Roma unveil Leonardo Balerdi as new defender
After passing medicals he joins on loan from Marseille — the loan fee is €1 million with a mandatory buy option of €15 million at season's end.
30.08.2026 16:35 — AS Roma continued their bright start to the new season with a 4:0 win over Fiorentina in the opening round and are due to face Lecce tomorrow, but the club has also moved in the transfer market to strengthen the squad for continental duty.
The club announced the signing of Leonardo Balerdi, who has completed medical checks and was formally presented today. He arrives on loan from Marseille for a fee of €1 million, with a mandatory buy option at the end of the season for an additional €15 million.
Transfer details and role
The 27-year-old Argentine spent the past six seasons with Marseille after a spell at Dortmund, and began his career at Boca Juniors. Roma expect Balerdi to add depth and experience to the defensive line ahead of their Champions League campaign.
In the elite European competition Roma will face Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Sporting, Manchester United, Lille, Fenerbahçe, Slovan and AEK — opponents that the club hopes the new recruit will help them meet on the right footing.
Balerdi is Roma's fifth acquisition of the summer transfer window. Earlier arrivals include Santiago Castro from Bologna, Rodrigo Mora from Porto, Konstantinos Kulierakis from Wolfsburg and Nahuel Molina from Atlético Madrid, alongside the permanent signing of Donjel Mulen from Aston Villa.
The club’s coaching staff had repeatedly warned over the summer that more reinforcements were necessary if Roma were to compete on multiple fronts, and the Balerdi move is the latest attempt to answer that need.
Photo: press material from the event
