Roma's Search for Left Flank Solutions: Free-Agent Market Insights

Atalanta loom on the fixture list, but at Trigoria the whiteboard isn’t closed yet. One eye stays fixed on the pitch, the other on a transfer market that refuses to die.

Roma ended the summer window without landing the left-sided player Gian Piero Gasperini had asked for, leaving a gap that still nags at the coaching staff. The solution, if it comes, will now have to arrive from the pool of free agents.

The strategy is tight and deliberate: no panic signing, no name for the sake of it. The club intend to move only if a profile appears that truly matches what Gasperini wants on that flank.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, one of those profiles is a familiar one: Wilfried Zaha. The Ivorian winger came close to Roma in 2023 and is once again on the market after his most recent spell, available on a free transfer. His experience and ability to operate wide left keep him firmly in the conversation.

Krépin Diatta is another name under evaluation. The Senegalese wide man is without a club after his last season at Monaco and offers pace and versatility across the flank, qualities that fit the type of aggressive wing play Gasperini often demands.

Then there is the most classic left-sided option of the three: Raphael Guerreiro. The 32-year-old Portuguese, who spent last season at Bayern Munich, would bring tactical intelligence and refined technique to the role. Comfortable as a full-back or wing-back, he stands out as a natural fit for the left lane.

Roma will face Atalanta with the squad as it stands. But behind the scenes, the search continues. One free agent, one right fit, could still reshape that left side before the season’s rhythm hardens into something permanent.