Samuel Bannister

Liverpool transfer mistake? Tsimikas earns early recall shout after dazzling on full Roma debut Has Kostas Tsimikas been an unfair casualty of Liverpool's need for an evolution at left-back? His first impression on loan at Roma has been positive.

Kostas Tsimikas produced a sublime assist on his first start for Roma last night 💫

Here's how the Italian media reacted... 🗞️⤵️

Should Liverpool have let him go? Does he still have an Anfield future after his loan? 🤔

@samuelbannister.bsky.social ✍️

Gian Piero Gasperini is the first Roma coach whose first two matches in charge have finished the same scoreline as each other (1-0 win) since Ferruccio Valcareggi with 0-0 draws against Lazio and Perugia in November 1978.

#ASRoma

John Charles: The Leeds legend's Roma spell Best known for his time with Leeds United and Juventus, John Charles' spell with Roma is often just a footnote in stories of his career. Until now.

John Charles’ 10-month spell at Roma in 1962-63 has never been more than a footnote in tales of his career. Until now.

Here’s the most in-depth account of the Leeds United and Juventus legend’s lesser-known second spell in Italy.

#ASRoma

Last night at Aston Villa v Roma

🇮🇹✍️ The Italian centre-backs signed by Roma in the 21st Century:

Daniele Ghilardi (2025)
Gianluca Mancini (2019)
Davide Astori (2014)
Simone Loria (2008)
Marco Andreolli (2007)
Matteo Ferrari (2004)
Sebastiano Siviglia (2001)

The most recent centre-backs #ASRoma have signed from other Serie A clubs:

🇮🇹 Ghilardi
2025, Verona

🇪🇸 Huijsen
2024, Juventus (loan)

🇦🇱 Kumbulla
2020, Hellas Verona

🇧🇷 Ibañez
2020, Atalanta

🇮🇹 Mancini
2019, Atalanta

🇧🇷 Juan Jesus
2016, Inter

🇧🇦 Zukanović
2016, Sampdoria

📊 How Daniele Ghilardi compared to Roma centre-backs Gianluca Mancini and Evan Ndicka in Serie A last season:

#ASRoma

The most recent strikers Roma have signed who had no prior experience in Serie A:

🇮🇪 Ferguson (2025)
🇺🇦 Dovbyk (2024)
🇮🇷 Azmoun (2023)
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Abraham (2021)
🇪🇸 Mayoral (2020)
🇧🇦 Džeko (2015)
🇨🇮 Doumbia (2015)
🇧🇷 Baptista (2008)
🇨🇩 Nonda (2005)
🇪🇬 Mido (2004)
🇳🇴 Carew (2003)

#ASRoma

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 ⏩🟡🔴 All the strikers Roma have signed from English clubs:

🇮🇪 Evan Ferguson (2025, Brighton)

🇧🇪 Romelu Lukaku (2023, Chelsea)
⚽️ 21

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tammy Abraham (2021, Chelsea)
⚽️ 37

🇧🇦 Edin Džeko (2015, Manchester City)
⚽️ 119

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 John Charles (1962, Leeds United)
⚽️ 5

Roma’s biggest option to buys and if they were activated:

Ferguson €38m ❓
Mayoral €20m* ❌
Gourna-Douath €18m ❌
Llorente €18m ❌
Digne €16m ❌
Szczęsny €16m ❌
Salah €15m ✅
Sanches €15m ❌
Oliveira €13.5m ❌
El Shaarawy €13m ✅

*€15m in 1st year, €20m in 2nd

💶 The €38m clause for Evan Ferguson is the highest ever option to buy Roma have negotiated for a loan signing, overtaking the €20m it would have cost to keep Borja Mayoral after the second year of his loan from Real Madrid.

📊 Neil El Aynaoui compared to Roma midfielders

(Stats from the 2024-25 Ligue 1 and Serie A seasons)

1️⃣1️⃣ Rodrigo Taddei

Spent nine years wearing the number 11 shirt for Roma between 2005 and 2014, during which time he made 296 appearances.

🔟 Francesco Totti

Synonymous with the number 10 shirt which no one has dared to touch since, the club’s greatest ever player inherited the iconic jersey in 1997 and from there played 683 times in it - more than anyone else for Roma even taking away his outings in other numbers.

