The Giallorossi have made an encouraging start to the season, but the coach believes his squad remains short of numbers in the forward positions. The victory over Sassuolo provided a positive note before the break, while also giving the club's hierarchy an opportunity to turn its attention towards the market.
According to Il Tempo, a meeting involving the club's senior figures is planned during the international window to discuss potential recruitment and establish the strategy for January. The winter transfer window is scheduled to open on December 28.
Sporting director Tony D'Amico had already acknowledged the need for another attacking player before the Sassuolo match, specifically identifying the absence of a winger with the pace to attack space and create advantages in one-on-one situations.
AS Roma pursued a player with those characteristics during the summer but were unable to complete an agreement. The intention is now to revisit the market and identify a suitable option, although the club will also have to consider its financial obligations and ongoing monitoring by UEFA.
Gasperini would ideally like more than one attacking addition, with the possibility of bringing in a striker as well as the wide player the squad has been missing. The coach has previously acknowledged that Roma are well covered in several areas but lack depth further forward, particularly given the demands of competing in Serie A and the Champions League.
His comments after the Sassuolo victory were consistent with that assessment, although he was careful not to suggest that recruitment discussions had already taken place.
"I don't know. At the moment I'm following the league, my team and my squad," Gasperini said when asked about the possibility of signing a striker in January.
"I'm concerned with getting our players back to their best. It's quite clear that, even with so many matches to play, we're covered in many positions, while we're a little less covered up front. What we might be able to do in January, we'll see. For now, we haven't discussed it."
That distinction suggests the planned meeting during the break will be an important opportunity for the club to move from identifying the problem towards deciding how to address it.
Roma's recent schedule has placed considerable demands on the squad. Gasperini highlighted the difficulty of playing nine matches in 27 days, with injuries further reducing his available options.
The return of Manu Koné has been welcome after the midfielder missed seven matches following an injury sustained early in the Champions League meeting with Real Madrid. However, the coach believes the shortage in attack remains an area that needs attention.
D'Amico will therefore have a clear priority when the January market approaches: find the attacking qualities that were missing from the summer recruitment, while assessing whether the club can also provide Gasperini with another centre-forward.
Roma's position in the table has given the club a strong platform, but the next transfer window could prove important in determining whether they have the depth to sustain their challenge across multiple competitions.