Vaz heading to Hull City; El Aynaoui among those Roma are willing to sell

Chelsea remain interested in Roma midfielder Manu Koné, according to Ben Jacobs, with the Premier League club reportedly wanting to add a midfielder in January. Koné is currently out with an injury and is expected to return after the international break, but he remains closely watched by top clubs across Europe. Koné joined Roma from Borussia Mönchengladbach in August 2024 on a loan with an obligation to buy, a deal worth €18m. His continued appeal to Chelsea underlines the attention his performances have attracted from elite clubs. Chelsea's interest is not the only pressure on the club's midfield situation, as the London side are also linked with other targets. Chelsea's other reported midfield targets include Scott of Bournemouth and Camara of Monaco.

Manu Koné remains one of Roma's most sought-after players, with Premier League clubs monitoring the French midfielder. He is currently sidelined with a first-degree injury picked up in the Champions League clash with Real Madrid, but his strong start to the season has not gone unnoticed at Chelsea. According to Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport and TalkSport, the Blues consider him one of their main targets to strengthen their squad. Koné is not the only name on Chelsea's list. Camara of Monaco is also included, and most notably Scott of Bournemouth, who is reportedly Xabi Alonso's preferred option but is valued at around €100 million. After Chelsea's pressure this summer, a fresh attempt in January is not ruled out. Roma, however, have no intention of letting Koné go midway through the season, particularly in a campaign full of ambition and prospects.

Roma sporting director D'Amico is already working ahead of the January transfer window, with David Moses of Slavia Prague emerging as a target, according to Africafoot and Ekrem Konur. The aim is to broaden the squad available to Gasperini, who continues to request reinforcements in several key roles. Midfield is a priority. Recent injuries to Manu Koné and Bryan Cristante have highlighted the need for more alternatives in the department. Moses, born in 2002, is one of the fixed starters at Slavia Prague, who are currently dominating the Czech league. Moses's contract runs until June 2029, and his valuation is reportedly around €10 million.

Robinio Vaz's injury scare has eased, with the Roma loanee back in training after tests ruled out significant damage, while Neil El Aynaoui endured a bruising week in Europe and Bundesliga. Vaz, on loan at Hull City, came on in the 68th minute of their Premier League trip to Fulham, a 1-0 defeat decided by a goal from Iwobi. In stoppage time, at the 94th minute, he was hit hard by Ryan Sessegnon in the Achilles area. Sessegnon was sent off with a straight red card, and Vaz had to leave the pitch accompanied by medical staff. Initial impressions were worrying, but the subsequent checks were far more reassuring: the MRI scan showed no significant injury and Vaz returned to training on Tuesday 20 October. He recorded no goals or assists in the minutes he played against Fulham. Whether he will be available for the next game against Brentford remains to be confirmed. El Aynaoui, on loan at RB Leipzig, played three matches in a few days with mixed results. Leipzig beat PSV Eindhoven 1-0 in the Champions League thanks to a goal from Gruda, and El Aynaoui started and played the full 90 minutes. The Moroccan midfielder then started the Bundesliga trip to Bayern Munich, who thrashed Leipzig 6-1. He stayed on the pitch from start to finish but could not turn the game, which Bayern dominated. On 21 October Leipzig suffered another European defeat, losing 4-1 at the Bernabéu to Real Madrid. El Aynaoui again started alongside Seiwald but was replaced in the 63rd minute by Rocco Reitz, with Leipzig already two goals down. He recorded no goals or assists across the three matches, but he logged significant minutes that confirm his place in Demichelis's rotation. The heavy defeats to Bayern and Real Madrid left the team with a very negative overall record. Anass Salah-Eddine, on loan at Panathinaikos, is showing encouraging signs as the Moroccan wing-back fights for a place in the Greek side. He was not in the squad for the 2-1 win over Borac Banja Luka in the first matchday of the Conference League League Phase on 15 October. Three days later he started and played all 90 minutes of a comprehensive 5-1 league win over Asteras Tripolis. In the 47th minute he surged down the left flank and delivered a precise ball to Taborda, whose header was cleared off the line by Papakanellos. It was a good move that could have brought an assist but did not appear on the scoresheet. Salah-Eddine recorded no goal, official assist or card, but gave positive indications of his ability to support the attack. Panathinaikos return to Conference League action today against Kairat Almaty. Filippo Reale continues his good form at Carrarese, where he is increasingly picked by Guido Pagliuca. The centre-back, born in 2006, started and played the full 90 minutes in Carrarese's 2-1 home win over Modena, with goals from Abiuso and Rubino before Belotti replied for the visitors. He helped protect the lead in the closing stages as part of the back three. The most unusual moment came in the 96th minute, when Reale embarked on a long run from his own half, covered the entire left flank and shot into the box, only to send his diagonal effort wide. Carrarese have now won consecutive matches. Radoslaw Zelezny was also impressive for Perugia, starting in their 5-1 win at Campobasso. He played the entire game and conceded only Stoppa's equaliser in the 35th minute, before Perugia pulled clear in the second half. He was not held responsible for the goal, and SportPerugia gave him a 6 for his precise handling and his lack of blame. Marco Litti came off the bench for Lecco in their 5-0 win over Pro Vercelli, replacing Manetti in the 59th minute, when Manetti had scored the goal that made it 3-0. Litti took up position on the flank and helped manage the lead over the final half hour. He recorded no goal, assist or booking. Mohamed Seck, meanwhile, remains in a difficult spell with Foggia, who lost 3-1 at Giugliano in the Monday 19 October fixture. Seck was named in the back three by Gaetano Auteri and played the full game. Ravasio gave Foggia the lead in the 16th minute, but Baldé and De Rosa turned the match around before the break, and Esposito added the final goal after the restart. Seck was booked in the 21st minute. Foggia have conceded six goals in their last two league games. Luigi Cherubini, on loan at Benevento, was on the bench for their 2-2 home draw with Vicenza, having scored against Cesena. He came on for Lamesta in the 65th minute, with Benevento ahead 2-0 through Siatounis and Kouan. In the second half Benevento gradually lost control and were pegged back by goals from Corazza and Caferri.

