Get today’s transfer updates with the Football Italia Transfer Show on YouTube with fresh news on Paulo Dybala, Nico Paz, Curtis Jones and much more.

The new episode of the Football Italia Transfer Show has dropped on our YouTube channel.

Football Italia Transfer Show: July 19, 2026

It’s been another day with plenty of juicy updates from Serie A, starting with Corriere dello Sport’s report that Nico Paz’s decision to stay at Como for one more season has upset Real Madrid, who still want to bring the Argentine back to the Bernabeu and have warned Cesc Fabregas’ side that they’ll need to pay €60m to remove Madrid’s buy-back option.

According to Gazzetta, Juventus have sounded out Paulo Dybala’s availability to return to Turin as contract extension talks between La Joya and the Giallorossi are still stalling and the striker’s contract expires on June 30, 2026.

Inter are keen on Liverpool’s Curtis Jones, but the Reds are reluctant to let the Englishman leave for less than €30m.

Get the most relevant updates on the Football Italia Transfer Show. Watch the full episode below.

Genoa have officially announced the return of Tommaso Baldanzi in a permanent deal from Roma following a successful loan spell under Daniele De Rossi in the second half of the 2025-26 season. 

The 23-year-old has returned to Genoa on another initial loan, although this time for the whole of the 2026-27 season, in a deal that also includes an obligation to buy. 

Reports earlier this week indicated that Genoa’s obligation to buy clause will be in the region of €9.5m. It is believed that Baldanzi will sign a contract until the end of the 2029/30 season once his obligation to buy clause has been triggered. 

This is the third time that De Rossi has signed Baldanzi: Initially bringing him to Roma from Empoli almost immediately after his appointment as Giallorossi head coach in 2024. De Rossi also brought Baldanzi to Genoa on loan in January and he is now back for a third stint for the 2026-27 season onwards. 

He will continue to wear the no.8 shirt for Genoa heading into the 2026-27 campaign. 

Baldanzi returns to Genoa on a permanent deal from Roma: Club statement 

“Genoa CFC announces the completed return of Tommaso Baldanzi from AS Roma,” read a statement. 

“The transfer will consist of a loan and an obligation to buy. The 2003-born midfielder, who arrived on loan with an option to buy from the Giallorossi during the January transfer window, proved to be an important figure in the team’s attacking play during the second half of the season, racking up eight appearances and two assists for the Rossoblu. 

“Tommaso will be a big player for the Grifone in the 2026-27 season.” 

Baldanzi himself added: “I’m thrilled to be able to continue this adventure in the Grifone shirt. I can’t wait to get back on the pitch in these colours. 

“I feel like I have a lot to give, and I know that I still have a lot to prove in front of the Rossoblu fans, who made me feel right at home from my first day here in Genoa.”

Fabio Capello is celebrating his 80th birthday on Thursday and has named the best players he has worked with in his career to date, the best ‘pupil’ that he has taught and has looked back on his most memorable highlights from a career that spanned over 50 years. 

Capello’s 80th birthday interview: ‘Herrera lightyears ahead, Cassano made me too angry’

As a player, Capello was a four-time Scudetto winner and lifted trophies with Roma, Juventus and Milan, before embarking on a managerial career that would take him back to Milan, Roma, Juve but also to Real Madrid, and the England and Russia national teams. 

Capello won nine trophies while in charge of Milan, including the 1993-94 Champions League, two league titles with Real Madrid, two trophies with Roma and two league titles with Juventus that were later revoked. 

Speaking in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Capello says that there are three main coaches that have given him the most inspiration. 

“I tried to take something from all of their methods. I copied a lot from (Helenio) Herrera, a great motivator, lightyears ahead of the rest. I won my first trophy with him, the Coppa Italia in 1969, beating Cagliari with Riva, the greatest striker around by some distance. 

“(Nils) Liedholm, on the other hand, made you believe that you wanted to do something, even if it was actually just him who wanted you to do it. 

“(Nereo) Rocco understood football brilliantly. He was very direct, no beating around the bush.” 

And what are Capello’s favourite memories from his playing career?

“The early days,” he replied. “The first trophies: The first Coppa Italia, the first Scudetto with Juve, putting the star on the shirt with Rivera’s Milan, the strongest team I played in. 

“As a coach, the best feeling of all was the 1994 Champions League which we won against all odds, so that was even more beautiful.” 

Capello says that De Rossi was his best ‘student’, i.e. players that he has coached that have gone on to have their own coaching career. 

“If I have to name one, I would say De Rossi. I gave him his debut at Roma, I invested a lot in him, so out of affection, I would say Daniele.” 

And who is the best player that Capello has had the honour of coaching?

“Ronaldo, o Fenomeno. He was an absolute champion. It’s a shame he didn’t want to make any more sacrifices. And in Madrid, they forced me to sell him. 

“Another out-of-this-world talent was Cassano, but he made me too angry: A talent that was lost.” 

