Stephan El Shaarawy

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini exploded with emotion when Matías Soulé scored, sprinting toward the Curva Sud in a moment that recalled José Mourinho's famous touchline celebration in September 2021, when Stephan El Shaarawy netted in the 91st minute against Sassuolo. The comparison was striking: both managers had been unable to contain their joy at critical moments, running to embrace the supporters. Yesterday's display suggested Gasperini is restoring the emotional intensity that Mourinho once brought to the Olimpico. The exuberance was infectious, yet it came to an abrupt halt. A staff member physically stopped Gasperini before he could reach the touchline—not to dampen the celebration, but to protect him from a second yellow card. The coach was already on a caution, and a further offense would have meant a ban for Roma's next fixture, a sensitive away trip to Turin. The intervention, though it cut short the moment, was tactically essential. Gasperini's desire to celebrate was unmistakable, but the immediate need to preserve his availability for the coming matches took precedence. The incident encapsulated what has shifted at Roma: the club has rediscovered emotion and connection with its supporters under Gasperini's leadership. The Curva Sud will wait for their manager's unreserved embrace—though likely not for much longer.

AS Roma faces UEFA review of its settlement agreement compliance after a summer transfer window costing approximately 125 million euros in purchases and 30 million in sales, with capital gains reaching only 25 million. The club will defend its position to UEFA at Nyon by highlighting a dramatic reduction in the wage bill—the primary evidence it claims of its sustainability strategy. Last season the payroll exceeded 133 million euros gross; it has now fallen to around 113 million, moving closer to the 100-million target. The wage cuts stem largely from player departures including Zaragoza, Çelik, Angeliño, Tsimikas, El Shaarawy and Dovbyk. The signing of Santiago Castro, a younger player with a lower salary spread across multiple years, exemplifies Roma's shift in strategy. Significant savings also came from the exits of El Aynaoui, Vaz, Ziółkowski and Kumbulla. Contract renewals for Dybala, Mancini, Cristante and Pellegrini followed the same model, reducing the fixed portion of salaries in favour of performance and appearance bonuses; these four extensions alone saved approximately 15 million euros. New arrivals Castro, Mora, Koulierakis, Molina, Balerdi and De Roon will cost around 25 million euros gross combined. Roma's overall wage reduction stands close to 45 million euros, reflecting the club's revised commercial approach as it attempts to satisfy UEFA's conditions set out in the 2022 settlement agreement.

Radio pundits across Rome's main sports stations have weighed in on the club's summer transfer window, with assessments ranging from 5.5 to 7.5 out of 10. The dominant theme is that Roma has strengthened their squad depth significantly but failed to address the most pressing gap: a left-sided winger to compete with Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack. Fabio Petruzzi gave the window 7.5, saying: "I'm optimistic: Roma is now clearly much stronger, as a squad, in mentality, as players. Between those who left and those who arrived there is a big difference. Between Balerdi and Ziolkowski there is a big difference, between Mora and El Shaarawy there is a big difference, but also between Castro and Dovbyk. For me you are now the second team behind Inter. Roma and Como in my view are up there; Roma has a bit more than the Lombards. There is a touch of disappointment—with something extra now you would be attached to Inter. But my rating is 7.5." Francesca Ferrazza graded it six, saying it would have been seven with Leweling and eight with Greenwood, and called the absence of a left winger "madness." She noted: "Gasperini closes his third transfer window without a left-sided forward. It's madness. The squad is wider, but a starter is missing up front." Other voices offered lower marks. Paolo Cosenza gave 5.5, arguing the bench is too thin and that Gasperini had asked for both a high and low left-sided winger but Roma supplied neither. Lorenzo Pes pointed out there is no left-footed fullback and that deals for Leweling and initially an alternative fell through, with reports of regime indecision before a revised offer to the German was made but rejected. Roberto Pruzzo awarded six, saying: "You've widened the options, you have two very strong centre-forwards. Castro in my view could play in any team in the championship, I won't even mention Malen. Mora will be able to help from the bench. You needed to sign a winger and it didn't happen, and so that's my assessment. There is no new starter compared to last year." Piero Torri suggested Roma may explore free agents including Sancho or Sterling to address the problem, saying: "I believe Roma will think about it. If Dybala stays fit over the coming months, the problem doesn't exist, because Dybala and Malen play there, and then you pick the third. If luck smiles on Roma and from now until 31 December, the absence of the left winger can become less damaging. But in any case I would go out and get a seventh player up front." The window closed with the squad expanded but incomplete.