Robinio Vaz has failed to take off since his move to Rome, and his spell at Hull City has started badly too. Roma invested 25 million to bring the Frenchman to the capital, but he has not justified the outlay. His attempts to fit into Gian Piero Gasperini's system proved more difficult than expected, with little playing time, plenty of time on the bench and a single goal, against Lecce. That was not enough to convince Gasperini, who did not change his mind even during the summer training camp, and so the club opted to send him out on loan. Hull City were meant to be the chance to restart his career. Instead, the story is repeating itself. In England Vaz is also finding minutes hard to come by: he started only once in the cup, followed by cameo appearances and spells on the bench. To make matters worse, he was injured against Fulham, leaving the pitch limping. It is not a good omen. It is a blow for Hull, who must now do without the Frenchman. No recovery timeframe has yet been set. Hull hold a buy-option fixed at 30 million, but confirming it is far from guaranteed. If his performances stay at this level, it will be hard to see the English club deciding to keep backing him. Roma are watching and waiting. The 25 million invested by Massara is still in search of an answer.

Roma's loan contingent produced mixed results across European and domestic competitions this week, with midfielder Luigi Cherubini and midfielder Neil El Aynaoui delivering attacking contributions while others awaited their chance. Cherubini, on loan at Benevento with a right of option and obligation to buy, scored in the 93rd minute of Benevento's 2–0 win over Cesena. Introduced from the bench in the 79th minute, the 2004-born winger capitalized on a defensive error by Ilic, rounded the goalkeeper and finished to seal victory. He was booked in the 81st minute and initially had a goal ruled out for offside before his late winner. The performance earned him a rating of 7 from BeneventoNews24 and PianetaSerieB as Benevento secured a third consecutive victory. El Aynaoui, a midfielder on loan at RB Lipsia with a right of rescission, provided the assist for Banzuzi's opening goal after just one minute in a 6–0 Bundesliga demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt. Deployed in the starting lineup by Demichelis, El Aynaoui contributed to a dominant first half that saw Lipsia lead 4–0 at the interval, including a hat-trick from Nkunku. He was booked in the 27th minute and substituted in the 58th when the scoreline already stood at 5–0. Elsewhere, defender Filippo Reale (Carrarese, on loan with option and counter-option) played the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 away win over Padova, maintaining a clean sheet. Young defender Mohamed Seck (Foggia, on loan) completed all 90 minutes in a 3–1 home defeat to Potenza and received a rating of 5, criticized for poor positioning during the opposition's counter-attacks. Forward Artem Dovbyk (Bologna, on loan with right of rescission) returned to the squad after a muscular injury to his flexors but remained unused on the bench in Bologna's 2–1 away win at Lecce. Forward Robinio Vaz (Hull City) was named in the squad for a 2–2 Premier League draw against Everton but played no part, remaining on the bench for the full 90 minutes.