The latest Football Italia Transfer Show is out on YouTube. Check out today’s most relevant updates from Italy.

Italy international Marco Palestra is expected to join Inter by next week, as the newly crowned Serie A champions had a positive meeting with Atalanta on Thursday and are close to reaching an agreement over the full-back’s transfer fee.

Inter have moved quickly to replace Denzel Dumfries, who will move to Real Madrid for €20m.

Serie A transfer round-up June 18

Inter’s city rivals Milan are still looking for a director of football and a sporting director, and the uncertainty regarding the club’s management has unsettled some key members of the team, such as Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot, according to Gazzetta and Corriere dello Sport.

Both Frenchmen are reportedly considering leaving Milan this summer, even though they have not yet made any public statement about their intentions, unlike their teammate Rafael Leao.

Jonathan David, on the other hand, wants to stay at Juventus to prove his worth in 2026-27, and according to Gazzetta, the Canadian’s stance complicates the Bianconeri’s search for a new centre-forward.

Roma remain keen on Mason Greenwood, and it is cheaper for the Giallorossi to sign the Englishman by the end of the month than from July 1.

As reported by Gazzetta, Marseille might be forced by financial difficulties to accept a €50m fee, including add-ons, to sell Greenwood before June 30, while, from July 1, a €60m clause will activate for the ex-Manchester United winger.

Find out today’s transfer updates in the Football Italia Transfer Show

Reports in Italy claim that Roma are prepared to increase their current offer for Mason Greenwood, but there is a race against time to strike a deal with Marseille, who must raise funds before the end of the month to comply with FFP regulations. 

Where Roma stand in negotiations for Greenwood

Roma have been targeting the signing of former Manchester United forward Greenwood for several weeks and recent updates claim that there is an agreement in principle on personal terms with the 24-year-old for an initial salary of €4.5m per season, which could rise over the years. 

Roma have not yet come to an agreement with Marseille as things stand, though. Reports in Italy claim that Marseille value the Englishman in the region of €50m-€55m, while the Giallorossi have tabled an offer of €40m made up of an initial €5m loan fee, a €25m transfer fee and guaranteed bonuses of €10m. 

According to Thursday’s reports from the Corriere dello Sport, Roma are prepared to raise their offer to €45m including bonuses. 

Marseille, meanwhile, have been left needing to sell players in order to raise funds to comply with FFP regulations. Roma themselves learned on Wednesday that they will be fined €6m for failing to comply with the terms of an FFP settlement agreement during the financial year ending in 2025, but for Marseille, the situation is more severe and the club risk being excluded from UEFA competitions for the next three years if they do not raise funds before the end of June. 

From a budgeting perspective, it is important to remember that if Marseille were to sell a big-name player like Greenwood, they would be able to record a capital gain in full on their accounts for the current season, Meanwhile, if Roma were to sign Greenwood, they would be able to spread the cost of his purchase over several years of the player’s contract in the club’s accounts. 

Roma hope that the deadline for Marseille to raise funds will play into their hands and that the French side may be forced into lowering their asking price within the next few days. 

There is still pressure on Roma to get a deal done, as there have been suggestions that Atletico Madrid are also interested in a potential deal for Greenwood this summer.

Wednesday’s reports indicate that Tommaso Baldanzi is all set to join Genoa on a permanent basis after spending the second half of the 2025-26 season on loan from Roma. 

Genoa set to sign Baldanzi on loan with obligation to buy from Roma

Baldanzi joined Genoa on loan with an option to buy during the January transfer window, and despite making just eight appearances under Daniele De Rossi in the second half of the 2025-26 season, the Grifone have renegotiated with Roma and are set to sign the 23-year-old in a permanent deal. 

According to reports from TMW, Baldanzi will rejoin Genoa on another loan deal, but this time with an obligation to buy for a fee of €9.5m. 

This is a slightly lower figure than the option to buy that Genoa negotiated during the January transfer window. 

Wednesday’s reports claim that Baldanzi will sign a contract that will keep him with Genoa until the summer of 2030. 

Baldanzi was originally brought to Roma from Empoli by Genoa head coach De Rossi during the winter transfer window in 2024 in a deal reported to be worth €10m plus bonuses. 

UEFA have confirmed that Roma will be fined for a breach of FFP rules during the financial year ending in 2025, but Milan and Inter have met the terms of their agreements with European football’s governing body and will not be punished. 

Roma fined €6m by UEFA

UEFA imposed a series of restrictions upon Roma for the years spanning from 2022 and 2026 following a breach of financial fair play regulations during the 2021-22 season. The exact terms of the settlement agreement can be read on the UEFA website. 

UEFA have confirmed that in the financial year ending in 2025, Roma ‘slightly exceeded’ their interim financial targets and as a result, have been handed a €2m fine. 

