Gian Piero Gasperini has pleaded with the Roma board to bring in some new players this summer, as the Italian claims his side are ‘stretched thin’.
What Did Gian Piero Gasperini Say About Roma Squad?
The Italian manager made the shocking decision to leave Atalanta at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, ending a nine-year spell in Bergamo after managing 439 matches for La Dea.
During this time, the veteran coach ended a 61-year trophy drought for Atalanta by winning the Europa League in 2024 with a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the final.
Atalanta’s 2024/25 campaign failed to live up to this however, finishing third in Serie A and exiting the Champions League during the Ro16 stages via a poor defeat to Club Brugge.
This disappointment in Europe led Gasperini to making the executive decision to leave Bergamo in search of a new challenge and the 67-year-old opted for a move to the Italian capital to the reins at AS Roma.
The Giallorossi finished fifth in the league after Claudio Ranieri guided the Italian side back into Europe in the final stages of the season and Roma will now compete in the Europe League once again.
Gasperini has now been handed some strong additions to his side after a slow start to the summer window, signing Neil El Aynaoui, Evan Ferguson, Radoslaw Zelezny, Wesley, Devis Vasquez and Daniele Ghilardi.
Despite these additions, the former Atalanta boss is not completely satisfied with his roster ahead of next season and believes his side are ‘stretched thin’ in some vital areas.
Gasperini said: “We are almost complete, but are a bit stretched thin in some areas, so we need more players, because not everyone can take part in 50 games.”
Roma are on the hunt for some new additions and the Giallrossi are reportedly ready to battle it out with Udinese over the signing of Polish international, Jan Ziolkowski.
The youngster has enjoyed an impressive spell with Legia Warsaw and would be a notable addition to the defensive set-up in Rome, but Gasperini has been very vocal about the need for reinforcements in attack.
Will Artem Dovbyk Start for Roma in 2025/26 Season?
During the 2024/25 campaign, Roma scored just 56 league goals which was the lowest tally from any side in the top nine and highlighted the issues in front of goal.
The Giallorossi’s leading scorer in the league was Artem Dovbyk who scored 12 goals in Serie A last season in his opening year as a Roma player after signing from Girona in August 2024.
Despite being the most prolific goalscorer for the Italian side, the 28-year-old is a huge outsider to win the Serie A Golden Boot on offshore sportsbooks and fans are still hoping for more from the Ukrainian international.
Dovbyk is expected to lead the line in Rome next season alongside Paulo Dybala, especially after the Ukrainian’s impressive performances already in pre-season.
Gasperini highlighted how the club needs to help Dovbyk improve next season, claiming if the striker is at the wrong tempo then it could be a problem for Roma going forward.
Gasperini said: “A lot will depend on how strong we are in attack and that can determine the strength of the squad. It’s not just true for us, but for all teams, you see that the biggest investments are made on the forwards. The teams with the best strikers are the most competitive.
“Dovbyk was a big investment, he scored goals and showed he is a valuable centre-forward. We are working to improve some of his weaknesses, like his ability to link up with the rest of the team.
“He mustn’t be too early or too late, so it’s like music, if you have the wrong tempo, it becomes a problem.”
