Roma shone in manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s debut season in charge. A topsy-turvy campaign looked like it would descend into mediocrity after a 5-2 defeat at champions Inter saw the Giallorossi slump to sixth place in the table at the start of April. Then, however, a miraculous run of form inspired by the loan signing of Donyell Malen saw Roma reel off six wins in their last seven to rise to third in the table and secure Champions League football next term.
Despite the solid end to the season, online bookmakers still make Gasperini’s side an outsider to claim a first Scudetto in 26 years next season. The early online betting odds ahead of the 2026/27 Serie A season currently list Roma as a 12/1 shot, well behind 5/4 favourites and defending champions Inter. If the Giallorossi are to upset the odds, they will need to fix the glaring problems they have on the wing.
If there’s one thing that manager Gasperini desperately requires for his high-octane system to work, it’s an explosive winger capable of exploiting the half spaces. Ademola Lookman was crucial to that with his former club Atalanta, with the Nigerian regularly receiving the ball in space and attacking the opposition full-back in one-on-one situations. Roma don’t currently have such a player capable of playing in that role, but that could well be set to change this summer. Here are two men who could arrive at the Stadio Olimpico and make the difference.
Mason Greenwood
The primary and most expensive target right now is Marseille winger Mason Greenwood. The Englishman is almost a direct copy of Lookman, albeit operating from the right flank as opposed to the left. The former Manchester United youngster’s blistering pace and power have seen him shine in Ligue 1, with the 24-year-old amassing some 48 goals and 17 assists across his two seasons in the south of France.
But that kind of production doesn’t come cheap. If recent reports are to be believed, then Roma are set to offer around €45m to Marseille for the talented English winger. Should the move come to fruition, that would be the highest fee that the club has ever paid for a new player, eclipsing the €42m paid to Sampdoria for Patrik Schick in the summer of 2018, as well as the €40m+ paid for both Artem Dovbyk and Tammy Abraham.
With Roma qualifying for the Champions League, the club likely has more money to spend on new signings this summer in comparison to recent campaigns. Greenwood would represent a massive outlay of those additional funds, but if his production with Marseille is anything to go by, it could well be money well spent.
Jadon Sancho
Last summer, Roma launched an audacious bid to sign Jadon Sancho from Manchester United, initially on a season-long loan deal with a view to a €20m permanent move. The Englishman rejected the offer, instead opting for a move to fellow Premier League outfit Aston Villa. Now, however, with the former Borussia Dortmund man officially a free agent after leaving Old Trafford at the expiry of his contract, the move could come to fruition.
There can be no denying just how far Sancho’s stock has fallen since he made the move to the Red Devils. He was considered one of Europe’s most electrifying wingers throughout his four-year stint with Dortmund between 2017 and 2021. 53 goals and 73 assists persuaded United to fork out €85m to secure his services in the summer of 2021, but his form dramatically fell off a cliff immediately following his arrival in the English North West.
Sancho managed just 12 goals with United, but he proved that the talent is still there during a return to Dortmund on loan in 2023/24, where he helped the club surprisingly reach the UEFA Champions League final. Still aged just 26, he is now entering his prime, and if Gasperini can somehow help Sancho find the kind of form he showcased at Signal Iduna Park, then the winger could yet be the biggest bargain of the summer.
The biggest selling point for punting for Sancho over Greenwood is the cost. Sancho is available for free, while Greenwood would cost a club record €45m, and with just two years of age separating the two players, Gasperini could well opt for the budget option and spend his transfer kitty elsewhere. But that positive in terms of selling point is also an obstacle, with plenty of other clubs sniffing around Sancho’s signature.
Another Dortmund return could be on the cards, while PSV Eindhoven and Besiktas are also thought to be interested. As such, Roma will almost certainly have to embark upon a bidding war if they are to secure the Englishman, potentially overpaying in terms of wages and bonuses if they wish to complete the signing.