Additionally, Roma broke UEFA’s squad cost ratio in the financial year ending in 2025, exceeding the required 70% limit, and for that breach, the Giallorossi have been fined a further €4m. 

Inter and Milan have also been operating under settlement agreements with UEFA, but according to Sky Sport Italia, they have fully complied with the regulations set out to them and will not face any further punishments.

Argentina vs Algeria features a wealth of Serie A connections, headlined by Inter captain Lautaro Martínez, who starts alongside Lionel Messi and Thiago Almada in a formidable attacking trio for the Albiceleste.

Como’s Nico Paz, one of Serie A’s breakout stars this season with six goals and nine assists, is among the substitutes for their World Cup opener, while Juventus’s Nicolás González, who spent last season on loan Atletico Madrid, is also in the squad.

The Serie A history runs deep across the entire Albiceleste party, Cristian Romero was Serie A’s Best Defender at Atalanta, Rodrigo De Paul spent five seasons at Udinese, Nahuel Molina was De Paul’s Udinese teammate, and Leandro Paredes had extensive time at Roma across multiple spells.

Molina features on the bench while Romero stars alongside Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez in central defence.

Juventus linked Emiliano Martinez starts in goal.

For Algeria, former Roma midfielder Houssem Aouar starts on the bench, having made 16 Serie A appearances for the Giallorossi in 2023-24.

Relegated Hellas Verona’s Rafik Belghali, however, is in the starting eleven.

Argentina vs Algeria – World Cup Lineups

Argentina: E.Martinez; Montiel, Romero, L.Martinez, Medina; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Messi, Lautaro, Almada.

Algeria: Zidane; Bensebaini, Mandi, Belghali, Ait-Nouri; Boudaoui, Chaibi, Bentaleb, Maza, Gouiri, Hadj Moussa.

Arsenal have reportedly agreed personal terms with Manu Koné and are pushing to complete a deal with Roma before the end of the month, with the French midfielder identified as Mikel Arteta’s primary midfield target this summer.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, via CalcioMercato, Koné, currently on World Cup duty with France, is understood to strongly favour a move to the Premier League, preferring Arsenal to both Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan, who had tracked him extensively last season.

The reigning English champions and Champions League finalists represent exactly the kind of challenge the Frenchman is seeking, though his entourage are in no rush to force a resolution while the World Cup is ongoing.

Roma weigh Koné sale as UEFA deadline forces hand ahead of Greenwood pursuit

Roma need to generate significant capital gains before June 30 to satisfy their UEFA settlement agreement, and with Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa making only tentative moves for Matias Soulé without submitting formal offers, the Koné route is becoming increasingly attractive as a solution.

Roma are asking €50 million for the midfielder, which would generate a profit of approximately €38 million given his residual book value of around €12 million.

Gasperini is prepared to sanction the sale, with the funds earmarked to pursue Mason Greenwood and potentially Crysencio Summerville.

Ismael Koné of Sassuolo has been identified as the ideal midfield replacement should the deal go through.

France get their World Cup campaign underway this afternoon when they face off against Senegal in New York, in the opening match of Group I before Iraq faces Norway later.

Didier Deschamps has started two Serie A teammates in Milan duo Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot, as he looks to get off to a flying start.

Former Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly starts in defence for the African side, whilst former teammate of Maignan in Theo Hernandez starts at left-back for France.

Como’s Assane Diao is on the bench for Senegal whilst Inter’s Marcus Thuram and Roma’s Manu Koné start on the bench for the European giants.

2026 World Cup – France vs Senegal – Official Lineups

France: Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Theo, Tchouameni, Rabiot; Doue, Olise, Dembele, Mbappe

Senegal: Mendy; Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, Diouf; Gueye, Camara, Gueye; Mane, Jackson, Sarr

Roma are under growing pressure to sell Matias Soulé before June 30, with Borussia Dortmund emerging as the most concrete suitor for the Argentine as the Giallorossi race to generate €50 million in capital gains to satisfy their UEFA settlement agreement obligations.

According to Sky Sport, via Goal, Roma value Soulé at around €30 million, a figure that would contribute significantly towards that target and help the club avoid fresh sanctions ahead of their return to the Champions League for the first time in seven years.

Dortmund lead race for Soulé as Roma eye two new forwards this summer

Dortmund’s interest is driven by their need to replace Julian Brandt, who departs on a free transfer this summer, and Soulé’s profile, seven goals and eight assists in 42 appearances last season despite battling a groin problem in the second half of the campaign, fits what they are looking for in attack.

For Roma, the logic of selling is clear.

Gasperini intends to keep Paulo Dybala and sign at least two new wide forwards, making Soulé effectively surplus to requirements. At €2 million net per season, his wages represent no real obstacle, but time is running out.

Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay takes place in Miami this evening, with two sides who will be eager to pick up the three points, given the shocking draw earlier today between tournament favourites Spain and debutants Cape Verde.

Either side can move top of Group H today with a win.