9️⃣ Edin Džeko

Rose through the rankings to become Roma’s third highest goalscorer of all time across 260 appearances between 2015 and 2021, all as their number 9.

8️⃣ Diego Perotti

Always had the same squad number while playing for Roma between February 2016 and October 2020, making 138 appearances.

7️⃣ Lorenzo Pellegrini

Made his debut as an academy graduate in the number 48 shirt but took the number 7 after returning to his boyhood club in 2017, going on to play 315 times in it so far.

6️⃣ Aldair

So attached to the number 6 shirt that it was retired when he left the club in 2003, the defender was with Roma since 1990 and after permanently being assigned the number he’s most associated with in 1997, added 218 more appearances to his collection.

5️⃣ Philippe Mexès

Wore the number 5 shirt for all seven of his seasons with Roma, between 2004 and 2011, during which time he made 267 appearances.

4️⃣ Bryan Cristante

Now on 318 appearances and counting for Roma, all of which have been in the same shirt number since he joined the club in 2018.

3️⃣ Roger Ibañez

Switched from the number 41 shirt to number 3 in 2020 after his first half a season at the club, sticking with the new number for three seasons and 139 appearances.

2️⃣ Christian Panucci

Joined in 2001 but took the number 2 shirt in 2003, wearing it for six seasons in which he made 229 of his 315 appearances for Roma.

1️⃣ Rui Patrício

Joined in 2021 and immediately inherited the number 1 shirt, which he wore for 129 appearances over three seasons.

The Roma players with the most apps in each shirt number since assigned squad numbers were mandated in Serie A in 1995:

1️⃣ Patrício
2️⃣ Panucci
3️⃣ Ibañez
4️⃣ Cristante
5️⃣ Mexès
6️⃣ Aldair
7️⃣ Pellegrini
8️⃣ Perotti
9️⃣ Džeko
🔟 Totti
1️⃣1️⃣ Taddei

#ASRoma

ROMA STATEMENT

🗣 “With extensive experience across Italian and international football, Massara brings deep expertise and a clear strategic vision to the club’s technical area. The club [is] confident that Massara’s leadership will help shape a competitive and ambitious future.”

Coaches worked with before:

🟡🔴 Luciano Spalletti
🟡🔴 Claudio Ranieri
🔴⚫️ Marco Giampaolo
🔴⚫️ Stefano Pioli
⚫️🔴 Julien Stéphan
⚫️🔴 Jorge Sampaoli
⚫️🔴 Habib Beye

Biggest signings:

🔴⚫️ Charles De Ketelaere €32m
🔴⚫️ Fikayo Tomori €28.5m
🔴⚫️ Rafael Leão €28m
🔴⚫️ Théo Hernandez €20m
⚫️🔴 Seko Fofana €20m
🔴⚫️ Ismäel Bennacer €16m
⚫️🔴 Albert Grønbæk €15m
⚫️🔴 Brice Samba €14m
🔴⚫️ Mike Maignan €13m
⚫️🔴 Anthony Rouault €13m

Previous sporting director roles:

🟡🔴 Roma
October 2016 ⏩ April 2017

🟡🔴 Roma
March 2019 ⏩ June 2019

🔴⚫️ Milan
July 2019 ⏩ June 2023

⚫️🔴 Rennes
July 2024 ⏩ May 2025

✅ RICKY MASSARA BECOMES ROMA SPORTING DIRECTOR

Roma have confirmed the return of Frederic Massara for a third - and longer term - spell as sporting director.

Replacing Florent Ghisolfi, he has signed a contract until 2028. ✍️

🧵

Roma signings with Florent Ghisolfi as technical director

🇪🇸 Sangaré
🇫🇷 Le Fée
🇦🇺 Ryan
🇸🇪 Dahl
🇦🇷 Soulé
🇺🇦 Dovbyk
🇸🇦 Abdulhamid
🇧🇪 Saelemaekers (loan)
🇫🇷 Koné
🇪🇸 Hermoso
🇩🇪 Hummels
🇳🇱 Rensch
🇮🇹 Gollini
🇳🇱 Salah-Eddine
🇩🇰 Nelsson (loan)
🇫🇷 Gourna-Douath (loan)

👍 Best?
👎 Worst?

#ASRoma