Sancho has been told by United to find a new club before the transfer deadline.

The 25-year-old has spent the last 18 months on loan — first at Borussia Dortmund and then Chelsea — and was omitted from the squad for the summer tour of the United States.

He has been training away from Ruben Amorim’s first team ahead of the Premier League opener against Arsenal on Sunday and has not been assigned a squad number.

Roma have made contact with United and, according to sources, have indicated they are willing to negotiate a permanent move for around £20 million ($27m). The Serie A side are also interested in Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey.

Sancho has a year left on his contract at Old Trafford. He last played a competitive fixture for United in August 2023. Juventus and Besiktas have shown interest in the England forward.

Sancho is one of a number of players United are hoping to move on before the transfer deadline.

Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia are all available for transfer and, like Sancho, have been training separately since the start of the summer.

Former Napoli coach Spalletti, 66, announced his own dismissal on Sunday following Italy’s 3-0 drubbing by Norway in their opening World Cup qualifier on Friday.

Ranieri, who recently retired for a second time after his spell at Roma last season, said he was honoured to have been offered the job by Italian Football Federation President Gabriele Gravina.

“I thank President Gravina for the opportunity, a great honour, but I have reflected and decided to remain available to Roma in my new position totally,” he told Italian news agency ANSA.

“The Friedkins (Roma owners) gave me their full support and backing for whatever decision I had made regarding the national team but the decision is mine alone.”

Ranieri helped Roma finish fifth in Serie A last season to qualify for the Europa League. The 73-year-old Italian has been replaced by former Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini at Roma.

Gasperini, who guided Atalanta to third in Italy’s Serie A and qualification for the Champions League this season, replaces Claudio Ranieri.

The ex-Leicester City and Chelsea boss stepped down as manager after leading Roma to fifth in Serie A and a Europa League spot.

Ranieri came out of retirement last November to take over as Roma boss following the sacking of Ivan Juric, and the 73-year-old has now taken on an executive role at the club.

Gasperini, 67, spent nine years in charge of Atalanta and won the Europa League with them in 2023-24 when they beat Bayer Leverkusen in the final.

“Gasperini’s career is defined by its creative tactics, dedication to hard work, and exceptional player development,” Roma said.

“Both ownership and Claudio Ranieri believe Gasperini is the right man for the mission.”

The first leg between two of the competition’s favourites in the knockout round play-off had ended in a 1-1 draw, leaving Thursday’s second leg in the balance.

Samu opened the scoring for Porto in the 27th minute with a brilliant overhead kick, but Roma levelled eight minutes later thanks to Dybala’s fine finish into the bottom corner.

The Argentine striker was on the scoresheet again just four minutes later as his drilled strike put the Italians ahead.

Stephen Eustaquio was sent off six minutes into the second half for Porto following a review by the video assistant referee (VAR) after hitting out at Leandro Paredes, although the decision seemed harsh.

Roma took advantage as substitute Niccolo Pisilli claimed the decisive goal with seven minutes remaining with a guided finish, meaning Devyne Rensch’s own goal in stoppage time did not matter in the end.

Roma will face either fellow Italians Lazio or Spain’s Athletic Bilbao in the last 16, with the draw taking place on Friday at 12:00 GMT.

Baidoo, who came close to joining English side Plymouth last summer, saw his potential move delayed due to Elfsborg’s impressive run in the Europa League.

This season, the 24-year-old scored five goals in the group stage, including a decisive penalty in a historic 1-0 win over Italian giants Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. Notably, Baidoo also captained Elfsborg during the match.

“That was a great moment. That’s my best football moment,” he told BBC World News.

“Playing against Roma, being the captain, being the match-winner, it was a huge one for the whole of Sweden.

“To put the club on the map again, it was a huge one,” he added.

Baidoo also credited former Ghana and Chelsea star Michael Essien for providing him with valuable advice early in his career.

“Stay humble and keep working hard because you don’t see it but people do see it,” Baidoo said.

“If people will see it, I have to keep working hard, and in the end, it will pay off – that’s what he did.

“He was humble and kept working hard, and he’s a legend now,” he added.

Baidoo has made 76 appearances and scored 23 goals before joining Plymouth Argyle in a club record deal.

Roma, who hired De Rossi to replace Jose Mourinho at the Stadio Olimpico in January, have been unable to win any of their Serie A matches this season, drawing three and losing at home to Empoli last month.

Roma are currently 16th in the Serie A standings following their 1-1 draw at Genoa on Sunday.

A club statement read: “The club’s decision is taken in the interest of the team, to be able to promptly resume the desired path at a time when the season is still at its beginning.

“To Daniele, who will always be at home in the Giallorossi club, a heartfelt thanks for the work carried out in these months with passion and dedication.”

De Rossi’s tenure at Roma started superbly. In his first 11 league matches, Roma lost just once, picking up 26 points from a possible 33. That run took Roma from ninth to fifth in the table.

They also reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, being knocked out by Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.

A sixth-place finish last season saw them qualify again for this season’s Europa League. Among Roma’s fixtures in Europe this season are a trip to Tottenham on 28 November.

This summer, Roma signed last season’s La Liga top goalscorer Artem Dovbyk from Girona, as well as experienced German centre-back Mats Hummels on a free transfer.

There have been a number of exits. Former Manchester United centre-back Chris Smalling left for Saudi Pro League side Al-Fayha, former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has joined AC Milan on loan and Romelu Lukau, who spent last season on loan from Chelsea with Roma, has joined Napoli.

Andrea Belotti (Como), Rui Patricio (Atalanta) and Leonardo Spinazzola (Napoli) have also departed in recent months.

As a player, De Rossi, who is now 41, spent 22 years with Roma between 1997 and 2019, making 616 appearances for them. He was also part of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning side.

The Friedkin Group, whose proposed takeover of Everton collapsed in July, own a 95.97% stake in the club.

Hummels has been without a club since he was surprisingly released by Dortmund in June, having helped them reach the Champions League final last season.

He led all centre-backs in the competition for line-breaking passes, with 133, but was unable to lead them to victory against Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium, where they were beaten 2-0.

Hummels made a total of 508 appearances across two spells with Dortmund, winning two Bundesliga titles and finishing as a Champions League runner-up on two occasions.

The 2014 World Cup winner was linked with a move to Bologna last month after they sold Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal, only to fail to agree terms with the Rossoblu.

He has instead joined Danielle De Rossi’s Roma, who were in need of defensive reinforcements after allowing Chris Smalling to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Fayha.

Reports suggest he has penned a one-year deal with an option to extend his stay in the Italian capital by a further 12 months, with Roma announcing he will wear the number 15 shirt.

Hummels’ debut could come at Genoa on September 15, with his first home outing potentially coming against Udinese one week later.

The Giallorossi failed to secure Champions League qualification last season and will play in the Europa League, with Athletic Bilbao their first opponents on September 26.

Josip Stanisic scored with the last kick of the game in the 97th minute to earn Xabi Alonso’s side a 2-2 draw on the night and a 4-2 aggregate victory.

Roma, who had lost the first leg in Italy but were much improved in Germany, drew level in the tie through two Leandro Paredes penalties.

But a disastrous own goal from Gianluca Mancini handed Leverkusen the crucial advantage in the two-legged semi-final – before Croatia defender Stanisic ensured history with the latest in a long line of Leverkusen late goals.

They have now gone 49 successive games without defeat in all competitions, including 40 victories.

It means Leverkusen better the unbeaten run the Eusebio-led Benfica side managed between December 1963 and February 1965.

That feat by the Portuguese giants was the longest unbeaten run since the advent of European competition, according to Uefa – until this remarkable Leverkusen campaign.

Alonso’s men, who are seeking a treble this season having won the Bundesliga title and also reached the German Cup final, will face Italian side Atalanta in the Europa League showpiece in Dublin on 22 May.