Saudi Arabia only have one Serie A connections in their team, with right-back Saud Abdulhamid, formerly of Roma, in the lineup.

Uruguay, meanwhile, have more connections than their opposition.

Defender Mathías Olivera currently plays for Napoli, whilst Rodrigo Bentancur, Matias Vina and Fernando Muslera also spent time in Italy’s top flight.

World Cup 2026 – Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay Lineups

Saudi Arabia: Alowais; Alamri, Altambakti, Alharbi, Abu Alshamat, Abdulhamid; Ajuwayr, Alkhaibari, Kanno; Albrikan, Al Dawsari

Uruguay: Fernando Muslera; Caceres, Valera, Olivera, Vina; Ugarte, Bentancur, Valverde, Araujo; Nunez, Vinas

Belgium vs Egypt takes place this evening in the opening World Cup Group G fixture, with two of Serie A’s most recognisable names expected to start for the Red Devils.

Kevin De Bruyne, who joined Napoli last summer, lines up alongside Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere in what is a formidable Belgian attacking unit.

Romelu Lukaku, Koni De Winter and Alexis Saelemaekers all start on the bench for Belgium.

Former Atalanta full-back Timothy Castagne also starts, having spent three seasons in Bergamo between 2017 and 2020 before departing for the Premier League.

For Egypt, Mohamed Salah, who had two separate Serie A spells with Fiorentina and Roma between 2014 and 2017 before his famous move to Liverpool, leads the line as his nation’s talisman and one of the tournament’s most anticipated individual performers.

Belgium vs Egypt – World Cup 2026 Lineups

Belgium: Courtois, Meunier, Ngoy, Mechele, Castagne, Onana, Tielemans, Trossard, De Bruyne, Doku, De Ketelaere
Egypt: Shobeir, Hany, Ibrahim, Fathy, Fatouh, Lashin, Attia, Ashour, Zico, Salah, Marmoush

Roma’s new sporting director Tony D’Amico faces an immediate set of contract decisions as the June 30 deadline approaches, with positive progress on the most pressing cases but one confirmed departure to manage.

Paulo Dybala’s renewal is the priority, and according to Tuttomercatoweb, the situation is close to being resolved.

The Argentine’s entourage held direct talks with the Friedkin family in recent days, with Roma’s renewal proposal met with a counter-offer from Dybala’s camp.

The two sides are understood to be very close to an agreement, with Dybala expected to sign a deal at a lower base salary with significantly higher bonus structures.

Celik set to stay despite Turkish interest as El Shaarawy ends long Roma chapter

Zeki Celik is also expected to remain, despite attracting considerable interest from clubs in Turkey.

Gasperini has pushed strongly for the Turkish right-back’s continuation after one of his most consistent seasons in a Roma shirt.

Lorenzo Pellegrini’s situation is slightly further behind, but the indications suggest both parties want to continue and a resolution is expected in the coming weeks.

The only confirmed departure from those out of contract is Stephan El Shaarawy, who brings to a close a long and storied relationship with the Giallorossi.

Genoa and Venezia are currently the clubs most interested in signing the winger on a free transfer.

Roma are casting their net widely in the search for right-sided reinforcements ahead of their Champions League return, with Nicolò Savona emerging as a potential target as Gian Piero Gasperini looks to strengthen the squad that finished third in Serie A last season.

According to Il Messaggero, via TuttoMercatoWeb, Savona could leave Nottingham Forest during this summer’s window, making him an attainable option for a Roma side that must also balance their financial obligations under UEFA’s settlement agreement before the end of June.

The former Juventus defender joined Forest last summer in a deal worth €13 million and has experience of playing in both Italy and England.

Zappacosta joins Savona on Roma radar but Atalanta move considered more complicated

Davide Zappacosta is another name Roma have considered for the right flank, but a move for the Atalanta wing-back is considered significantly more difficult to engineer.

Gasperini knows Zappacosta well from his time in Bergamo, which gives the pursuit a personal dimension, but Atalanta’s asking price and the player’s own situation make it a harder deal to structure than the Savona alternative.

Monday’s reports claim that Gian Piero Gasperini is in direct contact with Marseille forward Mason Greenwood and that he has asked the Englishman ‘to wait’ while Roma prepare to formally open negotiations with the Ligue 1 side. 

Gasperini in direct contact with Greenwood, Roma expected to open negotiations with Marseille

Gasperini is hoping to reconstruct his attacking department ahead of the 2026-27 season, an area of the pitch he often complained about during the 2025-26 campaign, and Marseille’s Greenwood has emerged as the first choice for the Giallorossi. 

The Manchester United academy graduate is expected to be available for transfer this summer as Marseille are expected to sell a big-name star in order to comply with FFP regulations. This means that Roma are hoping to secure a deal within the coming weeks. 

