Jonathan Rowe, Bologna's 23-year-old forward, marked his return to pre-season action with a goal in a 2-0 victory against Iraklis on July 26, combining with Thijs Dallinga to give Vincenzo Italiano's side their first win of the summer. The result offered a timely reminder of Rowe's attacking contribution at a moment when the squad's shape is being complicated by transfer activity elsewhere.
The timing matters. With Roma in direct talks with Bologna over a deal for Santiago Castro — reportedly the primary target for their attack — Italiano faces the prospect of losing a centre-forward before the season begins. That context elevates Rowe's role: if Castro departs, the weight of the forward line shifts further toward Rowe and Dallinga. A goal in a pre-season win does not resolve that structural question, but it does confirm Rowe is available, fit, and contributing.
Rowe's 2025-26 season figures provide the baseline for any assessment. Across 27 Serie A appearances, he registered three goals and two assists, carrying an average rating of 6.80. Bologna finished the campaign in eighth place with 55 points. Rowe's AI overall score of 71 suggests the gap between current output and ceiling remains meaningful, and pre-season is precisely the window in which that gap can begin to close.
The disciplinary episode that shadowed the earlier part of his summer — a red card for violent conduct, followed by a fine that the club confirmed has since been paid — appears to have been managed internally without lasting consequence. Bologna's public position on retention was clear, and Rowe's appearance on the scoresheet against Iraklis reinforces that the matter has not disrupted his preparation.
Bologna had drawn 1-1 with Heidenheim three days earlier, with Castro on the scoresheet in that match. If the Argentine does leave for Roma, Rowe's pre-season form becomes not just a personal benchmark but a squad-level necessity. His three-goal return from 27 league appearances last term is a platform, not a ceiling, and the opening weeks of 2026-27 will test whether he can convert a larger share of the attacking responsibility into numbers that push Bologna back toward the European conversation.