AS Roma embark on a decisive summer under Gian Piero Gasperini, who favors targeted upgrades over a full rebuild. The new coach has prioritized securing key contracts — notably Lorenzo Pellegrini, Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante — while preparing to offload a number of fringe players to balance the wage bill and sharpen the squad ahead of the next Serie A campaign.
Gasperini sets the agenda: evolution, not reconstruction
Gian Piero Gasperini has made Roma’s summer plan crystal clear: improve a solid core rather than tear it down. That stance shifts the club from crisis management to purposeful refinement, with sporting priorities now aligning around tactical fit and experience. For a club that finished with mixed results, the message is significant — stability plus smart additions could yield immediate gains in Serie A and European competitiveness.
Immediate contract priorities
Lorenzo Pellegrini — captain and bargaining chip
Lorenzo Pellegrini sits top of the list for a renewal. Gasperini values his technical quality and leadership, which makes a new deal a priority for continuity in midfield and the dressing room. Keeping Pellegrini would safeguard Roma’s creative spine and avoid destabilising the team’s playmaking core.
Defensive anchors: Mancini, Cristante and Hermoso
Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante are expected to be offered contract extensions. Both provide tactical versatility and institutional memory that Gasperini can deploy within his preferred systems. Mario Hermoso’s future looks more straightforward: Roma hold an option to extend, which would preserve centre-back depth and continuity without a panic buy.
Planned departures and unsettled cases
Players likely to move on
Several squad members are being earmarked for exits to free minutes and wages. Stephan El Shaarawy, Kostas Tsimikas and Evan Ferguson are among those expected to leave as Roma reshape the periphery around the starting lineup. Artem Dovbyk also appears surplus after failing to secure Gasperini’s trust on the pitch.
Uncertain futures: Angelino, Ndicka, Kone
Other names remain in limbo. Angelino, Evan Ndicka and Manu Kone face evaluations tied to form, suitability and the club’s financial timetable. Decisions here will be pragmatic — driven by transfer market interest, internal assessments of fit and balancing the squad ahead of the transfer window deadline.
Financial reality: deadlines shape sporting choices
Roma’s summer decisions are not purely footballing. Financial constraints and end-of-June timing compress negotiations and transfer activity. Expect a pragmatic approach: renew core contracts where value is clear, trim the wage bill via sales or loans, and only pursue targeted additions that complement Gasperini’s tactical blueprint.
Tactical implications and what this means for Serie A
Gasperini’s preference for incremental improvement suggests Roma will be more coherent next season. Retaining leaders such as Pellegrini and Mancini provides a platform to implement pressing, intensity and transitional patterns consistent with Gasperini’s methods. For Serie A rivals, a more stable Roma — tactically sharper and financially tidier — is a club to monitor rather than underestimate.
Next steps: negotiations, assessments, and transfer market timing
The coming weeks should bring renewed contract talks, final evaluations of fringe players during training and rapid moves to conclude sales that affect compliance and budget. Roma’s board and Gasperini must align quickly: getting the core secured first will clarify how aggressive they can be in the market without compromising financial prudence.
Bottom line
This summer is less about wholesale change and more about clarity of purpose.
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Under Gasperini, Roma appear set to protect their best assets, cut loose misfits, and pursue measured reinforcements — a strategy that, if executed cleanly, could stabilise results and restore momentum in Serie A.
Football Italia