While Roma remain confident of striking a deal for Greenwood, they have not yet tabled a formal offer for Marseille, who value their attacker in the region of €55m. Manchester United will also be entitled to a significant sell-on clause if their former player is to move this summer. 

And so, according to reports from the Corriere dello Sport, Gasperini has been on the phone to Greenwood to ask him to wait while the clubs conduct their negotiations. 

Monday’s report claims that Ryan Friedkin is also in direct contact with the player’s agent and that he has already mapped out the club’s plans and the role that Greenwood would have within the Giallorossi set-up. 

Despite Marseille’s €55m valuation, the Corriere dello Sport suggests that Roma’s opening offer will be worth €40m including bonuses, as well as a significant sell-on clause that will be higher than 10%. 

In an ideal world, Roma would like to sign Greenwood on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy, but it remains to be seen whether Marseille will be willing to accept this formula.

Ivory Coast vs Ecuador meet in their World Cup Group E opener in Philadelphia, with Germany having already set the early pace in the group by thrashing Curacao 7-1 earlier today.

Atalanta defender Odilon Kossounou is named among the Ivory Coast substitutes, while Roma’s Evan Ndicka features on the bench also due to a fitness concern.

Inter’s Ange-Yoan Bonny, who switched international allegiances from France ahead of the tournament, is also among the substitutes.

Former Milan midfielder Franck Kessie starts in midfield alongside Seko Fofana, with Elye Wahi and Nicolas Pepe in attack.

Ex Atalanta forward Amad Diallo is also among the substitutes for the African side.

For Ecuador, Venezia forward John Yeboah starts up front, while Milan full-back Pervis Estupinan is named among the substitutes. Juventus and Inter defensive target Joel Ordonez starts in central defence.

Ivory Coast vs Ecuador – Official Lineups

Ivory Coast: Fofana; Konan, Singo, Doue, Agbadou; S.Fofana, Kessie; Diomande, Wahi, Pepe; Toure.

Ecuador: Galindez; Hincapie, Ordonez, Pacho; Minda, Vite, Franco, Caicedo; Yeboah, Valencia, Plata.

The Netherlands face Japan with a strong Serie A contingent in their starting eleven for their World Cup opener.

Roma striker Donyell Malen leads the line, Inter’s Denzel Dumfries, whose Real Madrid move is imminent, starts at right back, and former Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders lines up in the middle of the park.

Juventus’ Teun Koopmeiners, Atalanta’s Marten De Roon and Napoli’s Noa Lang, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Galatasaray, are all among the substitutes.

For Japan, Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki starts in goal, while former Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada lines up in the centre of midfield.

Ex-Inter full-back Yuto Nagatomo is named among the substitutes at 39 years old, alongside former Bologna defender Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Netherlands vs Japan – World Cup 2026 Lineups

Netherlands: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; De Jong, Gravenberch; Summerville, Reijnders, Gakpo; Malen.

Japan: Suzuki; Taniguchi, Watanabe, H.Ito; Doan, Kamada, Sano, Nakamura; Maeda, Kubo; Ueda.

Linked with Inter and Arsenal in recent days, Roma and France midfielder Manu Koné insists that he will ‘talk’ about his future at the Stadio Olimpico only after the World Cup.

France and Roma midfielder Koné briefly spoke about his future with the Giallorossi in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

Koné ‘only thinking about the World Cup’ amid Inter and Arsenal rumours

“Honestly, right now I’m only thinking about the World Cup. It’s my first major international competition, a tournament I’ve always dreamed of playing in,” Koné said.

“I want to remain exclusively focused on this. We’ll talk about the future after the World Cup and see what happens.”

Koné is a long-time Inter target as the Nerazzurri already tried to sign him last summer. A recent report from the French newspaper L’Equipe has also linked the Roma midfielder to Arsenal.

“My goal is always to be ready for the coach and the team. It’s true I played a lot in qualification, but today we have a squad full of great players,” continued the Roma midfielder.

“There will be many matches, and I naturally hope to play as much as possible, but the priority is to be useful.”

Koné has been a regular starter under Gian Piero Gasperini, playing a key role in Roma’s return to the Champions League for the first time since 2018.

However, he also had a couple of fitness issues during the 2026-27 campaign, which made him fear he could miss out on the World Cup.

“Yes, I had two hamstring problems that slowed down the end of my season with Roma, and when a competition like the World Cup approaches, it’s normal to worry,” he admitted.

“However, I maintained faith in myself and the work I was doing. I told myself that if I did everything correctly, I would be back in time. Fortunately, it all worked out in the end.”

Koné also answered a question on France superstar Kylian Mbappé and whether the Real Madrid ace might feel more pressure than his teammates in this season’s World Cup.

“I don’t think so. He’s a champion who has always delivered in the most important moments, both for the national team and his clubs,” Koné concluded.

“We know he’ll be ready. It’s a competition he loves and wants to win. We have full confidence in him. He’s our captain, and we are convinced he will do great things. I do not doubt that.”