Goals from Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich gave the Bundesliga champions only their second win in Italy.

Roma had just two shots on target with striker Romelu Lukaku cutting an isolated figure before being replaced after 80 minutes.

Substitute Tammy Abraham spurned a golden chance to reduce the arrears in stoppage time.

After an opening half hour short on quality, Leverkusen broke the deadlock when full-back Alex Grimaldo raced on to a misplaced backpass before setting up midfielder Wirtz for his 18th goal of the season.

Hosts Roma hit back with a flurry of chances but were unable to find a leveller before the interval.

Midfielder Andrich then doubled Leverkusen’s lead midway through the second half, firing into the top-left corner from long range.

The victory stretched Xabi Alonso’s side’s unbeaten run to 47 matches in all competitions.

The other semi-final first leg between Marseille and Atalanta finished 1-1 at Stade Velodrome.

Forward Gianluca Scamacca put the visitors ahead after 11 minutes before defender Chancel Mbemba equalised with a long-range strike nine minutes later.

Both sides missed further chances, with the tie left in the balance before the second leg in Bergamo next week.

Gianluca Mancini opened the scoring for the hosts after 12 minutes before Paulo Dybala doubled Roma’s lead 10 minutes later to cement a 3-1 aggregate victory.

Daniele de Rossi’s side went down to 10 men after Mehmet Zeki Celik’s lunging challenge on Rafael Leao.

Matteo Gabbia scored a late consolation for Milan.

Defender Mancini was quickest to react to tap home Lorenzo Pellegrini’s shot after it struck the woodwork.

World Cup winner Dybala then gave the home side breathing space after he looped a brilliant effort over Mike Maignan in the Milan goal.

England international Tammy Abraham, who recently returned from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, came off the bench in the 28th minute in place of the injured Romelu Lukaku.

Roma will take on Bayer Leverkusen for a place in the Europa League final after the Bundesliga champions overcame West Ham.

Two Seagulls defensive errors in an entertaining first half did the damage before Roma took full control after the break.

The hosts took an early lead when Paulo Dybala slotted in the first after Brighton were undone by a long, straight pass from Leandro Paredes.

Albion gradually grew into the game, hitting the post through Simon Adingra’s deflected cross while Danny Welbeck forced an instinctive save from Roma keeper Mile Svilar.

But they fell further behind when Lewis Dunk’s poor touch was pounced on and punished by Romelu Lukaku just before half-time.

Brighton continued to play boldly and bravely after the break as they searched for a way back into the game.

However, they were hit by a sucker punch when Gianluca Mancini slid in a third, and quickly conceded again through Bryan Cristante’s header.

Roberto de Zerbi’s side continued to try and salvage something to take back to the Amex Stadium, but were unable to narrow the deficit before the second leg next Thursday (14 March).

The Giallorossi have won just one of their last six Serie A games and were recently knocked out of the Coppa Italia by city rivals Lazio, where Mourinho was sent off.

Following that defeat, Mourinho likened himself to fictional wizard Harry Potter, saying his position at the club was raising fans’ expectations for success.

They are 22 points behind league leaders Inter Milan.

The 60-year-old joined Roma in 2021 and spent two-and-a-half years in the role, leading them to the Europa Conference League title in 2022.

He also guided them to the Europa League final last season, where they were defeated by Sevilla on penalties. His contract was due to expire in June.

A club statement read: “We would like to thank Jose on behalf of all of us at AS Roma for his passion and efforts since his arrival at the club.

“We will always have great memories of his tenure at Roma, but we believe that an immediate change is in the best interests of the club.

“We wish Jose and his assistants all the best in their future endeavours.”

Roma next host 18th-placed Verona on Saturday.

The Belgium striker headed the hosts into an early lead from Paulo Dybala’s classy outside-of-the-boot cross.

Lucas Martinez Quarta’s glancing header brought Fiorentina level midway through the second half after Roma’s Nicola Zalewski collected a second booking.

Lukaku was given a straight red for a studs-up foul on Christian Kouame three minutes from the end but Roma held out.

Fiorentina ended a feisty game with 10 men after Nikola Milenkovic’s dismissal deep into stoppage time.

Jose Mourinho’s Roma are fourth in Serie A after 15 games, 13 points behind leaders Inter Milan. Fiorentina are a point behind Roma in seventh.

Romelu Lukaku gave the Italian side the lead in the first half but Chris Bedia levelled after the break in Geneva.

It leaves Roma in second place, two points behind leaders Slavia Prague.

“It seems that some people who don’t have much European experience play these games somewhat superficially,” said Mourinho.

“I really don’t understand. I’ve played 150 matches in the Champions League that are much more ‘important’ than this and my motivation for these matches is sky-high.

“It’s always the same lads who stay focused for 90 minutes and I don’t need to name them. Then there are people who have a bit of a superficial approach in this type of game.”

Roma need to beat Sheriff Tiraspol in their final group game and hope Slavia Prague do not beat Servette if they are to have a chance of winning the group and qualifying automatically for the last 16, with second place meaning a play-off against a side dropping down from the Champions League.

Mourinho says being in the play-offs would not be a “disaster” but accused his players of missing an opportunity to take all three points in Switzerland.

“I’m not going to make a drama out of this second place. I think it’s more of a drama that some people wasted an opportunity by playing with the same attitude we keep seeing, especially at the start of the second half when we’re in the lead,” added the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss.

“There’s nothing to pay. [Manchester City boss Pep] Guardiola can make people pay for these things. If he’s not happy with someone, he says goodbye and brings in another. It’s not a problem. We don’t have that option here. Here we have a coach who has to keep hammering it in, working day after day trying to get the best out of these players.

“I’ll say it again: we have a fantastic squad, good people, professional people who love Roma and want to do well. This is more about the DNA, about your comfort zone.”

Stephan El Shaarawy scored a 90th-minute winner at the Stadio Olympico, after Romelu Lukaku and Sardar Azmoun both hit the post for the hosts.

Monza were forced to play more than 50 minutes with 10 men after Danilo D’Ambrosio’s first-half dismissal.

Mourinho was then given a red card deep into injury time after making ‘crying’ gestures towards the opposition bench.

Victory saw Roma end Monza’s five-match unbeaten streak to move within three points of leaders Napoli.

“I don’t know why I got the red card, I only made a gesture to the bench, not a single word,” Mourinho said.

“We made a lot of mistakes and we suffered. It was a game with a low technical level, but a [highly] emotional one.”

The 4-1 loss was Roma’s third in six league games and left the club 16th in Serie A with five points.

Mourinho has previously managed Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Tottenham and took over at Roma in 2021.

He won the inaugural Europa Conference League in 2022 as he led the Italian club to a first trophy in 14 years.

Roma finished sixth in Serie A last season and were runners-up in the Europa League, losing on penalties against Sevilla in the final.

As Mourinho soaked up the disappointment of the Genoa result, the 60-year-old said: “It’s also my worst start to a season as a coach.

“However, I don’t think that Roma had ever appeared in two consecutive European finals [before last season].”

Genoa took the lead through Albert Gudmundsson before Bryan Cristante levelled for Roma.

However, Mateo Retegui, Morten Thorsby and Junior Messias scored second-half goals for Genoa to leave Roma hovering above the Serie A relegation zone.

Roma’s only league win this season came with a 7-0 victory against Empoli, while they also beat Sheriff Tiraspol in a Europa League group game.

Their next match will be on Sunday, at home to Frosinone.

“This is the squad we have, for better and worse. We have to move forward – there’s no time to lament,” said Mourinho on Thursday evening.

“I might show my feelings behind the scenes because it really affects me emotionally, especially given my relationship with the fans.

“We’ll be working hard from tomorrow ahead of our next game. Three points will be at stake – it’s not like we’re in six-pointer territory already – but it’s a huge game for us now.”