Stephan El Shaarawy is nearing a move to Genoa after leaving Roma as a free agent. The negotiations have entered their final stages, with El Shaarawy ready to complete the transfer and both clubs working through the remaining details ahead of a medical examination and contract signature. As a free agent, El Shaarawy can be registered even after the summer transfer window closes. Daniele De Rossi, now Genoa's manager, played a key role in the move — the two know each other well after sharing a dressing room at Roma and with the Italian national team. El Shaarawy's departure marks the end of his time at Roma, where he has been since January 2021. His exit comes as another squad change for the club in what has been an eventful summer window. The move reunites him with De Rossi in a fresh partnership in Serie A. For El Shaarawy, the Genoa switch represents a return to his roots. He came through Genoa's youth academy and made his Serie A debut for the club in the 2008–09 season before embarking on a career that took him to Padova, AC Milan, Monaco, Roma, and Shanghai Shenhua. Now, at 34 years old, the circle closes where it began.

Roma's year-long pursuit of a left-winger with a right foot — explicitly requested by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini — remains unsatisfied as the summer transfer window closes. The club has followed profiles including Summerville, Greenwood, Nusa and Leweling, whose transfer fell through at the final stage, but has secured none of them. With the ordinary transfer window now shut, the only attacking option added to the squad is young midfielder Rodrigo Mora, and Roma's recruitment staff has turned to free agents as a last resort. Jadon Sancho, the English forward born in 2001, stands as the highest-profile available name. Sancho rejected Roma's approach last summer and saw a rumoured move to Palmeiras collapse; he remains without a club and is valued at around €18 million. His signing would present two obstacles: wages of approximately €6 million per year and the need to regain full match fitness after months of individual training. Stephan El Shaarawy, who departed Verona and is now a free agent, represents a second option — a returnee who knows the environment well. Reiss Nelson, 26, and Wilfried Zaha, 33, recently back from MLS, are also being monitored, while on the defensive side Raphaël Guerreiro, freshly released by Bayern Munich, offers international experience and attacking threat from the left flank. The management is reviewing a range of free-agent possibilities to complete the squad and provide Gasperini with the missing piece.

Roma's transfer window has closed without securing a left-sided forward despite summer pursuit, but head coach Gian Piero Gasperini could still recruit from the free-agent pool. Under UEFA rules, players with contracts ending by 30 June can be registered in Italy until 31 March 2027, though Roma face a midnight deadline today (2 September) to submit their Champions League squad list for the league phase. The club is weighing four possibilities, each carrying distinct advantages and risks. Jadon Sancho, 26, tops the list as the most surprising candidate. The English winger remains free after a year in which Gasperini had him near the top of his wishlist; Roma pursued him heavily through the summer before the move stalled. Sancho's credentials are strong — he possesses one-on-one quality, can operate from both flanks, and offers the dribbling Roma lacks. Yet his recent career has been marked by instability. In 2022 he was removed from Manchester United's squad for months while manager Erik ten Hag spoke publicly of issues "physical but also mental"; Sancho had suffered deeply following racial abuse after missing a penalty in Euro 2020. His clash with Ten Hag escalated when the manager excluded him over training standards. Sancho responded publicly that he had been made a "scapegoat" and refused to apologise, leading to months of separation from the first team. The paradox is acute: a year ago he seemed essential to Gasperini's Roma; today he is available on a free transfer yet no club has moved decisively. Raheem Sterling, 31, matches Roma's attacking profile more closely — rapid, capable of striking the run, and able to play on either wing. His peak at Manchester City saw him convert recoveries into chances within seconds. Yet Sterling requires relaunching after Premier League decline and a brief, unsuccessful spell at Feyenoord. Additionally, he faces a legal issue in England: he has been formally accused of dangerous driving and possessing nitrous oxide and must appear in court in September. Wilfried Zaha, 33, offers less glamour but technical appeal. The right-footed winger, liberated by Galatasaray's contract end, has maintained fitness at Crystal Palace facilities. He possesses physicality, dribbling, acceleration and directness — qualities Gasperini values — and scored 13 goals with 14 assists in 46 appearances for Charlotte in MLS. Yet at 33, he has drifted from elite European football; neither Galatasaray nor Lyon could keep him after his Crystal Palace exit. The doubt centres on whether he can sustain the intensity, pressing and continuity Gasperini demands. Stephan El Shaarawy rounds the options. The 33-year-old remains free after ending his long Roma career and knows Trigoria completely, requiring no adaptation. He played 20 times last season with one goal and two assists. The difficulty is blunt: if Roma chose months ago not to extend his contract, why bring him back? He would broaden the squad but would not solve Gasperini's search for an explosive, powerful new winger capable of winning matches outright.