Corriere dello Sport reports that Roma directors want to secure Mason Greenwood’s signature by the end of June, so they’ll send a formal proposal to Marseille next week, while Milan star Christian Pulisic has been offered to the Giallorossi.

Roma are eager to strengthen their attacking department for 2026-27 regardless of Paulo Dybala’s future at the Stadio Olimpico.

Greenwood’s potential Roma tranasfer: latest news

According to Corriere dello Sport, Roma are determined to send an offer to Marseille for Greenwood next week.

The English winger is valued at €55m, but the French side need to make a big-money sale by the end of the month to comply with FFP regulations, so Roma will push for an agreement in the coming weeks.

According to the report, the opening Giallorossi offer will be worth €40m, including add-ons, plus a substantial sell-on clause.

Corriere dello Sport claims that Roma want to initially sign Greenwood on a €5m deal plus an obligation to buy for €25m and €10m in guaranteed add-ons.

The Giallorossi have already held talks with Greenwood’s father and agent and the ex-Manchester United winger is very much open to moving to the Stadio Olimpico.

Another option for Roma is Milan star Pulisic who has reportedly been offered to the Giallorossi.

Turkey field two Serie A starters in their opening World Cup match against Australia, with Inter’s talismanic regista Hakan Calhanoglu captaining the side in midfield and Roma’s Zeki Celik starting at right back.

Juventus star Kenan Yildiz is rested among the substitutes due to a fitness concern, while former Bianconeri defender Merih Demiral lines up in central defence.

For Australia, Parma centre-back Alessandro Circati starts in defence, with Sassuolo’s Cristian Volpato among the substitutes after a late change in national allegiance from Italian ahead of the World Cup.

Australia vs Turkey – Lineups – 2026 World Cup

Australia: Beach; Circati, Italiano, Bos, Souttar, Burgess; Metcalfe, O’Neill, Okon-Engstler; Touré, Irankunda.

Turkey: Cakir; Celik, Demiral, Bardakci, Kadioglu; Kokcu, Calhanoglu, Yuksek; Akturkoglu, Guler, Yilmaz.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil get their World Cup campaign underway, as one of the only Italians in attendance at this summer’s competition looks to get off to a winning start.

The South American giants, who are among the favourites for the competition, face a tough opener against a Morocco side who are, albeit somewhat controversially, AFCON champions.

There are no current Serie A players in Brazil’s starting XI for Brazil vs Morocco.

However, ex-Roma defender Ibañez plays at right-back.

Meanwhile, former Juventus full-backs Alex Sandro and Danilo occupy the bench for Brazil and Alisson features in goal, not long after turning down a move to the Bianconeri in favour of another season at Liverpool.

Juventus defender Bremer is also on the bench for Ancelotti.

On the Morocco side, Roma’s Neil El Aynaoui stars in midfield, whilst Inter and Juventus linked Brahim Diaz plays on the right side of attack.

Anass Salah Eddine, who spent the season on loan at PSV from Roma, came on as a second half substitute.

Former Inter right-back Hakimi captains the North African nation.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JUNE Head Coach of Brazil Carlo Ancelotti speaks to the media during a press conference ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match between Brazil vs Morocco at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 12, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

World Cup 2026: Brazil vs Morocco Lineups

Brazil: Alisson; D. Santos, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Ibáñez; B. Guimarães, Casemiro, Paquetá; Raphinha, Igor Thiago, Vinicius

Morocco: Bono; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; Bouaddi, El Aynaoui, Ounahi; Brahim Díaz, Saibari; El Khannouss

Paulo Dybala has cast fresh doubt over his Roma future, speaking to ESPN upon his arrival in Cordoba with comments that contradicted the widely held belief that his contract renewal was close to being finalised.

The Argentine has been one of Roma’s most influential players since arriving on a free transfer, and a new deal had appeared to be little more than a formality in recent weeks.

His comments to the Argentine press, via Gazzetta, however, suggest the situation may be considerably more complicated than previously understood, and will not have gone unnoticed at Trigoria just as Roma finalise their squad planning for a Champions League return.

Dybala refuses to rule out Boca Juniors return amid contract uncertainty

“We will see what happens,” Dybala said.

“These days every team is an option, even Instituto, so that people don’t get angry. I am still a Roma player until the end of the month, so out of respect for the club I will not talk about my future.”

He continued:

“However, I have not yet decided. I don’t know if something will happen, so I cannot say anything that might not happen. Everything is possible, in football you never know.”

Asked specifically about a return to Boca Juniors, Dybala did not close the door. “We will see,” he said.

Roma have officially announced the appointment of Tony D’Amico as the club’s new sporting director, replacing Frederic Massara, who left the club after one season at the end of May. 

D’Amico will officially begin his new role at the Stadio Olimpico from July 1 onwards. Roma have confirmed that Maurizio Lombardo will continue to act as the club’s interim sporting director for the next few weeks. 

