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Marash Kumbulla has left AS Roma on loan to Spanish club Rayo Vallecano, with the agreement structured as a loan with a right of redemption. The Albanian centre-back departs after collecting 68 appearances in the giallorossi shirt, during which he scored 4 goals and was part of the squad that won the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022. Kumbulla's exit continues a pattern of movement for the defender, who has now departed Roma on loan. The club issued an official statement confirming the arrangement and wished him well for the future.

Marash Kumbulla has left Roma on loan with a buy option to join Rayo Vallecano, marking his third spell in Spanish football after previous stints at Mallorca and Espanyol. The central defender will compete in La Liga, a division he knows well from his earlier experiences in the country. Kumbulla expressed his enthusiasm upon joining the Madrid club. "I am happy and excited to wear the Rayo shirt and begin this new adventure," he said. "It is a club with one of the most historic names in La Liga, a competition I now know very well thanks to my past experiences. The team demonstrated last year how, through hard work, important objectives can be achieved. I want to thank the president and coach for their confidence, and I cannot wait to start." The loan deal includes a clause allowing Rayo Vallecano to make the transfer permanent at a future date.

Marash Kumbulla has joined Rayo Vallecano on loan with a right of redemption, completing a move away from AS Roma. The defender, who spent last season on loan at Mallorca, returns to Spain after being deemed surplus to requirements under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Kumbulla did not feature in Roma's pre-season preparations in Wales and his path to the first team was further diminished following the arrival of Koulierakis. During his time at Roma, Kumbulla made 68 appearances in the giallorossi shirt, scoring 4 goals and playing a part in the club's UEFA Europa Conference League victory in 2022. The former Verona defender has now departed alongside Angeliño as Gasperini reshapes his defensive options. The Spain-based move reunites Kumbulla with a league he knows well from previous experience. Kumbulla said in a statement: "I am happy and enthusiastic to wear the Rayo shirt and begin this new adventure. It is a team that last year showed how, through hard work, important goals can be reached. Moreover, we are talking about one of the most historic clubs in La Liga, a league that I now know very well thanks to past experiences. I want to thank the president and coach for their confidence. I can't wait to get started."

Mile Svilar has expressed his ambition to play at some of Europe's biggest stadiums with Roma in the Champions League. Speaking on Radio Romanista, the goalkeeper revealed he has never visited the Bernabéu as a professional and has also never appeared at Dortmund's ground or Paris Saint-Germain's Parc des Princes. Svilar stressed the importance of Roma starting the 2026-27 season strongly in Serie A before the club's European campaign begins. He noted that fine margins often decide final positions, observing that in each of his last two seasons Roma missed Champions League qualification by just one or two points from Juventus and Milan. "We must aim to finish in the top eight and then play in the play-offs," he said. "Before we see who we'll play in the Champions League, we must first start the season well in Serie A." The goalkeeper expressed particular enthusiasm about the prospect of playing at the Bernabéu, saying: "For me at the Bernabéu, just for the experience of the stadium. But it would also be beautiful at the Olimpico!" He added that Roma will travel to Dortmund within ten days. Svilar believes matches against elite European opponents offer valuable learning opportunities and are enjoyable contests to play in.

Mile Svilar has opened up about his early training under his father Ratko, who worked with him on distribution and dealing with one-on-one situations from a young age. Speaking to Radio Romanista, the Roma goalkeeper explained how he developed his characteristic style of rushing out to close space, a trait instilled during childhood coaching sessions. Svilar credited his father's demanding approach for shaping his mentality. "When I took a ball in the face and wanted to cry, he said no," Svilar said. "With him it wasn't possible to cry. So I learned that way and thank goodness it was tough." The goalkeeper emphasised that fear was never a factor: "Maybe at the start, yes and no. But I have a father who did the same job, so he wouldn't allow it." This formative period under his father's tutelage instilled both technical skill and mental resilience that continue to define Svilar's approach in goal.