The Belgian joined the club from the Italian capital on a season-long loan from Chelsea in the summer.

Lukaku, 30, re-joined Chelsea for £97.5m in 2021 but his return proved unsuccessful and he was not part of new manager Mauricio Pochettino’s plans.

“Romelu needs to feel loved and wanted,” said Mourinho.

The Portuguese, who worked with Lukaku at Chelsea and Manchester United, added: “When he came here, he could sense the team needed a player like him.

“He likes to win – that’s in his nature. I think he’s really happy.”

Lukaku, 30, spent last season on loan at Inter Milan, appearing in the Champions League final defeat by Manchester City.

But they could not reach a deal to permanently sign him from Chelsea, who he had re-joined from the Italians in August 2021.

And, after making clear he did not want to return to Stamford Bridge, he signed for Roma, who have only collected four points from their first four Serie A games.

Mourinho added that netting his first goal would be good for the forward’s confidence.

He said: “That wasn’t a big deal for me. Maybe it was for him – you know what footballers are like, especially forwards, they live to score.

“He’s an intelligent player who since arriving has made it clear that first and foremost what matters is that Roma score, not that he scores.”

Mourinho also said Inter, who thrashed AC Milan in their derby on Saturday, have “no reason to be angry” at Lukaku.

“They won the derby 5-1 and have an amazing team with lots of forwards,” added Mourinho, who managed Inter from 2008-2010.

“They should be happy for their former coach, who needed Lukaku.”

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The Giallorossi started the match in the relegation zone but secured a huge home win which equals the record margin of victory in a modern Serie A match.

Lukaku, who joined on loan from Chelsea this summer, scored his first goal for the club with a composed finish.

The result means Jose Mourinho’s men have climbed from 18th to 12th.

The home side ran up a comfortable first-half lead thanks to a Dybala penalty, Renato Sanches’ header and an Alberto Grassi own-goal.

Argentina international Dybala added a classy fourth after the break and hit the crossbar with a free-kick before Bryan Cristante struck from long range.

Lukaku then added the sixth and Gianluca Mancini headed in to complete the rout.

Manager Jose Mourinho and his players had endured criticism after earning a solitary point from their first three matches, with their form hindered by injuries to the likes of Chris Smalling, Houssem Aouar, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Tammy Abraham.

Belgium international Lukaku joined Portugal international Sanches, signed from Paris St-Germain in August, in scoring his first goal for last season’s Europa League finalists.

Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun also made his debut for the club, replacing Lukaku late on.

The result matches the eight previous 7-0 wins teams have managed in Serie A since the competition introduced three points for a win in 1994.

One of those also came at the Stadio Olimpico in November 2006, when Roma hammered Catania under the guidance of current Italy manager Luciano Spalletti.

No Italian team has won by more than seven goals since Juventus thumped Inter Milan 9-1 at home in April 1961, and Roma were responsible for an equally emphatic hammering when they embarrassed Napoli 8-0 two years earlier.

Roma also won 9-0 at home to Cremonese in October 1929 but the overall top flight record remains Torino’s 10-0 win at home to Alessandria in May 1948.

Mourinho, who had emphasised Roma’s potential but bemoaned their absentees before the game, last triumphed by such a large scoreline when he led Real Madrid to an 8-1 home win over Almeria in May 2011.

The 30-year-old returns to Serie A having spent last season on loan with Inter Milan, helping them reach the Champions League final.

He is reported to have turned down a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League.

“The welcome that this club and these fans gave me thrilled me and represents a further incentive to give everything for my new team,” Lukaku said.

Lukaku is believed to have accepted a wage cut to be reunited with coach Jose Mourinho at Roma.

Mourinho briefly managed Lukaku in 2013-14, during the striker’s first spell at Chelsea, before the Portuguese signed him for Manchester United from Everton in 2017 for £75m.

Lukaku added: “I had the opportunity to speak with the owners in recent days and I was struck by their ambition.

“Now we have to work, be humble and grow game after game. For my part, I can’t wait to make myself available to my teammates, on and off the field.”

After making a £74m permanent move to Inter from United in 2019, Lukaku re-joined Chelsea for £97.5m in 2021 but his return proved unsuccessful and he has not played for the Blues since May 2022.

Lukaku did not travel with Chelsea for their pre-season tour of the United States and despite still having three years left on his contract, he was not part of new manager Mauricio Pochettino’s plans for 2023-24.

“Knowing that Lukaku has chosen Roma can only represent a source of great satisfaction for all of us. With his arrival we acquire further experience, professionalism and desire to win”, Roma’s general manager of the sports area Tiago Pinto.

“All our choices are always aimed at raising Roma’s level of competitiveness. Seeing the fans welcome Romelu with that enthusiasm makes us really proud.”

Lukaku has previously won the Belgian championship with Anderlecht, an FA Cup and a Club World Cup with Chelsea, and a Scudetto, an Italian Cup and an Italian Super Cup with Inter.

The deal includes an £8m loan fee and Roma will be covering the 30-year-old Belgium international’s wages.

Inter Milan had hoped Lukaku, who is not part of Mauricio Pochettino’s plans at Chelsea, would return to the club where he spent last season on loan.

But the forward was unhappy coach Simone Inzaghi did not start him in the Champions League final.

Juventus were also keen to sign Lukaku but were unable to make the changes required to their squad.

There are still some details to be finalised but the agreement for his return to Italy is essentially done.

A source close to Roma owners the Friedkin family, who took over the club in 2020, said the transfer demonstrated their commitment and desire to “achieve the glory the club and the fans deserve”.

The move to Roma means Lukaku will be reunited with Jose Mourinho, who persuaded him to join Manchester United ahead of Chelsea when he moved to Old Trafford from Everton in 2017.

Lukaku moved back to Chelsea from Inter Milan for £97.5m in August 2021 on a five-year-deal for his second spell at Stamford Bridge, but has struggled to establish himself and this season has been training away from the first team.

He has scored 15 goals in 59 games for the Blues in two spells.

“When he is conditioned and fit he is a real handful,” former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.

“He has had a brilliant career but, at 30, he has to prove himself again.

“The Chelsea thing is baffling in some respects, that he seemed to be frozen out and Chelsea have a striker crisis, yet they weren’t bringing him back into the fold which was slightly odd.”

Negotiations are at an early stage but the Serie A club could be the solution to the situation that Lukaku, 30, and Chelsea find themselves in.

Lukaku, who spent last season on loan at Inter Milan, did not feature in Chelsea’s pre-season plans and is training away from the first team.

Roma boss Jose Mourinho managed Lukaku at both Chelsea and Manchester United.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino was aware of the club’s plan to sell the Belgium forward when he took the job at Stamford Bridge in July.

“If the player and club’s wish is to find a solution, it’s not me, it’s them. In that case, the player and the club will meet and inform me that things changed,” Pochettino said in his news conference before Chelsea’s Premier League home game against Luton Town on Friday (kick-off 20:00 BST).

“I’m not going to move until the club or the player want to talk with me. I am here, I accept the situation that was here when I arrived.”

Chelsea are expecting to have resolved Lukaku’s future by the end of the European transfer window on September 1, with a permanent move or a loan deal that includes a significant fee or an obligation to buy.

They are not expecting the deal to be done quickly, and the option of selling Lukaku to Saudi Arabia is also being considered if there was interest as their transfer window closes on 20 September.

Mourinho, 60, said Chiffi was “the worst referee I have met in my life” after a match against Monza on 3 May.

The Portuguese has also been fined 50,000 euros (£43,000).

The Italian FA said Mourinho will serve “10 days of disqualification starting from the first day of the next relevant championship”.

The former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Manchester United boss criticised Chiffi after he sent off Roma’s Mehmet Zeki Celik six minutes into stoppage time at the end of a Serie A 1-1 draw at U-Power Stadium.

