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, enough to cause a stir in both fan bases. The Dutchman, a longtime captain of Atalanta, will join his former coach Gian Piero Gasperini in the capital. He 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 on his new adventure.
In fact, on social media, both Roma and Atalanta fans have reacted en masse, providing a clear demonstration of just how divisive this move 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 was signed for 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, counter: “Terrible move. We’re giving up a promising young player for an experienced one who, at best, can be a backup for 1–2 years” or “This has-been will just be warming the bench; by now, the transfer window is just an accounting exercise to balance the books, 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 lightly 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 on and off the field and knows Gasperini’s style inside and out. He’ll be very useful to the Giallorossi. Good luck, Marten.” “We can’t stand seeing you in these 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 is part of Gasperini’s precise tactical plan. On the eve of the away match in Lecce, he 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 into the squad; he’s strong and wants to be a key player. He’s a great guy—and he’s fun to follow on social media, too. With him and Balerdi, we’ve brought in two captains.” The Grugliasco-born coach 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 making Donyell Malen’s transfer permanent.
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 pivot toward the former Nerazzurri captain. Gasperini had personally tried to convince Kessié to follow him to the capital, drawing on the relationship they built during the 2016–2017 season in Bergamo, but Atalanta’s intervention closed every door, making De Roon the Giallorossi’s solution to the need to complete their 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 Dutchman, who came up through Sparta Rotterdam and joined Atalanta in 2015, is a player with 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 he 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—but rather a key figure 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.