Roma and Inter will meet on the pitch this Saturday as the Serie A leaders, but behind the fixture lies a stark contrast in how their respective owners build and sustain their projects. Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma have invested €211 million in player acquisitions since his arrival, while Cristian Chivu's Inter have spent €186 million—a gap of €25 million that illustrates the Friedkin Group's commitment to backing the sporting project despite UEFA financial fair play constraints. By contrast, Inter's ownership under Oaktree has prioritised economic and financial stability. The €211 million Roma figure spans the campaigns that began with Gasperini's appointment. In the 2025–26 season, Roma spent €86.5 million, with Wesley arriving for €25 million and Neil El Aynaoui for €23 million, alongside Robinio Vaz (€20 million), Jan Ziółkowski (€6.5 million), and several expensive loans including Donyell Malen, Bailey, Evan Ferguson, Daniele Ghilardi and Zaragoza. The acceleration came this summer: the Friedkin Group approved €124.5 million for 2026–27, comprising Santiago Castro (€35 million), Rodrigo Mora (€25 million), Malen's permanent transfer (€25 million), Konstantinos Koulierakis (€16.5 million), Nahuel Molina (€13 million), Ghilardi's purchase (€8 million), Marten de Roon (€1 million) and Leonardo Balerdi's loan (€1 million). The Porto agreement for Mora includes a further €25 million for 2027 or 50 per cent of any future sale. The contrast deepens when examining the wider impact on club finances. Since summer 2025, Roma's squad costs—including salaries, depreciation and loan fees—have risen by approximately €15 million, while Inter's have fallen by approximately €10 million. The Friedkin Group has covered losses through fresh capital injections, accepting red accounts to sustain sporting growth; Roma has not closed a profitable financial year since their 2020 arrival, with 2025–26 expected to end in loss. Oaktree delivered a €35 million profit in its first Inter season and is preparing to close the next year in the black. Both approaches remain valid: Chivu inherited a structured squad already competing at the highest level, while Gasperini was tasked with rebuilding after Roma's seven-year absence from the Champions League. Saturday's direct clash will test both strategies on the pitch. One club has chosen acceleration to close the gap; the other is maintaining competitiveness while reducing the squad's economic burden.

Roma's evolution under coach Gian Piero Gasperini has taken shape across two decisive fixtures—the Champions League debut against Fenerbahce in Istanbul on Thursday and a four-day-later trip to Turin against Torino—that showcase the impact of the summer transfer market overhaul steered by new sporting director D'Amico. In the first match, Roma's return to Europe's elite competition after a seven-year absence saw Gasperini field performers who had earned third place in Serie A. Against Torino, however, two summer signings started, with three more introduced during play as Roma secured a fourth consecutive league win. Despite missing three key players—Evan N'Dicka, Wesley, and Manu Koné—Roma maintained tactical identity and attacking threat at Turin, underlining how the summer reinforcements have strengthened the squad's reliability compared to the previous season. The shift in personnel tells the story plainly. A year ago, Gasperini would have replaced N'Dicka and Wesley with Kostas Tsimikas and Jan Ziółkowski; neither remains at Trigoria. Manu Koné's role would have gone to Neil El Aynaoui, who has been moved on after one season, as have Tsimikas and Ziółkowski. In their place came Leonardo Balerdi and Nahuel Molina, both Argentine internationals—Balerdi absent from last year's World Cup only through injury, Molina a Qatar winner alongside Paulo Dybala and recently a World Cup runner-up. Niccolò Pisilli, grown into his role at the start of 2026 and a national team player, has inherited Koné's midfield spot. Gasperini paired Balerdi immediately with Marten de Roon, who arrived from Bergamo in the final moments of the window and played more than half the second half against Torino. Lorenzo Pellegrini, called up after five months out, extended Gasperini's roster of captains—the coach has made clear he possesses multiple leaders beyond Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini. Gasperini operates what he calls the "law of sixteen," seeking to deploy the same core of players in every match to guarantee brilliance, intensity and competitive edge. He refuses publicly to divide his squad into starters and substitutes; there is no difference between a player who begins and one who enters in progress. New sporting director D'Amico's tenure has produced a squad numerically smaller than its predecessor, as D'Amico himself acknowledged, yet Gasperini presented it at full strength in Turin. The article notes that one or two adjustments in January may be needed to perfect the squad further.

