Roma’s sporting director, Ricky Massara, says the club should know more about Giacomo Raspadori’s situation by Sunday, while talks about Joshua Zirkzee with Manchester United are completely off the table.

Gian Piero Gasperini stirred things up after the 2-0 win at Lecce this week when he skipped the post-match interviews. People saw it as his way of protesting the club’s slow pace in the January transfer market. So, is there any real movement when it comes to landing Atletico Madrid striker Raspadori?

“We’re negotiating for Raspadori, and honestly, things are moving toward a conclusion—one way or another. We’ll probably have a much clearer picture by tomorrow,” Massara told DAZN Italia.

Gasperini also said having the Friedkin family in Rome mattered more to him than the team’s points so far this season. Does that mean he and the owners are on the same page?

“It’s always great when the owners are here in Rome, but we feel their support all the time anyway. We all want the same thing: to help the team and the club keep growing. So yes, we’re all pulling in the same direction.

“There’s always a lot of back-and-forth—part of the job when you’re trying to build the best team possible.”

Lately, there’s been talk about Roma having an eye on Marseille’s teenage striker Robinio Vaz.

“He’s a fantastic talent, but honestly, that transfer looks almost impossible right now. Marseille probably won’t even consider selling him, and if they do, lots of clubs will be interested,” Massara said.

As for Zirkzee, Massara made it clear that Roma can forget about signing the Manchester United forward, especially after Ruben Amorim’s recent exit.

“Manchester United has shut down any transfer talks at the moment. With the coaching change, they’re not moving anyone. So, I really don’t see them changing their mind.”

Tonight, Evan Ferguson starts against Sassuolo, but nobody’s sure where he’ll be playing in the future.

“He’s here, he’s helping, and he’s getting better all the time. He’s young and coming from another league, but the progress is clear. We’re glad he’s out there tonight. We hope he stays for the rest of the season, but let’s see how things go.”

Wesley’s out with the flu and only makes the bench. Artem Dovbyk, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Leon Bailey, and Pierluigi Gollini are all injured. Neil El Aynaoui and Evan Ndicka are away at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The good news? Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso are back from suspension, but now Bryan Cristante is serving a ban.

Manchester United finally pulled the plug on Ruben Amorim after 14 months that felt like a slow-motion car crash. It’s been a stretch full of bad decisions, stubborn tactics, and more than a few moments that fans would rather forget.

Amorim showed up in November 2024, not long after Erik ten Hag got the boot—even though Ten Hag had just signed a new contract. The club wanted someone to bring some fresh energy and direction, and Amorim, with two Primeira Liga titles at Sporting under his belt, seemed like the guy. But here we are, with United sitting sixth in the table and Amorim blowing up at reporters after a 1-1 draw with Leeds at Elland Road. So, how did it all fall apart?

First, the tactics. If there’s one thing people will remember about Amorim at Old Trafford, it’s his absolute refusal to try anything but his beloved 3-4-3. When he took the job, everyone knew the squad just didn’t fit that system—the full-backs couldn’t play as wing-backs, and the midfield was left wide open. Didn’t matter. Amorim even joked that not even the Pope could change his mind. That stubbornness helped seal his fate, and now whoever comes in next has to work with a squad built for a system that isn’t working.

Then there’s the Marcus Rashford mess. Rashford scored right away under Amorim, but it was all downhill from there. The two never clicked. Rashford was out the door on loan to Aston Villa by January and then off to Barcelona in the summer. Rashford’s career got back on track elsewhere, but United only got loan fees and lost a homegrown star for basically nothing.

Amorim was supposed to be great with young players, which is something United always expects from their managers. But he wasted that chance. Alejandro Garnacho, who looked untouchable just last summer, ended up being sold to Chelsea. Rasmus Hojlund was loaned to Napoli. And then there’s Kobbie Mainoo—he started the Euro 2024 final for England, but under Amorim, he turned into a utility man, shuffled around with no clear role. Fans hated it.

Last season was a disaster—United finished 15th, their worst in 50 years. Even Amorim admitted, “We are being the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United.” He picked up just 27 points from 27 games. Things got a bit better this year, but not enough for a club with United’s history.

If there was one bright spot, it was the Europa League run. Amorim took United all the way to the final, with that wild comeback against Lyon in the quarters. But then they didn’t show up against Tottenham, losing 1-0—their fourth loss to Spurs that year. No trophy, no big Champions League payday. It stung.

And who could forget the Grimsby humiliation? That was just the cherry on top of a tenure the club will want to move on from fast.

Amorim had some rough losses—those games against Bournemouth, Brighton, and even a ten-man Everton stand out. But honestly, nothing topped getting knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Grimsby Town, a team from League Two.

Grimsby jumped ahead with two goals, but Manchester United scored twice late to force penalties. The shootout turned into a marathon, ending 12-11, and Grimsby’s fans wasted no time. They started chanting “sacked in the morning” at Amorim, and social media lit up with memes of him clutching his tactics board on the sideline.

Things really fell apart for him over the holidays. That stretch is always brutal in England, and it ended up being his breaking point. First, there was a dismal home draw with Wolves—a team that barely had any points. Then, a 1-1 draw at Leeds. After that match, Amorim aimed for the club’s scouting department and the sporting director right in the press conference. Less than a day later, the club showed him the door.