Roma Boss Gasperini Makes Pisilli Transfer Stance Clear As Serie A Suitors Circle
Gian Piero Gasperini compared Niccolo Pisilli to 1982 World Cup hero Marco Tardelli.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 23 January 2026
Niccolo Pisilli has faced an uncertain future at Roma for months, even though he is one of the club’s most promising academy players.
The 21-year-old broke through last season, making 41 appearances in all competitions and registering three goals and an assist.
This resulted in links with English Premier League side Tottenham, with one report suggesting they had agreed a deal in principle.
Pisilli stayed, but this season has felt different. He has played less, and his role has shrunk as Roma have rotated through several midfield options.
That drop in minutes sparked transfer talk, with reports linking him to the likes of Genoa, Parma and Sassuolo.
However, Gian Piero Gasperini has already made his transfer stance on Pisilli clear amid his Europa League goalscoring heroics.
Niccolo Pisilli going nowhere after Roma brace against Stuttgart
Niccolo Pisilli shone against Stuttgart in Thursday’s Europa League clash, scoring his first two goals of the season after 13 appearances.
In the 40th minute, latched onto Matias Soule’s through-ball down the right and fired into the far top corner from a tight angle.
Then, deep into stoppage time, the 21-year-old Italian struck again to wrap up a 2-0 win for the Giallorossi.
Paulo Dybala collected with his back to goal and slipped a clever, disguised pass into Pisilli’s path, allowing him to rifle home from 10 yards.
⚽ 40′
⚽ 90+3′Niccolo Pisilli in #RomaVfB 🤩#UEL pic.twitter.com/oRlevcz4E6
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) January 22, 2026
Speaking after the game, Gian Piero Gasperini said he had no intention of letting Pisilli go.
“Pisilli absolutely stays here,” said the Roma boss. “Not just for the two goals he scored but also for how he held the midfield.
“He had already demonstrated his worth last year; he’s one of the players who can complete Roma’s squad.”
Pisilli penned a Roma extension just 11 months ago, and it doesn’t look as though the Giallorossi have changed their mind on him.
Pisilli earns comparisons to 1982 World Cup winner
Gian Piero Gasperini even compared Niccolo Pisilli to 1982 World Cup winner Marco Tardelli, a legend for Italy and Juventus.
“He’s a bit like Tardelli,” said the Roma coach. “He’s great at getting into the box and plays excellent football.”
It is high praise for a player whose minutes have been limited at times this season.
But Gasperini also stressed Pisilli’s maturity in midfield, saying he can give Roma greater depth across a long campaign.
The match against Stuttgart could prove to be a turning point in Pisilli’s career, coming at an extremely important moment in Roma’s European campaign this season.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
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