Mile Svilar has reflected on Roma's qualification for the Champions League last season and his own development as the club's first-choice goalkeeper. Speaking at the club's pre-season training camp in Cardiff, Svilar credited a collective squad effort for securing European football, noting that different players contributed at different moments throughout the campaign. "There was a shared contribution from the start of the season to the end," he said. "When one player wasn't performing at their best, another stepped up, and vice versa. The whole squad's contribution was phenomenal." Developing since his record-breaking Champions League appearance at age 18 years and 65 days in 2017, when he saved a penalty from Anthony Martial, Svilar described himself as a more mature goalkeeper today. He expressed Roma's ambitions in Europe this season, stating: "We must aim to progress from the group, obviously finishing in the top eight, then we want to play the play-offs. But first we have two or three league matches where we need to start well, start strong immediately." He identified his areas for improvement, particularly build-up play from the back, and acknowledged that goalkeepers develop greater completeness over time. Svilar also expressed interest in playing at grounds he has never visited, including the Bernabéu and Parc des Princes, though he suggested facing José Mourinho's Real Madrid at the Bernabéu would hold special appeal for the experience.

Roma captain Bryan Cristante spoke to Sky Sport from the club's pre-season camp in Wales, ahead of a friendly at Brighton tomorrow that concludes the week's matches overseas. Cristante expressed pride at Roma's return to the Champions League after a prolonged absence. "We've been wanting to play in the Champions, we'd been close a few times, we're proud to play it," he said. "It's important to have the society's presence, which gives an extra gear even in the market; we talk about it daily." Cristante highlighted his desire to face Real Madrid in Europe and revealed that Lorenzo Pellegrini, expected to rejoin the squad soon, remains a key part of the project. "I'd like to play at the Bernabéu in the Champions, it would be nice to play in the new stadium and see Mourinho again," he added. The midfielder also confirmed he and Paulo Dybala had resolved a disagreement that arose during Roma's pre-season match in Cardiff. "We cleared it up straight away, it was a small disagreement that happened on the pitch and ended there," Cristante explained. On domestic ambitions, Cristante acknowledged the Serie A title as Roma's dream objective but cautioned about the campaign's difficulty. "The Scudetto is the dream but it's still early, the league is difficult and very competitive. We want to have a good Champions, we hope to be in the fight in January to try to play for the championship." Cristante also reflected positively on his experiences under Italy manager Mancini, saying the goal is to "be reborn and return to where we belong."

Bryan Cristante, Roma's captain and midfielder, spoke to Sky Sport from the club's pre-season training camp in Wales ahead of a friendly against Brighton. The 2026-27 season is approaching, and Cristante outlined his ambitions: "We have a strong desire to play in the Champions League, we've been waiting for it for a long time and came close several times. We're proud to be playing it. The presence of the society is important—it gives extra momentum in the market too, and we discuss things daily." Cristante acknowledged that Roma have been chasing European qualification for some time and stressed the significance of finally securing Champions League football. Regarding Lorenzo Pellegrini's expected return, he said: "We've been in touch with him in recent days, we can't wait to have him back with us." On potential Champions League matchups, Cristante added: "In the Champions League I'd like to play at the Bernabéu, it would be nice to play in the new stadium and see Mourinho again." On domestic ambitions, Cristante said: "The Scudetto is the dream but it's still early. The league is difficult and highly competitive. We want to do well in the Champions League and hope to be in contention in January to fight for the title." He also confirmed that a minor on-field disagreement with Paulo Dybala in a Cardiff-Roma match was quickly resolved. Looking ahead to his international role under Mancini, Cristante stated: "With Mancini the memories are only beautiful ones. We hope to do well to make everyone happy. The goal is to be reborn and return to where we belong."