D’Amico joins Roma after four successful seasons with Atalanta. During his first summer in Bergamo, Atalanta brought in three of their most profitable signings of recent years: Rasmus Hojlund from Sturm Graz for a reported fee of around €17m, Ederson from Salernitana for a €21m package and Ademola Lookman from RB Leipzig for a fee of just €9m. 

Hojlund would go on to become the club’s record departure when he joined Manchester United in an €80m deal in 2023, Lookman joined Atletico Madrid midway through the 2025-26 season for €35m while Ederson looks all set to join Manchester United in a €45m deal with one year remaining on his current Atalanta contract. 

Among the other signings that D’Amico brought to Atalanta were Charles De Ketelaere, Gianluca Scamacca and Mateo Retegui. 

What Roma said about D’Amico appointment

“AS Roma is pleased to announce that, effective July 1st, Tony D’Amico will assume the role of Sporting Director of the Club,” read a statement on the club website. 

“During the current sporting season, the role of Sporting Director will be held on an interim basis by Maurizio Lombardo.

“D’Amico will arrive in Rome after four highly successful seasons with Atalanta.

“The Ownership wishes Tony the very best for this new adventure with our Club! Welcome to Rome!”

The Netherlands national team head coach Ronald Koeman has had to come out and publicly defend Roma star Donyell Malen ahead of their nation’s first game at the 2026 World Cup, despite the striker’s blistering form in Serie A in the second half of the 2025-26 season. 

Malen criticised for Netherlands form despite hitting 14 goals in 18 games for Roma

Malen joined Roma on loan with an option to buy from Aston Villa during the January transfer window. That option to buy became an obligation after Roma qualified for Europe, joining on a four-year contract running until the summer of 2030 at a cost of €25m. 

Malen played a pivotal role in Roma’s qualification for the Champions League, transforming the Giallorossi attack with his 14 goals from 18 Serie A appearances. 

Despite only moving to Italy midway through the season, Malen finished joint-second in the league’s top goalscorer race, and was only three shy of Capocannoniere Lautaro Martinez. 

However, Malen has faced criticism back in his homeland after missing a pair of sitters during the Netherlands’s warm-up friendlies ahead of the 2025-26 World Cup, and head coach Koeman has had to come out in defence of the Giallorossi star. 

Koeman admitted that Malen had not been ‘efficient’ enough in front of goal during the Netherlands’ recent friendlies, but said that this would only be a concern if Malen was also lacking in attitude, which he insists is not the case. 

“He’s shown that he can score,” said Koeman. “He hasn’t completely forgotten how to do it. It would be more worrying if his commitment had dropped. But this isn’t the case. 

“But, efficiency is decisive in football. That was very low, too low.” 

The Dutch attack is currently under the stewardship of former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is currently serving as one of Koeman’s assistants. 

Koeman joked that it might be van Nistelrooy’s fault that the Dutch strikers have not hit form in front of goal with the national team. 

“He’s been here since February, maybe it’s his fault then,” Koeman joked with the press. “I see him every day with his laptop, sitting with the guys, showing them videos, talking to them about their choices. Ruud has great experience and can help us a lot.” 

Federico Gatti has fallen well down the pecking order at Juventus since Luciano Spalletti took charge, and with the Bianconeri planning to add further centre-back competition this summer, his departure is looking increasingly likely — with both Napoli and Roma already making enquiries.

According to the reports from Sportmediaset, via CalcioMercato, Gatti’s decline under Spalletti has been marked. The Italy international was a key figure under previous coaches but has gradually lost his starting place as the former national team coach tightened his grip on the club’s footballing decisions.

The expected arrival of another central defender will effectively push him to the periphery of the squad entirely.

Allegri and Gasperini both keen on Gatti as Juventus hold firm on €20m valuation

The interest from both clubs makes sense in context.

Roma are managing an uncertain situation around Evan Ndicka, whose potential departure could leave Gasperini short at the back, while Napoli face the exit of Juan Jesus and need a physically imposing replacement.

Incoming Napoli coach Allegri is reportedly a known admirer of Gatti.

Juventus, however, hold all the cards.

With Gatti contracted until June 2030, the Bianconeri have no pressure to sell cheaply and were demanding a minimum of €20 million as recently as January.

That figure is unlikely to have moved downward in the intervening months, meaning any interested club will need to meet Turin’s valuation to have any chance of striking a deal.

Matias Soulé’s time at Roma appears to be drawing to a close, with the Argentine trequartista identified as a saleable asset that could simultaneously satisfy UEFA’s financial fair play requirements and fund a move for Mason Greenwood, Gian Piero Gasperini’s priority summer target.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Soulé’s agent Martin Guastadisegno visited Trigoria on Thursday morning to discuss his client’s future, with Borussia Dortmund leading the race for his signature ahead of Aston Villa and Bournemouth.