Mourinho, who received a yellow card in the match, revealed he had been wearing a microphone to “protect” himself.

Last season was a turbulent one on the touchline for Mourinho, who received three red cards for disputes with officials, including one from Chiffi in September’s loss against Atalanta.

Roma finished sixth in Serie A and were runners-up in the Europa League, losing on penalties against Sevilla.

The new Serie A season is due to begin on the weekend of August 19-20.

The Portuguese, 60, was booked by English referee Anthony Taylor in Budapest, where Sevilla beat his Roma side on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

The charge relates to an incident in a car park after the game when Mourinho directed a foul-mouthed rant at Taylor.

Both clubs also face several charges over their fans’ and players’ conduct.

Sevilla and Roma have been charged with throwing of objects, lighting of fireworks and improper conduct of their team.

Spanish side Sevilla have an additional charge for invasion of the field of play, while Roma were also charged with acts of damage and crowd disturbances.

Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body (CEDB) will decide on the matter in due course.

What did Mourinho do?

Mourinho criticised Taylor in his news conference and was later captured confronting the Englishman and other officials as they boarded a minibus in the car park under the stadium.

The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss repeatedly swore and twice shouted about a “disgrace”, before talking further in Italian.

Taylor and his family were then shouted at by angry fans in Budapest Airport.

During the game, Taylor was repeatedly called to the benches to take action as fourth official Michael Oliver struggled to keep control.

Taylor issued yellow cards to 13 players, the most bookings in a Europa League game. Seven of them were to Roma players, which was a record for a final.

Delays and injuries saw more than 25 minutes of injury time played across the four halves of the game, which went to extra time and then a shootout.

Airport abuse described as ‘abhorrent’ and ‘unacceptable’

Referees’ body PGMOL said it was appalled by the “unjustified and abhorrent” abuse towards Taylor, seen in a video shared on social media.

The Manchester-based official, 44, and his family were accosted as they were escorted through the airport. Scuffles then broke out as they disappeared through a secure door, while a chair was thrown.

Budapest airport officials said an Italian citizen involved in the incident had been charged with affray.

A Budapest Airport statement read: “Fans of the losing Roma team recognised the referee in the food court of the airport, where he was waiting for his flight to depart.

“Thanks to the airport operator’s close co-operation with the police and the increased police presence at the airport during the arrival and departure of the fans, the authorities intervened immediately, and the referee was escorted to a lounge and boarded his flight safely, accompanied by police officers.

“The Italian citizen involved in the incident was apprehended by the police and criminal proceedings have been initiated on charges of affray.”

PGMOL said in a statement: “[We are] aware of videos circulating on social media showing Anthony Taylor and his family being harassed and abused at Budapest Airport.

“We are appalled at the unjustified and abhorrent abuse directed at Anthony and his family as he tries to make his way home from refereeing the Uefa Europa League final.

“We will continue to provide our full support to Anthony and his family.”

The Premier League said it was “shocked and appalled by the unacceptable abuse” directed at Taylor and his family.

A spokesperson added: “No-one should have to suffer the inexcusable behaviour they had to endure.

“Anthony is one of our most experienced and accomplished match officials and we fully support him and his family.”

West Ham manager David Moyes, whose side play Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday in Prague, said: “All referees have a really difficult job and shouldn’t be put through any difficult situations. That’s not correct.”

‘Mourinho should be banned for 10 games’

Before Mourinho was charged, former Premier League referee Keith Hackett called on Uefa to give him a 10-game ban and take tougher action against clubs.

“What is appalling here is that a referee has gone out and done his job,” Hackett told BBC Radio 5 Live. “It is a prestigious game for him – for an English referee to be appointed to the final.

“He was looking forward to that, he spent years of refereeing to get to the level he is at – he is a world-class referee. He delivers a very difficult game without much contention and then he is faced with this particular problem as he is in the airport.

“It is unprecedented and Uefa have got to take action. The sanction for Mourinho? They have got to come down with a 10-game ban.

“They have also got to ban the teams from Europe. They have got to be tough – throw them out of the competition.”

Hackett said Uefa must also take “responsibility for the security of match officials right up to the time that they leave the airport”.

Mourinho suffered his first loss in seven European finals when Sevilla defeated the Italian side on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time.

However, it was an ill-tempered affair on both sides, with Taylor brandishing a total of 14 yellow cards — a record for a Europa League match.

After the match, a video shows Mourinho swearing at the Premier League referee in the car park and calling him a “f–king disgrace.”

The Portuguese coach fumed at Taylor in his postmatch news conference for not awarding a penalty kick to Roma for a perceived handball during the second half — as well as a number of other decisions he thought the referee mishandled.

“The referee seemed like he was Spanish,” Mourinho said. “The result was not fair, and there are a lot of instances to reexamine.”

Mourinho added: “This is a European final, and with this kind of refereeing, it is hard to accept. If we talk about refereeing situations, it’s not two or three: it is many, quite apart from the big decisions. Those of us who have been in football a long time realise immediately what is going on.

“[Lorenzo] Pellegrini falls in box and given a yellow card; [Lucas] Ocampos did exactly the same thing and he doesn’t get one. It’s a scandal. VAR called the referee and shames Ocampos, but there’s no card given.

“[Erik] Lamela — who, by the way, scored one of the penalties — deserved a second yellow but didn’t get it. And let’s not even talk about the big decisions. That’s just the small details.”

Having also received a yellow card during the match, Mourinho could be hit with a multi-match ban from future European games by UEFA.

After receiving his runners-up medal on the pitch, Mourinho walked toward the stands and handed it to a young fan in the front row, and later said: “I only keep the gold ones.”

Sixth-placed Roma face relegation-threatened Spezia in the final round of Serie A on Sunday, one point behind Atalanta and one point ahead of Juventus. Fifth place qualifies for the Europa League spot and sixth place for the Conference League.

Gonzalo Montiel, who also scored the winning penalty for Argentina in the World Cup final against France, repeated the trick for the Spanish side following a 1-1 draw, with a retaken spot kick after Roger Ibanez and Gianluca Mancini had missed for Roma.

The Spanish side, have now won all seven of the finals they have played in the competition with captain Jesus Navas involved in their first triumph against Middlesbrough in 2006.

Their most recent sees them qualify for next season’s Champions League despite finishing outside the top four in the La Liga.

However, there will be a feeling that it could have been so different for Roma and their manager Jose Mourinho, who had won all five of the previous European finals he had been involved in and guided the club to inaugural Europa Conference League success last term.

Montiel’s international teammate Paulo Dybala had deservedly put Roma in front during the first period, racing onto to Italy defender Mancini’s incisive pass to expertly steer a low effort past Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou into the bottom right corner.

However, the Serie A side, who also saw Leonardo Spinazzola test Bounou before the break, relinquished their control of a testy encounter which saw 14 players and coaches, including Mourinho booked.

And Sevilla drew level 10 minutes after the break with Navas’ cross from the right, deflecting off the unfortunate Mancini into his own net, as they repeatedly pressed forward for an equaliser.

Roma arguably had the better opportunities to win the contest in normal time with Tammy Abraham and Ibanez unable to convert from close range and Andrea Belotti slicing wide from Lorenzo Pellegrini’s clever free-kick.

When Lucas Ocampos went down under a challenge from Ibanez, Sevilla appeared to have been handed a golden opportunity to go ahead but, after initially awarding a penalty, English referee Anthony Taylor overturned his decision following a video assistant referee review.

And that set up a tense additional 30 minutes with Chris Smalling heading against the Sevilla crossbar 11 minutes into stoppage time at the end of extra time before the dramatic finale.

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Path to the final

Sevilla, who have an amazing record of winning the Europa League every time they have reached the quarterfinal stage, ‘dropped’ into the competition from the UEFA Champions League and went on to defeat PSV Eindhoven (3-2 on aggregate), Fenerbahce (2-1), Manchester United (5-2) and Juventus (3-2). They are just 90 minutes away from winning the Europa League for a record-extending seventh time (adding to triumphs in 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2020).

