If you’ve been following the Giallorossi lately, you know the vibe around Trigoria is... well, it’s intense. Honestly, it’s always intense, but January 2026 feels like a massive turning point. We’re currently sitting in fifth place, right on the heels of the Champions League spots, and the club is basically operating in "emergency mode" and "ambition mode" at the exact same time.
Gian Piero Gasperini is currently the man in the dugout, and he’s doing exactly what we expected: demanding high-intensity football while simultaneously navigating an injury list that looks more like a hospital wing.
The Transfer Blitz: Donyell Malen and Robinho Vaz Are Here
Let's get into the AS Roma news now that everyone is texting about—the new faces. The Friedkins didn’t just sit on their hands while the attack struggled. They went out and secured Donyell Malen on loan from Aston Villa. It’s a £2 million loan fee with a €25 million purchase obligation if we hit the top six. Malen brings that European experience and pace that we've desperately lacked since the squad started thinning out in December.
Then there’s the "project" signing. Robinho Vaz.
💡 You might also like: Jake Ehlinger Sign: The Real Story Behind the College GameDay Controversy
The 18-year-old from Marseille is a fascinating gamble. Roma dropped €22 million (plus add-ons) to bring him in permanently. He’s already had his first training sessions at the Centro Sportivo Fulvio Bernardini. Gasperini has been pretty vocal about the fact that Vaz is for the future, but given our current lack of bodies, don't be surprised if he's thrown into the fire sooner than later.
Speaking of departures, the news about Edoardo Bove terminating his contract to head to England is bittersweet. He was a local boy, but as Gasp put it in his most recent presser, the kid just wants to play football again. It’s probably the right move for his career, even if it stings to see a "Romanista" leave.
The Injury Nightmare (and the Return of Ndicka)
It’s actually kind of crazy how many players are out right now. Just when we thought things were stabilizing, Leon Bailey pulled out of the squad for the Torino trip with yet another muscle issue. He's had a rough go since arriving from Villa.
📖 Related: What Really Happened With Nick Chubb: The Injury, The Recovery, and The Houston Twist
Here is the current "who’s who" of the medical room:
- Artem Dovbyk: Muscle injury, likely out until mid-March.
- Evan Ferguson: Nursing a back issue, though he might make the bench soon.
- Stephan El Shaarawy: Achilles soreness kept him out of the latest call-up.
- Lorenzo Pellegrini: Finally back in the squad after a serious hamstring layoff, but he's not at 100% yet.
The silver lining? Evan Ndicka is back. After his stint at the Africa Cup of Nations, having him back in that three-man defense is massive. Gasperini’s system lives and dies by the aggression of the center-backs, and with Ndicka, Mancini, and Hermoso available, the back line finally looks like a fortress again.
Why the Pietralata Stadium Project Matters More Than Ever
While the football is happening on the pitch, the "real" future of the club is being built in a neighborhood called Pietralata. On December 23, 2025, the club officially delivered the Technical and Economic Feasibility Study to the city. This isn't just another stadium rumor—this is happening.
👉 See also: Men's Sophie Cunningham Jersey: Why This Specific Kit is Selling Out Everywhere
Basically, they’re planning a 55,000-to-62,000 seat "green" stadium. Ryan Friedkin is obsessed with this Curva Sud design, which is supposed to be the steepest and largest in Europe, inspired by Dortmund’s "Yellow Wall." They’re aiming to open it in 2028. It’s a billion-euro project that includes a massive public park and a "Rome Technopole" innovation hub nearby. For a club that has been sharing the Stadio Olimpico with Lazio for decades, having its own home is the only way to finally compete financially with the likes of Inter and Juve.
Tactical Reality: Can Gasperini Get Us to the Top Four?
Honestly, the biggest misconception about AS Roma news now is that the season is a failure because we're in fifth. Look at the table. We are one point behind Juventus and only four points off AC Milan in second. Considering we just got knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Torino (a painful 3-2 loss), the focus is now laser-beamed on Serie A and the Europa League.
Gasperini’s 3-4-2-1 is starting to click. Even with the "third-worst goals for" among the top half of the table, the defense has been solid. The plan is clearly to use Malen and Vaz to fix that scoring drought. We have Stuttgart coming up in the Europa League soon, and that’s going to be the real litmus test for this "new" Roma.
Actionable Insights for Romanisti
If you're following the Giallorossi this month, here is what you need to watch for:
- Watch the Malen/Dybala Chemistry: Malen’s ability to stretch defenses should finally give Paulo Dybala the space he needs to operate in the "pocket." If they click, Roma becomes a top-three contender instantly.
- Monitor the Pietralata Deadlines: The city of Rome is currently finishing archaeological surveys at the site. Any delay here usually means a year-long setback, so keep an eye on the "Assessor" Maurizio Veloccia’s updates.
- The Stuttgart Test: The Europa League is our best path to a trophy. Gasperini has won it before with Atalanta; he knows exactly how to navigate these knockout-style phases.
- The Zirkzee Rumor: Don't ignore the links to Joshua Zirkzee. Even though United are playing hardball, Roma are still sniffing around for a late-window miracle if the Malen deal isn't enough.
The next few weeks will define if this is just another "rebuilding year" or the start of a genuine era of dominance under the Friedkin-Gasperini partnership.