Emery did not call him up for the Aston Villa match. He will arrive on loan with an option to buy. Only the bonuses remain to be defined for the United player. Baldanzi heading to Udine

There is an air of revolution and the second half of August promises to be hot. After the sudden halt to the sale of Manu Koné to Inter, the Friedkins are trying to make Gian Piero Gasperini happy. He has asked for at least two attacking reinforcements to complete the transfer campaign. The first post-Ferragosto gift is called Leon Bailey. The deal with Aston Villa for the 1997-born striker is now finalized: a loan fee of just over $2 million and the right to buy him for $23 million. Emery did not even take him to the bench for today’s match against Newcastle. “I think he will leave,” admitted the coach, who left him out of the squad.

He is expected to arrive in Rome on Monday, just enough time to finalize the last details with Bailey’s agents, who have already been in the capital for several hours. He will be the first Jamaican in the history of the Giallorossi. Bailey was born in Kingston, the land of reggae music and strong athletes, the land of Bob Marley and Usain Bolt. Less so of famous soccer players. So far, three have played in Italy: Trivante Stewart (Salernitana), Ravel Morrison (Lazio), and Rolando Aarons (Verona). None of them left their mark. But Bailey, who arrived in Europe at the age of 13 and is the idol of Jamaican children, has already made his mark in the Bundesliga and Premier League: 39 goals in 156 games with Leverkusen before moving to Aston Villa, where he was a key player in 2023-2024 with 14 goals and as many assists. Then there was too much competition and, as the months went by, too many appearances on the bench. Now he wants to relaunch his career with Gasp.

sancho—  The same goes for his friend Sancho, the Friedkins’ other big target. Manchester United has already accepted Roma’s €23 million offer, and the player has also put the Giallorossi at the top of his list after a chat with Gasperini in recent days. What’s missing? First and foremost, the details of Sancho’s contract bonuses. The Englishman has decided to reduce his salary by spreading it over a five-year deal worth $4.5 million plus bonuses. Then there is the issue of commissions linked to his agents. Between today and tomorrow, Roma will try to untangle the knot. Then, however, they will need to make room for Gasperini’s two new arrows. The first to leave should be Baldanzi, for whom there is a request from Udinese, while two intermediaries are working on the sale of Lorenzo Pellegrini. The now former captain has a hefty salary and an expiring contract that will not be renewed by the club. After Besiktas and West Ham (both rejected by Pellegrini), new destinations are being sought, but time is running out. Everything is done, however, for the sale of Kumbulla to Mallorca: a loan with an option to buy for €8 million. Salah-Eddine, who was left out of the squad for today’s friendly against Neom, will also be sold. A return to the Netherlands is likely.