Roma’s path to the final saw them finish second in Group C behind Real Betis, before going on to defeat Red Bull Salzburg (2-1 on aggregate), Real Sociedad (2-0), Feyenoord (4-2) and Bayer Leverkusen (1-0). Last season’s UEFA Europa Conference League champions, the Giallorossi are hoping for continued continental success.

In addition, the winners of this match will earn a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League regardless of their finishing position in their domestic leagues.

Head-to-head stats

In head-to-head stats, Sevilla and Roma have met in just one previous match: a round of 16 single-leg tie (due to the effect of Covid-19) in the Europa League in August 2020 which the Spanish side won 2-0 thanks to goals from Sergio Reguilon and Youssef En-Nesyri.

Battles to watch

Jose Luis Mendilibar v Jose Mourinho – Mendilibar has done an amazing job in turning Sevilla’s season around, but he faces a tough opponent in the wily and wizened Mourinho, who is chasing yet another continental title.

Fernando v Nemanja Matic – These two veteran midfielders have defied father time to be outstanding performers for their teams in the ‘engine room’ this term, but only one of them will walk away a Europa League champion from Budapest.

Gonzalo Montiel v Tammy Abraham – It has not been a vintage season for Abraham in goal-scoring terms, but he remains a talisman for Roma and will be a player that the determined Montiel will have to keep a close eye on.

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UEFA Europa League final broadcast details (All times GMT)

Wednesday 31 May

19:00: Sevilla v Roma – LIVE on SuperSport Grandstand, SuperSport Premier League, SuperSport Maximo 2, SuperSport Maximo 360 and SuperSport GOtv Football

Sevilla, record six-time winners, have never lost a Europa League final, while Mourinho has won all five European finals he has ever been involved in.

“You look at Sevilla and you say ‘Sevilla wins every final’,” Mourinho told Uefa.com.

“I don’t like superstition. It’s a new final. It’s new history.”

The winners of the final at Budapest’s Puskas Arena will play in next season’s Champions League – their only hope of doing so. Neither team can finish in the top four of their league, while Sevilla – 11th in La Liga – could miss out on Europe entirely.

Sevilla, who won the 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2020 finals, were in relegation trouble until they appointed Jose Luis Mendilibar in March.

The much-travelled 62-year-old has never won a major trophy – while Mourinho, 60, has won the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan, league titles and cups in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain, the Uefa Cup/Europa League with Porto and Manchester United, and last season’s Europa Conference League with Roma.

“Do I know that I could become the first coach to win this competition with three teams? I really don’t care,” said Mourinho. “I think of the happiness that we can give to these people [fans].

“To be in this final is something that nobody would have expected at the beginning of the season when you see the incredible, incredible quality of the teams in the Europa League. Barcelona and Arsenal were in this competition and they were kicked out very, very early.

“Is the fact that I am up against Sevilla when I won that first trophy [Porto’s 2003 Uefa Cup win over Celtic] in Seville significant? No, I don’t think so. I’ve been in football for many years.

“Maybe people think I’m older than I am. Maybe they look at my white hair and think I’m really old, but not old [enough] to think about closing the circle. No, no, no. You are going to have me, still, for many years.”

Mendilibar said: “He’s always the main man and winning things, while I haven’t won so much.”

Sevilla midfielder Nemanja Gudelj told UEFA: “If somebody had told us at the beginning of the season that this would be the case, we wouldn’t really have believed them.

“Mendilibar has to be thanked for that. We’ve improved our overall style of play, we’ve started getting better results and we’ve started playing the way that Sevilla used to play a few years ago.”

Roma full-back Leonardo Spinazzola is available again after a muscle strain, while forwards Stephan El Shaarawy and Paulo Dybala should be fit too.

Sevilla forwards Suso and Papu Gomez, who missed the game against Elche, were back training this week.

Referee Anthony Taylor leads a team of English officials for the game. Michael Oliver is the fourth official and Stuart Attwell is the video assistant referee.

Edoardo Bove’s goal gave the Italian side a 1-0 win in the first leg, and that was enough to take them through.

Moussa Diaby struck the crossbar for Xabi Alonso’s side in the first half of the second leg, but they could not find the breakthrough.

Roma progress to the final in Budapest on 31 May.

Mourinho has won all five of his previous five European finals, including last season’s Europa Conference League with Roma.

With a deficit to overturn, Leverkusen were on the front foot early on and Diaby came close to levelling the tie after being sent clear down the right, only for his fierce effort to rattle the bar and bounce clear.

Kerem Demirbay saw his low shot saved by Roma goalkeeper Rui Patricio soon after, while Leverkusen were furious when the referee waved play on when Sardar Azmoun appeared to be pulled down by Bryan Cristante just outside the box with just Patricio to beat.

The home side continued to push forward in the second half with Azmoun dragging a shot just wide, but for all their territorial dominance they struggled to create any clear-cut chances.

And so, after 31 years without a European final before last season, Roma can look forward to a second in as many years.

The 20-year-old passed into the bottom corner after Tammy Abraham’s shot was saved to score his first European goal.

Leverkusen’s best chance saw Florian Wirtz drag wide in the sixth minute.

They had a chance to equalise in the 86th minute but Jeremie Frimpong’s effort after a mistake by Rui Patricio was blocked.

Penalty appeals from the same incident were waved away by Premier League referee Michael Oliver.

However, Roma could have taken the lead before half-time but for an excellent save to keep out Roger Ibanez’s header.

If they advance to the final, Mourinho would hope to maintain an outstanding record – he guided Roma to success in the Europa Conference League last season and has won his previous five European finals in charge of Porto, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Roma.

The game saw Mourinho up against his former player at Real Madrid in Xavi Alonso, with the Spaniard, now manager at Leverkusen, having previously played 151 games for the Portuguese manager over three seasons.

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The Giallorossi and the Nerazzurri are both fighting to finish in the top four and secure UEFA Champions League football for next season, adding real stakes to this heated rivalry between heavyweights of the south and north of Italy.

In addition, this clash pits Roma boss Jose Mourinho against a team where he is still beloved by the fanbase, having famously led Inter to a treble of trophies in the 2009-10 season. “I have great respect for the supporters of Inter and for their club, but my focus is on Roma and achieving the goals we have set out,” said the Portuguese.

Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, meanwhile, wants to see his side shrug off previous shortcomings and secure a finish as high up the log as possible. “It’s true that this season has not always gone the way we would have liked, but we cannot change that. What we can change is how the season ends for us.”

Key players

Paulo Dybala – The Argentine attacker is a cult hero for Roma and, having once been linked with a move to Inter, will be hungry to put in a dominant and inspirational showing against the team in black and blue.

Lautaro Martinez – Inter’s spearhead has enjoyed another fine season, with the Argentine scoring and assisting plenty of goals, but he will need to be at his best for the Nerazzurri to triumph in the ‘Eternal City’.

Head-to-head stats

In head-to-head stats, Roma and Inter have met in 80 matches across all competitions since 1993. The Nerazzurri have claimed 32 wins compared to 22 for the Giallorossi, while 26 games have been drawn.

When the teams met in Serie A earlier this season, at the San Siro in October 2022, Roma claimed a 2-1 away win thanks to goals from Paulo Dybala and Chris Smalling.

Battles to watch

Jose Mourinho v Simone Inzaghi – Mourinho looms large in this rivalry due to the affection he holds from Inter fans, but Inzaghi will fancy his chances of masterminding an away win for the Nerazzurri.

Chris Smalling v Romelu Lukaku – Former Manchester United teammates, Smalling and Lukaku will have one of the key battles in this clash, with the winner set to possibly set up his team for a victory at the Stadio Olimpico.

