with the representatives of Endrick, the Brazilian forward at Real Madrid, as they monitor him for potential recruitment in forthcoming transfer windows. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the club are watching the player closely, particularly if his playing time at the Spanish club remains limited. A significant opportunity may arise on 14 October when Real Madrid visit the Olimpico to face Roma in the Champions League, a fixture that could allow the club's executives to meet directly and explore the forward's availability. Roma are believed to be interested in a temporary arrangement that would give Endrick greater consistency. The 22-year-old has been on Roma's radar as a player capable of adding depth to their attacking options. Club scouts are attempting to gauge whether concrete margins for a deal might open in the coming months, contingent on his situation at Madrid. The presence of Real Madrid's board members in the capital during the Champions League encounter presents a unique chance for direct negotiations between the two organisations, potentially accelerating discussions. However, Roma face competition for the Brazilian. AC Milan have also been tracking Endrick for several weeks, with club owner Gerry Cardinale reportedly monitoring the player. Milan had attempted to move for him during the most recent summer window before ultimately opting for the loan of Omari Hutchinson. Should Hutchinson fail to impress and Endrick continue to see limited minutes at Real Madrid, the Rossoneri may reignite their interest.

André Villas-Boas, president of Porto, has praised Rodrigo Mora following the 19-year-old midfielder's move to Roma, saying the investment was substantial but justified. In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, Villas-Boas described Mora as "an immense talent, who will make Roma fans happy" and expressed confidence he will flourish in Serie A. "He will find his space and enchant Roma, I'm sure of it. He has personality and technical qualities that are uncommon, and he wants to build a great career," Villas-Boas said. Mora departed Porto after limited playing time despite his status as an academy standout. Villas-Boas explained: "He was an idol for our fans, a jewel of our formation. But the great competitiveness of the squad meant he felt his minutes were insufficient. So we decided to listen to offers, and Roma was truly determined to sign him." The midfielder's technical ability has caught attention across European football, and Villas-Boas believes Roma's coaching setup offers the ideal environment for development. When asked how head coach Gian Piero Gasperini can help Mora progress, Villas-Boas said: "I think he is one of the best technical talents in circulation. With the tactical work of a master like Gasperini, he can become a world-class player." On physical development, Villas-Boas was pragmatic: "He can't become 1.80 metres tall. And if we're talking about muscles I'd say no: he already has enough quality in his feet."

Gian Piero Gasperini is already planning Roma's January window despite the club sitting top of the table with a functioning attack led by Dybala and Malen. Between appearances at the Trento Festival and work at Trigoria, Roma are targeting reinforcements in the attacking department, focusing on players currently struggling for minutes at their clubs. A conversation between CEO Galantic and Gasperini at the festival underscores Roma's philosophy of planning winter moves in advance. Roma's priority remains a quality wide forward, with evaluation also ongoing into a more complete profile like Oosterwolde. Four players already tracked in the summer transfer window remain in the club's sights: Gittens, Leweling, Luiz Henrique and Endrick. The common thread linking them is a shortage of regular playing time. Gittens, a Gasperini favourite, has yet to debut in the Premier League. Leweling plays only sporadic minutes at Stuttgart and was excluded from the initial squad list under new national team coach Klopp. Luiz Henrique remains blocked in Russia by bureaucratic issues that have also cost him national team call-ups. Endrick's situation is the most delicate. Mourinho secured him at Real Madrid over the summer, but the Brazilian has virtually disappeared: just four minutes across La Liga and the Champions League combined. That picture of underuse could shift as soon as November, when UEFA will make decisions on the Settlement Agreement, opening new scenarios potentially favourable to Roma heading into the winter market.

André Villas-Boas, president of Porto, has praised Rodrigo Mora following the 19-year-old midfielder's move to Roma, saying the investment was substantial but justified. In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, Villas-Boas described Mora as "an immense talent, who will make Roma fans happy" and expressed confidence he will flourish in Serie A. "He will find his space and enchant Roma, I'm sure of it. He has personality and technical qualities that are uncommon, and he wants to build a great career," Villas-Boas said. Mora departed Porto after limited playing time despite his status as an academy standout. Villas-Boas explained: "He was an idol for our fans, a jewel of our formation. But the great competitiveness of the squad meant he felt his minutes were insufficient. So we decided to listen to offers, and Roma was truly determined to sign him." The midfielder's technical ability has caught attention across European football, and Villas-Boas believes Roma's coaching setup offers the ideal environment for development. When asked how head coach Gian Piero Gasperini can help Mora progress, Villas-Boas said: "I think he is one of the best technical talents in circulation. With the tactical work of a master like Gasperini, he can become a world-class player." On physical development, Villas-Boas was pragmatic: "He can't become 1.80 metres tall. And if we're talking about muscles I'd say no: he already has enough quality in his feet."

Porto president André Villas-Boas has backed Rodrigo Mora to establish himself at Roma following the midfielder's move from the Portuguese club two months ago. Speaking to the Corriere della Sera, Villas-Boas described the transfer negotiation as complex. "It's true because Rodrigo is an idol of Porto's fans, a player who was formed in our academy and represents so much for all of us—a real gem," he said. "Last season he didn't get the playing time he hoped for, so at a certain point we decided to listen to proposals for him. Roma came looking for us with force and in the end we reached an agreement that was satisfying for everyone." The deal between the two clubs includes performance-related clauses tied to Mora's output. Villas-Boas, speaking both as Porto's president and drawing on his experience as a coach, expressed confidence in the 24-year-old's prospects in Serie A. The midfielder joined Roma in August after spending his career in Porto's academy system, where he had become a fan favourite. His path to regular football has been blocked by competition, prompting the move to Italy as a fresh opportunity to develop his career. On Mora's chances of succeeding, Villas-Boas was unequivocal: "He has unlimited talent. At the right time he will find his space and enchant Roma—I'm certain of that. And more: he has great personality, he knows where he wants to go and he knows what objectives he wants to pursue along his career, which is why he will impose himself. Technically Rodrigo has a talent that can take him serenely among the best in the world; I have no doubts."

Lorenzo Pellegrini is ready to reclaim a leading role at Roma after 184 days out. The midfielder has recovered from a long injury, signed a contract renewal on 8 August, and is now pushing for a starting place when Roma face Como. He returns with leadership, technical quality and work completed during the international break at Trigoria. A social media post — "True happiness is being at peace with the people around you" — reflects the calm with which he approaches his comeback after a previous season that yielded seven goals and four assists. Pellegrini's injury began on 10 April. Despite Gasperini assigning the captaincy based on appearances, Pellegrini remains the natural reference point in the dressing room, confirmed by his contract extension and his choice to stay despite several offers from Italian and foreign clubs. His lengthy absence and dedicated rehabilitation put him in fresher condition than squad-mates returning from international duty, including Soulé and Mora. In Gasperini's 3–4–1–2 system, Pellegrini can operate on the attacking midfield line behind Dybala and Malen, providing quality in the final third and pressing intensity. Gasperini is seriously considering starting him, with Pellegrini estimated to have an autonomy of around sixty minutes but ready to begin the match and definitively reclaim his place.