Roma value the former Frosinone and Juventus forward at €35-40 million, which would generate a profit of approximately €20 million and contribute significantly to the club’s settlement agreement obligations with UEFA before the June 30 deadline.

Soulé himself is understood to be open to a move, aware that his opportunities under Gasperini next season would be limited given Paulo Dybala’s continued presence and the coach’s desire to bring in two new starting wide forwards.

Roma’s Greenwood pursuit given fresh momentum as Dortmund lead race for Soule

The sale of Soulé would give Roma significant ammunition in their pursuit of Greenwood, with Marseille currently demanding €50 million plus bonuses for the former Manchester United forward.

Roma believe they can get a deal done at around €45 million, backed by Greenwood’s own desire to make the move and Marseille’s need to generate funds. Soulé’s departure would make that offer considerably more achievable.

Crucially, selling Soulé would also reduce the pressure on Roma to part with more important players.

Both Evan Ndicka and Manu Koné are understood to be far more central to Gasperini’s Champions League plans, and keeping them this summer remains the club’s clear preference.

Matteo Ruggeri’s agents confirm Juventus and Roma’s interest in the Atlético Madrid defender: ‘There are requests from Italy and abroad.’

Juventus and Roma are among the clubs interested in Atlético Madrid left-back Ruggeri.

Agents admit Juventus and Roma want Ruggeri

The defender’s agents Manuel Montipò and Tullio Tinti spoke to Sky Sport Italia after a meeting with Inter directors on Wednesday morning.

The two parties are not thought to have discussed Ruggeri’s potential move to Inter. Tinti, in fact, is also the representative of Nerazzurri defenders Alessandro Bastoni and Matteo Darmian.

“Ruggeri provided seven assists in 48 games with Atlético Madrid, playing almost every game as a starter,” Montipò said.

“The club is very happy with the player and wants to retain him. As of today, he’s an Atlético Madrid starter. The market is open, and anything can happen. There are requests from Italy and abroad, but as of today, there’s nothing concrete.”

Gazzetta had claimed on Wednesday morning that Roma were interested in Ruggeri, and the Sky Sport reporter specifically asked the defender’s agent about the links with the Giallorossi and even Juventus.

“He is in a top club, and all top clubs look for strong players, but I don’t know,” Montipò said.

At that point, Tinti stepped in, confirming both clubs’ interest: “I know, and there are many more,” he said before leaving with a smile on his face.

Ruggeri joined Atléticoé Madrid from Atalanta in a €17m deal last summer. The 23-year-old has yet to make his senior Italy debut and is under contract at the Wanda Metropolitano until June 2030.

Evan Ndicka has emerged as one of the most sought-after defenders in European football this summer, with Newcastle United the latest club to register interest in the Ivorian centre-back as Roma brace themselves for a significant battle to keep hold of one of their most valuable assets.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Newcastle have placed Ndicka under close observation ahead of the summer window, evaluating the possibility of making a concrete move should negotiations become viable.

The Magpies join Inter Milan, Tottenham Hotspur and Olympique Marseille in monitoring the 26-year-old, though no club has yet opened formal discussions with Roma’s hierarchy.

Roma poised for total profit on Ndicka after free transfer signing as interest grows

For Roma, the situation is delicate but not unwelcome.

Ndicka arrived on a free transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2023, meaning any sale would represent pure profit, a financially attractive proposition for a club that must balance the books while also investing in Champions League preparations.

Gasperini is understood to value Ndicka highly and has no desire to lose him, but Roma are acutely aware that the level of interest surrounding the defender is only likely to intensify in the coming weeks.

The coming days could prove decisive in determining whether he remains at the Olimpico or becomes the subject of one of the summer’s most competitive transfer battles.

Napoli face a defining decision over the future of Antonio Vergara, with the 23-year-old midfielder attracting significant interest from clubs across Italy and England as his valuation rockets to at least €30 million following an impressive season under Antonio Conte.

The question internally is straightforward but far from easy to answer, commit to Vergara as a cornerstone of the new project, or cash in on a substantial profit while the market is at its peak.

His technical quality and personality in training have convinced the club of his potential, but the level of external interest is making that decision increasingly difficult to defer, according to reports from Sportmediaset, via TuttoMercatoWeb.

Spurs, Atalanta and Roma join Como in race for Vergara

In Serie A, Como have been the most prominently linked club, but as per the reports, both Atalanta and Roma have also made multiple enquiries to monitor his development.

The interest extends beyond Italy’s borders, with Tottenham understood to have placed Vergara on their list of priority young targets, and further Premier League clubs are expected to enter the race in the coming weeks.

For Napoli, the situation is a familiar but uncomfortable one.

Developing talent only to face pressure to sell at the peak of their value is a cycle the club know well, and with a new coach yet to be officially confirmed, the decision over Vergara may ultimately hinge on who takes the dugout and whether they see him as central to their plans.