Nemanja Matic v Nicolo Barella – A classic midfield battle, Matic will have the edge on experience and technique, while Barella has the physicality and energy to give his team a platform for success in this heated clash.

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Serie A broadcast details

All times CAT

Saturday 6 May

18:00: Roma v Internazionale – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Maximo 360 and SuperSport GOtv Select 1

Victor Osimhen’s volley gave Luciano Spalletti’s side an early lead but Roma levelled through Stephan El Shaarawy.

However the hosts, chasing a first Scudetto since 1990 and the days of Diego Maradona, pressed for a winner.

And Simeone’s turn away from Chris Smalling and effort into the top corner proved decisive.

Napoli now have 53 points from 20 games, with Inter Milan a distant second on 40 points after their 2-1 win at Cremonese on Saturday. Roma are sixth in the table, one point off the Champions League places.

Meanwhile, defending champions AC Milan slipped out of the top four after suffering a 5-2 thrashing at home to struggling Sassuolo.

Stefano Pioli’s side are on a four-match winless run in the Italian top flight and have conceded 12 goals in their last three matches in all competitions.

Domenico Berardi, Gregoire Defrel, Davide Frattesi, Armand Lauriente and Matheus Henrique all scored for the visitors as the Rossoneri conceded five at the San Siro for the first time in Serie A since April 1997, with Olivier Giroud and Divock Origi replying for the hosts.

“We have to react, we’re probably not going to win the title again but we have to fight to qualify for the Champions League,” Pioli told Sky Italia.

Juventus fell to a 2-0 home defeat to Monza to leave them languishing in 13th, while Lazio played out a 1-1 draw with Fiorentina to move up to third in the table.

It was a soggy night at the San Siro, creating slippery conditions that affected the play.

Milan’s Pierre Kalulu scored first when he headed in from a corner on the half-hour mark.

Tommaso Pobega doubled the lead in the 77th minute when he was played into space in the box and smashed the ball into the lower right corner with one touch.

Roger Ibanez pulled one back for Roma three minutes before stoppage time when he headed in a corner, and Abraham completed the late comeback six minutes later when he managed to send in a rebound from inside the box.

Milan are now third in the Serie A table with 37 points after 17 games, equal with second-placed Juventus on points and seven behind Napoli.

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Neither the Nerazzurri nor the Giallorossi have enjoyed a start to the season that they would be completely satisfied with, but this clash presents an opportunity to make a statement of intent coming straight off the international break.

Inter manager Simone Inzaghi has revealed that he is in the process of building a “new Inter” in which competition for places will drive up the level of their performance: “Having two or even more players competing for each and every position in the XI is the ideal situation,” said the Italian tactician. “That is what we are striving for, knowing that it will make the team stronger overall.”

Roma boss Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, is hopeful striker Tammy Abraham can recover his form: “Tammy is an extraordinary lad, who wants to do well, who suffers when he does not do well, who’s now living a difficult moment between the small injury he suffered a while ago, some games that didn’t go too well… he’s certainly in a slump.”

• Key players

Lautaro Martinez – The spiky Argentine will be expected to raise his game for the visit of Roma on Saturday, as Inter look to get back on track in the race for the Serie A title.

Tammy Abraham – The English striker is going through a barren spell for Roma, but he remains a key focal point around which their attack is centred.

• Head-to-head stats

In head-to-head stats, Inter and Roma have met in 79 matches across all competitions dating back as far as 1992. The Nerazzurri have claimed 32 wins compared to 21 for the Giallorossi, while 26 games have been drawn.

Inter dominated matches between the teams last season, claiming a league ‘double’ with 3-0 away and 3-1 home victories. They also put Roma out of the Coppa Italia in between, and have in fact gone 11 games unbeaten against the side from the capital city.

• Battles to watch

Simone Inzaghi v Jose Mourinho – Both managers are inherently conservative, though Mourinho will enjoy the chance to let his team play on the break at Inter’s home ground.

Romelu Lukaku v Chris Smalling – The former Manchester United teammates will have a personal duel which could go a long way in deciding the outcome of this match.

Nicolo Barella v Nicolo Zaniolo – These two outstanding Italian midfielders, both named Nicolo, will battle for the ascendancy in the middle of the park come Saturday evening.

No rival can compete with SuperSport’s coverage. Our viewers on DStv and GOtv enjoy an unrivalled selection of football from around the world!

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• Serie A broadcast details

Saturday 1 October

• 15:00: Napoli v Torino – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Maximo 360 and SuperSport GOtv Select 1
• 18:00: Internazionale v Roma – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Maximo 360 and SuperSport GOtv Select 1

• 20:45: Empoli v AC Milan – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Maximo 360, SuperSport GOtv Football and SuperSport GOtv Select 1

Sunday 2 October

• 12:30: Lazio v Spezia – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Maximo 360 and SuperSport GOtv Football
• 15:00: Lecce v Cremonese – LIVE on SuperSport OTT4
• 15:00: Sampdoria v Monza – LIVE on SuperSport OTT3 and SuperSport GOtv Football
• 15:00: Sassuolo v Salernitana – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Variety 3, SuperSport Maximo 360 and SuperSport GOtv Select 1
• 18:00: Atalanta v Fiorentina – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Maximo 360 and SuperSport GOtv Select 1
• 20:45: Juventus v Bologna – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Maximo 2, SuperSport Maximo 360 and SuperSport GOtv Select 1

Monday 3 October

• 20:45: Verona v Udinese – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Maximo 360 and SuperSport GOtv Select 1

The 19-year-old forward moved to the Italian top-flight newcomers for an undisclosed fee on Monday, having scored two goals in 22 senior appearances for the Giallorossi.

Afena-Gyan only joined Roma at the start of 2021 and progressed rapidly from their Under-18 side to the senior squad under Jose Mourinho, and he had signed a new four-year contract last month.

“I’m delighted to continue my development at Cremonese. Ready to help the club achieve its vision,” he wrote on Instagram.

Cremonese are back in Serie A for the first time since 1995-96, but have lost their first three league games of the new campaign.

The Lombardy club has been busy in the transfer window, signing 18 players including Nigeria striker Cyriel Dessers and compatriot David Okereke.

Afena-Gyan made his first-team debut for Roma last October, with both his Serie A goals coming during a cameo appearance against Genoa the following month.

READ ALSO

• Official: Ghana forward Felix Afena-Gyan joins Cremonese

• Black Stars: Players did not switch nationality because of World Cup…

He posted a heartfelt farewell to Roma, crediting Mourinho with “changing his life” – while he also paid tribute to his old Primavera coach, Alberto de Rossi.

“I’m grateful to AS Roma, the technical team and staff for the precious opportunity and support I have enjoyed in the last year and a half,” Afena-Gyan said in a message posted on Twitter.

“My utmost love to the manager Jose Mourinho. The last seven months with you have totally changed my life. Thank you for believing in me.

“To my former team-mates and Roma fans, I cherish the wonderful moments we shared together.”

Afena-Gyan made his Ghana debut in March, helping the Black Stars to qualify for this year’s World Cup by overcoming West African rivals Nigeria in a two-legged play-off.

He scored his first international goal against Madagascar in June, and has won a total of six caps.

The 19-year-old, who joined the Italian giants in March, 2021, is near a move to newly promoted side for a €6m fee, plus €3m add-ons.

Ahead of his official announcement, the youngster took to social media to bid an emotional goodbye to Roma.

In his statement, he acknowledged the club, teammates and most importantly, Jose Mourinho for transforming his life during his time with the Giallorossi.

“I’m grateful to AS Roma, the technical team and staff for the precious opportunity and support I have enjoyed in the last one and half years,” part of the post read.

“My utmost love to the manager Jose Mourinho. The last seven months with you has totally changed my life. Thank you for believing in me.”