Jan Ziółkowski has opened up about his development at Roma during the club's summer training camp in Wales, highlighting the influence of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Polish football legend Zibi Boniek in his growth. Speaking to SiamolaRoma.it, the defender reflected on a difficult early moment when he was substituted after 30 minutes on his starting debut against Viktoria Plzen in late October, calling it a valuable lesson: "Chiaramente è stata una sensazione molto brutta. Era il mio esordio e forse stavo cercando di strafare. Il mister cerca sempre di fare il meglio per la squadra e di vincere le partite e ha deciso di sostituirmi. Ma io l'ho accettato e l'ho messo alle spalle." Ziółkowski credited experienced defenders Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini and Evan N'Dicka with helping him settle and improve. He also praised goalkeeper Mile Svilar's reliability: "È una bella sensazione. È rassicurante sapere di avere alle spalle uno come Mile. Per me è un portiere di classe mondiale e rende anche il mio compito più facile." On Roma's return to the Champions League this season, Ziółkowski expressed excitement: "Sarà un'emozione unica giocare la competizione migliore al mondo, dove dovremo fare del nostro meglio. Ce la siamo conquistata meritatamente la scorsa stagione." He also discussed his ongoing communication with Boniek, saying the veteran "mi dice sempre di essere me stesso" and offers honest feedback when required.

Roma are continuing their pre-season preparations in the United Kingdom with a focus on getting Donyell Malen back to his best. The Dutch winger arrived at camp below match fitness after playing through the final five months of last season without rest, accumulating fatigue from both club and international commitments. He was reduced to 25 minutes in the Cardiff friendly and missed the Newport match due to fever. Head coach Gasperini has implemented a tailored recovery programme: Malen trained separately on Wednesday following a one-to-one consultation with the coach, completing ball work, shooting drills, and extensive running to close the fitness gap with his teammates ahead of the league opener on 24 August. El Aynaoui, also returning from international duty, is following a modified training schedule, while Evan N'Dicka, who did not feature in Copa America matches, requires no such adjustment. Loyal captain Lorenzo Pellegrini will rejoin the squad soon after missing pre-season through injury and rejecting offers from Juventus and Besiktas. He has agreed to accept a one-year contract at a reduced salary—dropping from €6 million to €2.5 million annually—in the hope of negotiating a two-year extension next summer. His initial demand for a three-year deal shifted to this more flexible arrangement, positioning Roma's rebuild around his leadership. On the transfer front, Molina is en route to the club, whilst the pursuit of Nusa remains on hold despite his public denial of requesting a move from Leipzig. Fofana of Lyon stands as an alternative. Right-back targets include Endrick of Real Madrid. Roma conclude their Welsh camp tomorrow before heading to Brighton for a friendly at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.

Jan Ziółkowski has opened up about his development at Roma during the club's summer training camp in Wales, highlighting the influence of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Polish football legend Zibi Boniek in his growth. Speaking to SiamolaRoma.it, the defender reflected on a difficult early moment when he was substituted after 30 minutes on his starting debut against Viktoria Plzen in late October, calling it a valuable lesson: "Chiaramente è stata una sensazione molto brutta. Era il mio esordio e forse stavo cercando di strafare. Il mister cerca sempre di fare il meglio per la squadra e di vincere le partite e ha deciso di sostituirmi. Ma io l'ho accettato e l'ho messo alle spalle." Ziółkowski credited experienced defenders Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini and Evan N'Dicka with helping him settle and improve. He also praised goalkeeper Mile Svilar's reliability: "È una bella sensazione. È rassicurante sapere di avere alle spalle uno come Mile. Per me è un portiere di classe mondiale e rende anche il mio compito più facile." On Roma's return to the Champions League this season, Ziółkowski expressed excitement: "Sarà un'emozione unica giocare la competizione migliore al mondo, dove dovremo fare del nostro meglio. Ce la siamo conquistata meritatamente la scorsa stagione." He also discussed his ongoing communication with Boniek, saying the veteran "mi dice sempre di essere me stesso" and offers honest feedback when required.

AS Roma unveiled its new away kit for the 2026–27 season on 6 August, two weeks after the launch of the home jersey. The away shirt returns to white—a cream tone—after last season's orange, featuring a horizontal giallorossi band across the chest with the ASR crest at its centre. The design echoes the third kit worn in the previous season. The club shared images of squad members modelling the new strip on social media. Defenders Mancini and N'Dicka, midfielders Cristante and Wesley, forwards Dybala and Malen, and goalkeeper Vaz all featured in the photoshoot. The unveiling comes as Gasperini's Roma continues its preparation for the campaign ahead, having already debuted the home kit in competitive fixtures.