Roma’s season has acquired the feel of a broader reconstruction, not simply a good run of results. The club are leading the championship and have returned to the Champions League after a seven-year absence, while the value of the squad has risen by around €150 million over the past 12 months. For the Friedkin ownership, the work of Gian Piero Gasperini has brought together two ambitions that rarely move at the same speed: competing immediately and building assets that can sustain the club later.
The coach and the club
Gasperini was chosen to give Roma a recognisable long-term direction, with development as important as the league table. His record at Atalanta made that logic clear. Across nine years in Bergamo, his teams generated an estimated €750 million through capital gains, development-related rewards, loans and bonuses. Roberto Gagliardini, Rasmus Hojlund, Teun Koopmeiners, Cristian Romero, Amad Diallo, Robin Gosens and Mateo Retegui were among the players whose careers and market value grew during that period.
Roma have also brought Tony D’Amico alongside the coach, a figure Gasperini strongly wanted after their work together at Atalanta. The intention is not merely to buy well in one window, but to identify players early, improve them on the pitch and retain control of their value when the market arrives.
The summer recruitment still has time to show its full return, but several players already at Trigoria have gained considerably under the new coach. Mile Svilar remains central to that picture. Juventus showed interest during the summer, yet Roma did not consider selling a goalkeeper signed on a free transfer during José Mourinho’s time. Any discussion would begin only above €45 million.
The established defensive unit has also become more valuable. Evan Ndicka, another free signing, is now valued at roughly €35 million. Gianluca Mancini’s figure has climbed to about €25 million, while Mario Hermoso, previously close to being viewed as surplus to requirements, is estimated at €15 million. Leonardo Balerdi arrived for €16 million and is expected to increase that valuation further, particularly if he returns to international duty.
Value on the flanks and in midfield
Wide players have long been important in Gasperini’s teams, and Wesley has offered Roma an early example of that pattern. The Brazilian was signed a year ago for €25 million, and Chelsea were turned away in the summer when an offer of around €40 million was made. Roma’s refusal indicated the club’s belief that his value had already risen by at least €15 million.
Lulli represents another potential gain from within. The 19-year-old academy product has made a strong start to the campaign and received an Italy Under-21 call-up from Baldini. Roma already value him at just below €20 million, although a sale is not under consideration. Instead, the club are expected to work on a new contract before his present deal expires in 2027.
Manu Koné has made the sharpest leap. Roma paid Borussia Mönchengladbach €18 million for the French midfielder in 2024. A year later, his worth had risen by approximately €10 million; it is now put at €60 million. His brace against Inter has added to the impression, though his growth has not been reduced to one match. Chelsea came close to that level late in August, but Roma rejected the possibility of a departure.
If Koné maintains this form for club and country, Roma believe he can move towards the prices paid for the elite midfielders in the recent market, beyond the €60 million level attached to him a month ago. Niccolò Pisilli has followed a similarly upward path. The homegrown midfielder’s valuation has moved from €15 million to €30 million, with the Friedkins rejecting approaches from both Como and Porto during the summer.
Attackers shaping the next phase
Donyell Malen has become the standout piece of Roma’s recent business. The Dutch forward was made permanent from Aston Villa for €25 million after a €2 million loan, an overall commitment of €27 million. In fewer than eight months in the capital, the championship’s leading scorer is now considered worth almost double that amount.
Paulo Dybala has also been restored to a higher athletic level, closer to the standards he set at Juventus. His estimated value was near €5 million at this point last year; it has since trebled.
The next task is to bring the same progress from Matías Soulé, whose price did not command unanimous agreement during the last transfer window. Roma are also preparing to invest minutes and responsibility in Rodrigo Mora, 19, and Castro, 21. Both are expected to receive more opportunities after the international break.
The challenge for Roma is to repeat the Atalanta model without allowing every increase in value to become an immediate sale. Gasperini’s early work has given the club a stronger squad and a healthier balance sheet at the same time. The next chapter will be about protecting that progress while remaining competitive at the top of Serie A.