His imminent departure was surprising after he signed a long-term contract earlier this couple of months to see him stay at Roma until 2026.

Afena-Gyan made 17 Serie A appearances for Roma last season scoring two goals.

The 31-year-old Dutch midfielder joined the Giallorossi earlier this month on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, and Mourinho’s Giallorossi fans couldn’t wait to watch him play. Things have unfortunately taken a turn for the worst and Wijnaldum’s broken leg will likely keep him out of action until after the World Cup in Qatar.

La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed today that a training-related collision between Wijnaldum and Afena-Gyan, resulted in the broken leg.

Mourinho addressed Wijnaldum’s injury on his Instagram page and exonerated Afena-Gyan of any wrongdoing.

“Sometimes football can be sh*t. In only 2 weeks, Gini became one of us because of his human qualities (his football qualities we already knew). 

“Sadly, n a very unfortunate accident he had a bad injury that will keep him away from playing for a long time.

“But it’s not just football to be sh*t sometimes, people can also be… Those who initiated the rumours that a top kid like Felix could be responsible for what happened are real scum.

“Let’s all be together tonight, we play for Roma, for Wijnaldum and for Afena-Gyan.”

Reports suggest that Roma are waiting for further tests and would like to avoid surgery for Wijnaldum but as things stand the Dutchman is not expected to be fit in time for the World Cup in Qatar.

The Netherlands midfielder, 31, joined Roma on loan from Paris St-Germain two weeks ago.

The Serie A club said medical tests had “confirmed the presence of a fracture to the tibia in his right leg”.

Roma did not say how long Wijnaldum, a Premier League and Champions League winner with Liverpool, would be out.

Rotterdam-born Wijnaldum, who has 86 caps for the Netherlands and also spent a season at Newcastle United, will “undergo further assessments in the coming days”.

The Dutch are in Group A at the World Cup, which begins on 20 November, along with Senegal, Ecuador and hosts Qatar.

The Netherlands captain won the Ligue 1 title and made 37 appearances in all competitions after moving to PSG from Liverpool last summer.

The Italian club can exercise a clause to buy the 31-year-old after the 2022-23 season.

Wijnaldum becomes Roma boss Jose Mourinho’s fifth summer signing.

He follows Paulo Dybala, Nemanja Matic, Zeki Celik and Mile Svilar to the Italian capital.

“It’s a really good feeling to be a Roma player,” Wijnaldum said. “Everyone I have spoken to has given me great feedback about the club and its fans.

“The club made it clear just how much they wanted me in the efforts they made to complete the deal, which always gives a player a lot of confidence and belief. The reception from the supporters, on social media and elsewhere, has also been fantastic.

“I promise to give 100% and help the team compete for all our targets this season.”

The 28-year-old was a free agent after his seven-year stay at Juventus ended in June.

“The days that have led up to me signing this contract have been filled with so many emotions,” Dybala said.

“The speed and determination with which Roma demonstrated just how much they wanted me made all the difference.

“I am joining a team that is on the up, a club that continues to put in place strong foundations for the future, and a coach, Jose Mourinho, that it will be a privilege to work with.

“As an opponent, I have always admired the atmosphere created by the Roma fans – I now cannot wait for the chance to salute them while wearing this shirt.”

Inter Milan were in a pole position to sign Dybala but could not manage to fit him into their financial and sporting plans following Romelu Lukaku’s return.

Napoli were also interested but the forward chose to join Jose Mourinho’s project after a phone call with the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss.

The 19-year-old signed a new four-year deal until 30th June 2026.

The young promising forward made 22 appearances for the Giallorossi to date, scoring two goals.

“I am really pleased to have signed this contract: ever since I arrived at this club my aim was to reach the first team and since I did that my life has changed a lot,” Afena-Gyan said.

“Now I need to just concentrate on continuing to improve, I am motived to start the new season in the best possible way.”

Having joined the club’s youth setup in the early part of 2021, Felix quickly progressed from the Under-18s to the Primavera side and then, at the start of the 2021-22 campaign, he was called up to Jose Mourinho’s first-team squad.

After making his professional debut against Cagliari in October 2021, a few weeks later he opened his account for the club with two late goals in an unforgettable substitute appearance against Genoa.

He has since gone on to make his international debut for Ghana, helping his country qualify for the upcoming World Cup after a hard-fought playoff victory against Nigeria.

“Felix has vast room for improvement and has the opportunity to make the most of that potential under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, a coach who is pivotal to the development of our young players,” said Tiago Pinto, the club’s General Manager.

“This contract extension also represents another demonstration of how the link between our first-team squad and our academy setup continues to get stronger.”

Jose Mourinho arrived at the Arena Kombetare chasing his fifth European title, having won the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan, the UEFA Cup with Porto and the Europa League with Manchester United. His team delivered, with the Giallorossi winning their first European trophy since the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1972.

Feyenoord made a fast start to the match, winning the ball high up the pitch, playing on the front foot and driving forwards through Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson. Still, while they established a stranglehold on possession, they struggled to make meaningful chances and, after 20 minutes, neither side had mustered up a shot.

Roma gradually found their feet, Lorenzo Pellegrini pushing and probing as Tammy Abraham galloped about in search of a through-ball. When they opened the scoring in the 32nd minute it still felt like a bolt from the blue, however, not least because it came from their first shot of the match.

Playing on the right side of Roma’s back three, Gianluca Mancini floated a diagonal ball into the box from deep and picked out Nicolo Zaniolo. He showed fantastic close control to chest the ball down and flick it over Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow as he rushed off his line in an attempt to smother the shot.

Feyenoord upped the tempo, Orkun Kokcu testing Rui Patricio with a swerving shot from distance, but Roma soaked up the pressure until the break. It became clear right from the restart that the second half would be much more uncomfortable for Mourinho’s side, Mancini almost scoring an own goal under pressure from Gernot Trauner only to be saved by the woodwork.

The goal frame was left shuddering again moments later, Rui Patricio pushing a thunderbolt from Tyrell Malacia onto the post. Feyenoord were lucky not to be reduced to 10 men when Marcos Senesi subtly impeded Abraham as he got in behind, dragging him back by the arm, but neither the referee, Istvan Kovacs, nor VAR thought it was worthy of a red card.

A slip from Chris Smalling almost allowed Cyriel Dessers to go one-on-one, but Roger Ibanez made a fantastic covering tackle to deny him. At the other end, Bijlow did well to keep out Jordan Veretout.

Roma were pinned back in their final third for the last 20 minutes but, despite several scares, they held firm and saw out the match. It will go down as a Mourinho masterclass and, despite a topsy-turvy debut season with the Giallorossi, he has duly written himself into Roma folklore.

According to Mourinho, the teenager was a laughing stock at Roma since he usually showed up to the training grounds with ‘fake shoes’.

The former Chelsea coach delivered his promise to ensure his teammates stopped making fun of him anytime he showed up during training.

“He was there, he didn’t have a contract and he was coming all the time with fake trainers and all the guys there were having fun with him,” Mourinho told BT Sports.

“The moment he came here and the moment he scored a winning goal, I had to say: Felix, it’s time for the guys to stop bullying you, so let’s buy a proper pair of shoes,” he added.

The Portuguese gaffer was impressed with the turn of events as Afena-Gyan is likely to feature for Ghana at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar later this year.

“Now he signs a contract, he goes to Ghana national team and he has fun with the other guys because the other guys are not going to the World Cup, but he is. So in this moment things are changing.”

The 19-year-old is yet to win his first career trophy under Mounrinho with AS Roma set to face Feynoord in the finals of the UEFA Conference League.

His decision to go out with friends including Primavera mates to the nightclub angered head coach Jose Mourinho and the rest of the technical team after the player returned to the Giallorossi camp after dawn.

The player will now train with Roma’s Primavera as it remains unclear when he would be called back to the first team.

