AS Roma – 2025-26 Season Preview: Youth Emergence and Offensive Renovation

AS Roma – 2025–26 Season Preview: Youth Emergence and Offensive Renovation

Roma enters the 2025–26 Serie A season with a reinforced defensive base, rejuvenated attacking corps, and growing reliance on a new generation of talents. Under Daniele De Rossi, the Giallorossi are evolving from their reactive identity into a more fluid, press-oriented side that blends experience with emerging power.

Key Players & Core Structure

Mile Svilar is now the undisputed No. 1, playing 38 matches and 3,420 minutes—showcasing elite reflexes and improved command in buildup, Evan Ndicka (3,420 minutes), Gianluca Mancini (3,146 minutes), and Bryan Cristante (2,048 minutes) provide Roma with a physically dominant and structurally sound defensive triangle, Angeliño and Zeki Çelik offer width and defensive flexibility on both flanks, each logging over 2,200 minutes, In midfield, Manu Koné (from Borussia Mönchengladbach) has quickly become an engine with 2,580 minutes, offering verticality and ball-winning, Matías Soulé (from Juventus) injects creativity and dribbling threat with 1,792 minutes in wide and central positions, Captain Lorenzo Pellegrini continues to orchestrate from midfield, albeit in a reduced workload (1,636 minutes), In attack, Artem Dovbyk (2,432 minutes) leads the line, while Paulo Dybala and Alexis Saelemaekers rotate around him to provide support in Roma’s front three.

Departures

No major exits, the club has focused on strengthening from within and supplementing with well-scouted additions.

New Arrivals

Manu Koné (from Borussia Mönchengladbach): Dynamic, high-volume tackler with creative upside in midfield, Matías Soulé (from Juventus): Versatile left-footed creator capable of operating in wide or central roles, Evan Ferguson (from Brighton): Highly rated 20-year-old striker, integrating gradually (17 appearances, 152 minutes), Neil El Aynaoui (from Lens): Deep-lying midfielder with ball progression ability (1,587 minutes), Mats Hummels (free agent, ex-Dortmund): Veteran defensive leader, logging 920 minutes in a reduced but critical role, Tommaso Baldanzi (from Empoli): Talented attacking midfielder with positional fluidity (5(26) apps, 815 minutes), Wesley (from Corinthians): 21-year-old right-back in early development phase, Niccolò Pisilli (from Roma Primavera): Homegrown midfielder pushing for first-team minutes (1,220 minutes), Rados?aw ?elezny (from Roma U19s): Promising Polish goalkeeper, Mattia Mannini (from Roma U18s): Highly technical 18-year-old midfielder added for long-term development.

Substitute Depth & Rotational Flexibility

Eldor Shomurodov, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Tommaso Baldanzi add rotational options in attack, each contributing 800+ minutes, Leandro Paredes and Neil El Aynaoui share central midfield duties depending on tempo and defensive need, Niccolò Pisilli and Pisilli’s consistent output is making him more than just a bench option, Dewis Vásquez (backup GK) and Mattia Mannini (midfield prospect) round out a strong rotational core.

Roma’s 2025–26 squad is structurally solid and tactically expanding. Smart additions like Koné, Soulé, and Ferguson point toward a future-facing project that doesn’t sacrifice current competitiveness. The veteran backbone (Cristante, Dybala, Hummels) supports a clear pathway for young players. While still slightly reliant on Dybala’s magic in big games, Roma is increasingly defined by collective balance and system coherence.