Will Roma reunite Freuler and Gasperini? His contract with Bologna is expiring and the player is open to the move

The indispensable figure in the Bologna midfield under first Motta and then Italiano was one of Gasperini’s key players during his years at Atalanta, until his move to Nottingham Forest in 2022 – a season before returning to Italy to sign a contract with the Rossoblù until 2026. With his contract due to expire, it looks increasingly unlikely that it will be renewed, and so all that is needed is Gasp’s approval for sporting director Massara to attempt to secure the Swiss international, who scored against Italy in the round of 16 at Euro 2024.

The bond between 34-year-old Freuler and Gasperini goes beyond the pitch after six and a half years together. The Swiss player spoke about this ahead of the European clash against Roma, which they won 4–5 on aggregate over the two legs to reach the Europa League quarter-finals:

“I know by heart how he plays, even though he too has changed his style of football over the years. The foundation, however, is more or less always the same. I have a brilliant relationship with Gasperini both on and off the pitch. I also know his tactical adjustments inside out – whether he plays with three up front or with an extra midfielder – and the thoughts going through his mind.”

"I haven’t decided on my future yet; we’ll see what happens as my contract is coming to an end," said Freuler from the Swiss training camp, where the team is playing a friendly against Germany as part of their World Cup preparations. "I certainly haven’t ruled out the possibility of staying in Italy. Many Swiss players feature in Serie A, a league that suits our qualities well. We develop good tactical intelligence: I believe that’s why Swiss players do so well in Serie A."

Freuler made 30 appearances and provided two assists in total during the season, which was marred by a broken collarbone that kept him out for just over a month between November and December.