Cardiff: Malen trains separately as Roma work out non-starters from Newport

Santiago Castro is settling into life at Roma following his arrival this summer at Gasperini's request. The Argentine striker is being coached to mirror the positioning and movement of Donyell Malen, Roma's starting centre-forward. In recent days, Gasperini has worked closely with Castro during pre-season fixtures, including a match against Newport on 4 August in which the coach provided tactical instruction during a cooling break. Gasperini wants Castro to receive the ball at a diagonal angle to goal rather than with his back fully to the frame, enabling him to release the ball quickly and attack in depth—a technique Malen executes expertly. Castro showed improvement in the second half against Newport and earned the manager's approval, scoring in the process. While Malen remains the designated starter, Gasperini indicated the pair are unlikely to start together regularly, though he left open the possibility during the fixture-heavy 2026–27 season. Castro's physical condition is improving as pre-season progresses. On 5 August, Roma trained at Hensol under the observation of Ryan Friedkin, with an afternoon session for players who did not feature from the start against Newport. Meanwhile, Roma are working on several transfer targets. Negotiations are advancing for Molina, with Atlético Madrid to receive €13 million plus €4 million in bonuses, while the player is offered a four-year contract at €2.5 million annually. Roma continue to pursue a left-back in Cacciamani and are weighing options in attack between Nusa and Fofana.

Roma vice-president Ryan Friedkin visited the club's training ground at Cardiff, where he greeted head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The appearance underscored the working relationship between the Friedkin Group hierarchy and the coaching staff as Roma prepare for the 2026–27 season. Gasperini, appointed in 2025, oversees squad preparation and tactical direction. Friedkin's presence at the training facility reinforces the club's investment in the manager's vision during the pre-season phase. The visit comes as Roma continue their preparation schedule away from Rome. The squad is currently training in Cardiff ahead of upcoming fixtures. Several players have been involved in recent sessions, with ongoing squad development and tactical work forming the focus of this phase of preparation.

Roma's squad engaged in a teqball competition during a pre-season training camp, with Paulo Dybala and Mario Hermoso defeating Wesley and Castro 7–3. The match took on a South American and Latin flavour, pitting the experience of Dybala and Hermoso against the younger pairing. After the victory, Dybala offered commentary on the result and the age gap between the teams. He stated: "Experience always pays off", and later added: "Much to learn for the young lads", directing the remark at the Argentina–Brazil duo. Dybala and Hermoso combined for 45 years between them, while Castro and Wesley brought nearly 64 years of experience. The teqball contest formed part of Roma's pre-season schedule, with the club using downtime activities to strengthen squad cohesion and competitive spirit among players during the summer training period.

Santiago Castro is settling into life at Roma following his arrival this summer at Gasperini's request. The Argentine striker is being coached to mirror the positioning and movement of Donyell Malen, Roma's starting centre-forward. In recent days, Gasperini has worked closely with Castro during pre-season fixtures, including a match against Newport on 4 August in which the coach provided tactical instruction during a cooling break. Gasperini wants Castro to receive the ball at a diagonal angle to goal rather than with his back fully to the frame, enabling him to release the ball quickly and attack in depth—a technique Malen executes expertly. Castro showed improvement in the second half against Newport and earned the manager's approval, scoring in the process. While Malen remains the designated starter, Gasperini indicated the pair are unlikely to start together regularly, though he left open the possibility during the fixture-heavy 2026–27 season. Castro's physical condition is improving as pre-season progresses. On 5 August, Roma trained at Hensol under the observation of Ryan Friedkin, with an afternoon session for players who did not feature from the start against Newport. Meanwhile, Roma are working on several transfer targets. Negotiations are advancing for Molina, with Atlético Madrid to receive €13 million plus €4 million in bonuses, while the player is offered a four-year contract at €2.5 million annually. Roma continue to pursue a left-back in Cacciamani and are weighing options in attack between Nusa and Fofana.

Roma returned to training in Cardiff on 5 August, the day after their friendly against Newport, with vice-president Ryan Friedkin in attendance at the session overseen by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Chief executive Daniele Aloisi also attended the training ground visit. The squad continued its pre-season preparations in Wales as Gasperini put players through their paces ahead of the 2026–27 campaign. Those who did not feature in the Newport match trained separately, with Donyell Malen present but working away from the main group.

Roma have tabled an official offer of €17 million to Atlético Madrid for left-back Molina after growing frustrated with Feyenoord's stance over winger Read. The Dutch club have refused to budge from their €30 million valuation for the 20-year-old, prompting Roma to escalate their interest in the Atlético player. Roma had previously increased their bid for Read from €22 million plus €3 million in add-ons to €25 million plus €3 million, but Feyenoord showed no willingness to negotiate. Roma's approach for Molina comes as a €17 million package inclusive of bonuses, structured as a loan with an obligation to buy. However, the deal faces multiple obstacles. Atlético Madrid are holding firm at €20 million guaranteed, and Molina himself is understood to be seeking wages exceeding €3 million annually—a figure Roma consider excessive, given that Donyell Malen earns €3.2 million. The left-back's contract was recently extended unilaterally to 2028. Full-back recruitment remains a pressing concern for Roma, who are short four defenders across the flanks and midfield. Wesley's replacement as right-back backup and two left-sided options in attack have yet to be secured. Cacciamani is being tracked as a potential understudy to Wesley, with Torino asking around €12 million after rejecting Roma's initial offer of €8 million plus €2 million.