Roma's radio commentators dissected yesterday's victory in the context of the title race and squad depth, with particular focus on Leonardo Balerdi's impact and Rodrigo Mora's early form. Mario Corsi declared that only Roma, Inter and Como are serious contenders: "I'm not saying we win the Scudetto tomorrow, but it's real that there are Roma, Inter and Como. Full stop. But where do the others go…" David Rossi highlighted Balerdi's performance against the established order, saying: "I said this would take the place from N'Dicka, and yesterday he took it from him. How can Balerdi not be the starter on Saturday?…" Roma's campaign statistics drew praise—12 goals scored and just 1 conceded in the league so far—with Gianluca Piacentini observing that Roma have the best defence in Serie A, while Francesca Ferrazza identified European football as the decisive factor: "The discriminant for the Scudetto will be the Champions League. Roma, Inter and Como all play it—that's the key." Bareldi's defensive prowess dominated discussion. Piacentini described him as "maestro" and confessed: "I'm totally in love with Balerdi, and I'm developing a crush on Lulli." Mario Corsi compared him to Samuel, while Piero Torri acknowledged the central-back dilemma: "I believe Roma will buy him outright. He has everything: he's quick, strong in the air, elegant…the problem is he seems like a proper centre-back, and there's N'Dicka there." Sandro Sabatini expressed surprise at the overall squad calibre, asking rhetorically: "Is Balerdi, Roma's fourth defender, this strong? Is Pisilli, the fourth midfielder, this strong? And Lulli, unknown until mid-August, this strong? Roma are sending very important signals, both collectively and from individuals." Alessio Nardo noted the squad's transformation over the past year: "If a year ago you were missing N'Dicka, Wesley and Koné, you'd have played with a far less developed Pisilli, Tsimikas and Ziółkowski. Today you have new starters whom you now struggle to exclude." Roberto Pruzzo offered a critical take on Mora's play: "If he plays 20 metres from goal he can be decisive, but at 40–50 metres from goal it seems like a mess to me." Corsi defended the midfielder's early contribution: "Now I read a lot of criticism of Mora, but he arrived the day before yesterday…enough, let's wait. We need him a lot." Niccolò Pisilli drew praise for his performance in an unfamiliar role, while Marten de Roon impressed Lorenzo Pes: "He knows everything by heart, he's brought order and is an added value. He shouldn't be a starter, but at the right moments he knows how to manage traffic." Nando Orsi confirmed Roma's merit in yesterday's win but tempered expectations: "Roma clearly deserved to win, didn't thrill me like other matches, but that was predictable. We're only at the fifth game; I'd wait for the tenth, but if one of the two wins on Saturday there would already be a hierarchy." Gasperini was credited with instilling tactical intensity, with Corsi stating: "Gasperini has put a sporting nastiness into the players, and now they all run in a remarkable way." Roma face Inter in what multiple commentators framed as a title-defining fixture within weeks of the season's start. The squad's depth and injury management were identified as potential deciding factors in the campaign ahead.

Neil El Aynaoui has impressed at RB Leipzig, and a permanent move to the German club in June is looking increasingly likely. The midfielder had asked to leave Roma towards the end of the summer transfer window, having not fully convinced Gasperini to give him a leading role at the club. Player and coach spoke calmly with each other and found a solution in the final week of the window, which allowed the Moroccan to win a place in the Leipzig starting line-up. He has made 9 appearances this season, with one assist and three consecutive starts in the Champions League. According to the latest information from Germany, Leipzig are satisfied with the Moroccan's performances, and the obligation to buy is looking more and more probable in June. Leipzig have already paid 3 million plus 1 million in bonuses for his loan. They hold an option to buy for 25 million plus 3 million, up to a maximum of 28 million. Roma could therefore make a useful profit on a sale in June. The club also holds a 20% sell-on clause, which it could collect in the future should Leipzig increase his value further.

