Rome Transfer Market: Marten De Roon’s Arrival from Atalanta Divides Two Fan Bases
Roma Transfer News: Marten De Roon joining the Giallorossi after 10 consecutive seasons with Atalanta is perhaps one of the most surprising moves of the summer of 2026, so much so that it has caused a stir in both cities. The Dutchman, a longtime captain of the Orobici, will join his former coach Gian Piero Gasperini in the capital and left Bergamo and Zingonia, telling RAI reporters: “I should be happy, but it’s a difficult day.” And even these words helped create a snowball effect online that involved both his longtime fans and those he’ll meet in his new adventure.
In fact, within a few hours, fans of both Roma and Atalanta flocked to social media in droves, providing a vivid illustration of just how divisive the transfer has been for both fan bases. In the capital, some are applauding the arrival of a staunch ally of Gian Piero Gasperini, while others are extremely skeptical due to his age. “De Roon to Roma for 1 million is truly a coup, on par with Malen, who cost just over 20 million. In my opinion, Roma is Inter’s real rival,” writes one person. “He knows how Gasp plays—a bargain, a good signing,” echoes another user. Detractors, on the other hand, retort: “Terrible move. We’re trading a promising young player for a veteran who, at best, can serve as a backup for 1–2 years” or “This has-been will just warm the bench; by now, the transfer window is just an accounting exercise to balance the books and never to improve the teams.”
In Bergamo, too, opinions are split down the middle, but between those who blame the coach or management for sidelining a team icon too casually and those who instead take aim at the Dutch midfielder. “Sarri is always the best at getting rid of leaders,” reads one comment. “A club icon turned into a weather vane over three coaching stints. A hard blow to the heart, Marten De Roon—you were Stromberg’s heir, but you’ll remain just one of many,” protests a Nerazzurri fan. But there are those who see it the other way around: “As an Atalanta fan, I’d say a chapter ended here, but he’s not a washed-up player. He’s a valuable team leader both in the locker room and on the field, and he knows Gasperini’s style of play inside and out. He’ll be a huge asset to the Giallorossi. Good luck, Marten.” “We can’t stand seeing you in those colors, but good luck anyway, captain,” reads another message. And an Atalanta supporter brings up the rival team’s icon: “You were one of us; now you’re one of them. Go Atalanta—Totti would never have left.”
From a technical standpoint, the move fits into a specific tactical plan by Gasperini, who, on the eve of the away game in Lecce, explained the reasons for the signing with great clarity: “We’re strengthening the midfield with a reliable player, even if he’s getting on in years. He’ll fit right in with the team; he’s strong and wants to be a key player. He’s a great guy—and fun to follow on social media, too. With him and Balerdi, we’ve brought in two captains.” The coach from Grugliasco then emphasized how the experience of the new signings is essential to rounding out a squad brimming with talent: “Talent also needs personality and physicality.” He even made a joke about the team’s international makeup: “This way we balance out all these Argentines—there are starting to be too many of them. He’s Dutch, just like Malen. In that regard, we’re solid.”
De Roon’s arrival is directly linked to the departure of Neil El Aynaoui, who has tied his future to the Bundesliga: the Moroccan international will move to Leipzig on a paid loan for 4 million euros, with an option to buy set at 25 million. The player thus leaves Roma after just one season. This move reflects the Giallorossi’s transfer philosophy this summer, with Roma having already secured key signings such as Santiago Castro, Rodrigo Mora, Konstantinos Koulierakis, and Nahuel Molina, in addition to exercising the option to buy Donyell Malen.
De Roon’s transfer to Roma, however, is also a direct result of another sensational twist in this transfer window: Franck Kessié’s return to Atalanta. The Bergamo-based club, in a lightning-fast move orchestrated by Cristiano Giuntoli, snatched the Ivorian away from both Roma and Juventus, forcing the Giallorossi to decisively shift their focus to the former Nerazzurri captain. Gasperini had personally tried to convince Kessié to follow him to the capital, building on the relationship they had forged during the 2016–2017 season in Bergamo, but Atalanta’s intervention closed every door, making De Roon the Giallorossi’s solution to their need to complete the midfield. And, incidentally, he left Bergamo for just one million euros: a “gentleman’s agreement” between the two clubs, given that the Dutchman’s contract was set to expire in June 2027.
The 35-year-old Dutch player, who came up through the ranks at Sparta Rotterdam and joined Atalanta in 2015, has extensive international experience: last summer he took part in the 2026 World Cup held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, where Ronald Koeman included him among the four Serie A players called up to the Oranje, alongside Dumfries, Koopmeiners, and Malen. He has made 44 appearances and scored one goal for the Dutch national team, and played in the Round of 16 match against Morocco. An impressive resume for a player whom Gasperini, despite his age, considers anything but a supporting player—rather, a key contributor capable of making a difference in a season that promises to be particularly intense, with both the league and the Champions League on the horizon.
