​Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has weighed in on the overall state of Italian football, the need for broad reforms, and the situation in the capital as Roma return to training at the start of pre-season. The Giallorossi reconvened at Trigoria for their first day of preparation on Monday, with Gasperini taking a moment to speak to Radio Rai 1 before heading back onto the training pitch. He told supporters that the real work on the transfer market will begin now and noted that many top clubs have had a slow start to the window due to the ongoing 2026 World Cup in the United States.
Gasperini stressed that Roma must become regulars in the Champions League before dreaming of a Serie A title, arguing that consistent qualification into Europe’s premier competition will boost the club financially and help drive trophy ambitions. He also commented on the recent appointment of Paolo Maldini as technical director of the FIGC and outlined the changes he would like to see across Italy, beginning with a comprehensive review of youth systems nationwide.
Turning to the transfer window, Gasperini offered this assessment: “Apart from a few teams, it’s been a fairly sleepy window so far because of the World Cup, with many players and their agents in the United States. Clubs haven’t fully fortified themselves yet. The real window will begin this week, and all teams appear eager to strengthen.” He also shared his views on the World Cup and the debated hydration breaks, which some say are altering how the game is played.
“I think there are two kinds of football,” he mused. “The one played in August and the one played under normal weather conditions. Playing football in extreme temperatures isn’t the same sport.” He added that the World Cup has been a success with full stadiums in the United States, but from an aesthetic standpoint, the conditions aren’t ideal and the pauses are largely a consequence of those factors.
Returning to Roma’s transfer plans for the 2026-27 season and his longer-term goals, Gasperini commented: “Many teams want to strengthen in July, but we’ll see what happens in the window. Inter are always the favorites, then there are another five or six teams aiming to perform well. Milan and Juventus are out of the race for better SEO.”