Robinio Vaz's injury scare has eased, with the Roma loanee back in training after tests ruled out significant damage, while Neil El Aynaoui endured a bruising week in Europe and Bundesliga. Vaz, on loan at Hull City, came on in the 68th minute of their Premier League trip to Fulham, a 1-0 defeat decided by a goal from Iwobi. In stoppage time, at the 94th minute, he was hit hard by Ryan Sessegnon in the Achilles area. Sessegnon was sent off with a straight red card, and Vaz had to leave the pitch accompanied by medical staff. Initial impressions were worrying, but the subsequent checks were far more reassuring: the MRI scan showed no significant injury and Vaz returned to training on Tuesday 20 October. He recorded no goals or assists in the minutes he played against Fulham. Whether he will be available for the next game against Brentford remains to be confirmed. El Aynaoui, on loan at RB Leipzig, played three matches in a few days with mixed results. Leipzig beat PSV Eindhoven 1-0 in the Champions League thanks to a goal from Gruda, and El Aynaoui started and played the full 90 minutes. The Moroccan midfielder then started the Bundesliga trip to Bayern Munich, who thrashed Leipzig 6-1. He stayed on the pitch from start to finish but could not turn the game, which Bayern dominated. On 21 October Leipzig suffered another European defeat, losing 4-1 at the Bernabéu to Real Madrid. El Aynaoui again started alongside Seiwald but was replaced in the 63rd minute by Rocco Reitz, with Leipzig already two goals down. He recorded no goals or assists across the three matches, but he logged significant minutes that confirm his place in Demichelis's rotation. The heavy defeats to Bayern and Real Madrid left the team with a very negative overall record. Anass Salah-Eddine, on loan at Panathinaikos, is showing encouraging signs as the Moroccan wing-back fights for a place in the Greek side. He was not in the squad for the 2-1 win over Borac Banja Luka in the first matchday of the Conference League League Phase on 15 October. Three days later he started and played all 90 minutes of a comprehensive 5-1 league win over Asteras Tripolis. In the 47th minute he surged down the left flank and delivered a precise ball to Taborda, whose header was cleared off the line by Papakanellos. It was a good move that could have brought an assist but did not appear on the scoresheet. Salah-Eddine recorded no goal, official assist or card, but gave positive indications of his ability to support the attack. Panathinaikos return to Conference League action today against Kairat Almaty. Filippo Reale continues his good form at Carrarese, where he is increasingly picked by Guido Pagliuca. The centre-back, born in 2006, started and played the full 90 minutes in Carrarese's 2-1 home win over Modena, with goals from Abiuso and Rubino before Belotti replied for the visitors. He helped protect the lead in the closing stages as part of the back three. The most unusual moment came in the 96th minute, when Reale embarked on a long run from his own half, covered the entire left flank and shot into the box, only to send his diagonal effort wide. Carrarese have now won consecutive matches. Radoslaw Zelezny was also impressive for Perugia, starting in their 5-1 win at Campobasso. He played the entire game and conceded only Stoppa's equaliser in the 35th minute, before Perugia pulled clear in the second half. He was not held responsible for the goal, and SportPerugia gave him a 6 for his precise handling and his lack of blame. Marco Litti came off the bench for Lecco in their 5-0 win over Pro Vercelli, replacing Manetti in the 59th minute, when Manetti had scored the goal that made it 3-0. Litti took up position on the flank and helped manage the lead over the final half hour. He recorded no goal, assist or booking. Mohamed Seck, meanwhile, remains in a difficult spell with Foggia, who lost 3-1 at Giugliano in the Monday 19 October fixture. Seck was named in the back three by Gaetano Auteri and played the full game. Ravasio gave Foggia the lead in the 16th minute, but Baldé and De Rosa turned the match around before the break, and Esposito added the final goal after the restart. Seck was booked in the 21st minute. Foggia have conceded six goals in their last two league games. Luigi Cherubini, on loan at Benevento, was on the bench for their 2-2 home draw with Vicenza, having scored against Cesena. He came on for Lamesta in the 65th minute, with Benevento ahead 2-0 through Siatounis and Kouan. In the second half Benevento gradually lost control and were pegged back by goals from Corazza and Caferri.

Roma's loan contingent produced mixed results across European and domestic competitions this week, with midfielder Luigi Cherubini and midfielder Neil El Aynaoui delivering attacking contributions while others awaited their chance. Cherubini, on loan at Benevento with a right of option and obligation to buy, scored in the 93rd minute of Benevento's 2–0 win over Cesena. Introduced from the bench in the 79th minute, the 2004-born winger capitalized on a defensive error by Ilic, rounded the goalkeeper and finished to seal victory. He was booked in the 81st minute and initially had a goal ruled out for offside before his late winner. The performance earned him a rating of 7 from BeneventoNews24 and PianetaSerieB as Benevento secured a third consecutive victory. El Aynaoui, a midfielder on loan at RB Lipsia with a right of rescission, provided the assist for Banzuzi's opening goal after just one minute in a 6–0 Bundesliga demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt. Deployed in the starting lineup by Demichelis, El Aynaoui contributed to a dominant first half that saw Lipsia lead 4–0 at the interval, including a hat-trick from Nkunku. He was booked in the 27th minute and substituted in the 58th when the scoreline already stood at 5–0. Elsewhere, defender Filippo Reale (Carrarese, on loan with option and counter-option) played the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 away win over Padova, maintaining a clean sheet. Young defender Mohamed Seck (Foggia, on loan) completed all 90 minutes in a 3–1 home defeat to Potenza and received a rating of 5, criticized for poor positioning during the opposition's counter-attacks. Forward Artem Dovbyk (Bologna, on loan with right of rescission) returned to the squad after a muscular injury to his flexors but remained unused on the bench in Bologna's 2–1 away win at Lecce. Forward Robinio Vaz (Hull City) was named in the squad for a 2–2 Premier League draw against Everton but played no part, remaining on the bench for the full 90 minutes.