Afena-Gyan has been referenced as Mourinho’s son after the Portuguese coach took the teenager under his wings. The former Inter Milan coach gave him the Balenciaga shoes he wanted so much after his brace at Genoa, Mourinho also spent New Year’s Eve with the striker.

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Afena Gyan, since being promoted from Roma’s Primavera, has made 14 senior appearances and scored two goals.

The 19-year-old has signed a two-and-half year deal with multinational corporation which designs and manufacturers athletic materials and footwear.

Arthur Legacy Sports congratulated Afena Gyan on social media after joining the Puma family.

The youngster’s shoes, casual wear and other accessories will all be provided by the German sportswear brand.

According to media sources, the deal will include bonuses on goals scored plus qualification to European competitions like the Europa League and UEFA Champions League.

Coach Jose Mourinho’s darling boy joins players such as Neymar, Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Griezmann, Romelu Lukaku, Luis Suárez, among others who are all part of the Puma brand.

The Ghanaian has risen through the ranks after joining the Rome-based club and made his debut in October 2021 against Cagliari.

He has scored two goals in 13 appearances in all competitions this season for his club.

The Ghanaian youngster made an instant impact for the club on Sunday night in the Serie A.

The Giallorossi were struggling to create anything meaningful at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris until the introduction of the 18-year-old.

Afena-Gyan came off the bench and made all the difference and the headlines as Roma escape with a 2-0 win.

When the Ghanaian scored the first goal, he sprinted to the touchline to hug his boss and Mourinho later revealed why Afena-Gyan celebrated by running to him.

In an interview after the game, Mourinho said: “I had promised to buy Felix the boots he really likes, which are really expensive, they cost €800, so he ran over and told me not to forget! Tomorrow morning, the first thing I do is buy him the boots.

“I am sorry for Mister De Rossi and the Primavera squad, but Felix will stay with us. The Primavera work close to us, so Felix and another four or five players have come across to the senior squad.”

Now, the former Chelsea boss has delivered on his word, and Felix Afena-Gyan has thanked his gaffer for delivering on his promise.

Jose Mourinho’s side endured a frustrating night before the introduction of the Ghanaian youngster.

Afena-Gyan came on as a replacement for Eldor Shomurodov on the 74th minute of the game.

The 18-year-old made good use of Mkhitaryan’s effort to fire up in the angled drive with the inside of the right boot for his debut Serie A goal.

The night got even more special for Afena-Gyan, as he scored from an unlikely source to make it 2-0 for Roma.

He becomes the first player born in 2003 to score in the Italian top flight and it was only his third appearance.

Afena-Gyan was handed a debut call-up to the senior national team of Ghana for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa and Ethiopia but failed to turn up due to some sporting reasons.

The AS Roma youngster was named Milovan Rajevac’s provisional 28-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia and South Africa.

But the youngster was unable to join the Black Stars squad for both games.

Speaking in an interview with ace journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, the promising forward revealed that he didn’t feel the time was right to don the national team jersey.

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“I felt it was too early for me to answer the call from the national team because I need to grow, physically but also mentally and psychologically,” Afena-Gyan said.

“I also thought it was important for me to stay in Trigoria to accumulate training under [Jose] Mourinho’s orders, to continue improving and growing.”

The Ghanaian also added that despite not responding to the call-up, he hopes to be a part of the team in the coming years.

“I have a lot of respect for my national team and I hope to be part of it in the future. The coach asked me if I would go and I told him I didn’t feel ready yet. But it was my decision. I thought it was premature for me to take such a step,” he concluded.

Ghana went ahead to draw with Ethiopia in the penultimate game before beating Bafana Bafana with a 1-0 scoreline.

He rolled back the years, sprinting down the touchline to celebrate Stephan El Shaarawy’s injury-time winner for Roma with his players.

Those scenes were reminiscent of the iconic moment when he charged down the Old Trafford touchline as manager of Porto in 2004, after knocking Manchester United out of the Champions League.

That was the year he led the Portuguese side to win the trophy before taking over at Chelsea as the self-proclaimed ‘special one’.

“I wasn’t 58 years old, but 10 or 12 or 14, when you start dreaming about a career in football. Running like I did, I was running like a child,” said Mourinho after the 2-1 win over Sassuolo. “And I apologised to [Sassuolo coach Alessio] Dionisi for that.”

The Portuguese, who joined Roma in May after being sacked by Spurs, explained the goal was so significant because he was “scared” of losing the landmark game.

“During the week I was lying to people, telling everyone this wasn’t a special game – perhaps I was trying to convince myself as well,” he added.

“But actually it was – this game had a really special meaning for me. And I am sure I will remember it for the rest of my life because my 1000th game as a coach was this one.

“I didn’t want to lose it, and I was very scared of having that be my lasting memory of the moment. So I was lying to everyone beforehand. It was a very special feeling.

“Perhaps God decided that I didn’t deserve to have a negative memory of this particular game.”

Mourinho has won a lot of accolades as a manager, including two Champions League trophies, three Premier League titles, three La Liga titles, and two Scudettos, but many felt after he failed at Spurs and Manchester United that his powers were waning.

However, he seems to have his mojo back in the Italian capital and he has now won his first five games as Roma manager – the first time he’s done that with a club.

Abraham, Chelsea’s joint top scorer last season, joins the Serie A club – managed by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho – on a five-year deal.

It is understood the deal for the 23-year-old England international includes a buy-back clause set at £68m.

“You can sense when a club really wants you – and Roma made their interest clear immediately,” said Abraham.

“Roma is a club that deserves to be fighting for titles and trophies. I’ve had the experience of winning major trophies and I want to be in those competitions again – so I want to help this team to achieve that and get to the level where Roma should be.

“It’s a massive honour to be the number nine at this club and I just can’t wait to get started and to help the team.”

Abraham, who has had loan spells at Bristol City, Swansea City and Aston Villa, flew to Italy on Sunday for a medical after Roma struck a deal with European champions Chelsea over the weekend.

The Premier League club re-signed their former striker Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan for £97.5m on Thursday.

Inter Milan replaced Lukaku by signing Roma’s former Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko.

Abraham, who has won six England caps, scored 30 goals in 82 appearances for Chelsea, having joined them at the age of seven.

The buy-back clause cannot be triggered until the Chelsea academy graduate has completed two seasons with Roma.

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said: “Tammy will always be welcomed back at Stamford Bridge as one of our own.

“We have all enjoyed watching his progress through our academy and into the first-team squad, and are grateful for his contribution to our successes at senior and youth level.”

Roma’s general manager, Tiago Pinto, said: “Despite still being very young, with a huge amount of potential to keep improving, Tammy has already played more than 200 games in his career and scored over 100 goals – and won a number of major trophies too.

“Choosing to leave the Premier League, and the club he grew up at, demonstrates very clearly just how much he believes in this opportunity to develop his own game and show what he can do at Roma.”

United now meet Villarreal – who beat Arsenal – in Gdansk, and will fancy themselves to win their first trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and their first under anyone in five seasons. The sides have met four times before, achieving four goalless draws.

Though the tie was effectively settled in the first leg won by United 6-2, Roma started the second leg really well and forced David de Gea into a succession of smart saves.

But the suspicion remained that United had too much class, and sure enough they took the lead on the night when, following a couple of decent chances missed, Cavani finished emphatically following good work from Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and Fred.

At the start of the second half, a game and dangerous Roma created a succession of chances, De Gea making several witting and unwitting saves.

Eventually, though, Edin Dzeko and Bryan Cristante beat him and for a few manic minutes, things looked tight. But then another brilliant ball from Fernandes incited another brilliant finish from Cavani, this time a header, and both sides acknowledged the end of the contest, dropping the pace. But they still continued to attack, and on 83 minutes Nicola Zalewski’s volley went in off Alex Telles, giving Roma the consolation of a home win.