Gasperini, D'Amico and Ryan Friedkin to hold key transfer summit before Wales trip

Greek centre-back Konstantinos Koulierakis is poised to become AS Roma's second reinforcement for the 2026–27 season. The 22-year-old defender, born in La Canea on Crete, has established himself as a cornerstone of Wolfsburg's defence in the Bundesliga after the club paid approximately €12 million to secure him from PAOK Thessaloniki in summer 2024. He made his PAOK senior debut on 20 August 2022 and earned his Greece international cap within three months. Koulierakis stands 1.88 metres tall and weighs around 78 kg, combining physical presence with explosive pace over short distances—a crucial asset for modern defending. Despite five managerial changes across two seasons at Wolfsburg, he has become a mainstay in their backline, demonstrating strong leadership qualities. His left foot is a standout technical asset; he is capable of constructing play from the back with both short passes and long distribution, reminiscent of a midfielder's range. He has performed as a left-side centre-back in three-defender setups and as a left-centre defender in four-man defences. Koulierakis excels in the air both defensively and offensively. In his debut Bundesliga campaign he recorded no goals, but last season he netted four headers—a tally matched only by Gianluca Mancini among defenders in Europe's top five leagues, where only Virgil van Dijk surpassed him with five. Koulierakis will turn 23 on 28 November.

Roma radio commentators have outlined the club's remaining transfer priorities, with consensus that an important player departure is necessary before the window closes. Pes stated: "It seems difficult for Roma to close the market without an important sale. The focus now is on arrivals, but offers need to come in to move players out: so far nothing has arrived for either Koné or Soulé." Roma have already spent 35 million euros on Castro and 15 million on new Greek defender Koulierakis, who will join the squad after administrative procedures are completed. Torri reported that Milan could be interested in Soulé, with a potential swap involving Saelemaekers; Roma have reportedly sought a profile matching Saelemaekers' type. Earlier, Roma had reached an offer of 50 million euros for Summerville, though that figure would push total outlay toward 100 million when combined with recent signings. Pruzzo suggested there is only a 10 per cent chance of Nusa joining Roma, as negotiations have dragged on and the player has market options elsewhere. Castro is expected to feature immediately, with Gasperini likely to deploy two forwards against four-back defences.

Roma have failed to land Celtic midfielder Engels after the Belgian international opted to join West Ham instead. The club's sporting director D'Amico had identified Engels, who serves as captain and penalty-taker for the Glasgow side, as a potential target to strengthen the midfield. However, the 25-year-old has chosen a move to England, drawn by the appeal of the Premier League despite West Ham's recent Championship relegation. Midfield reinforcement is not currently Roma's primary focus, with the club concentrating resources on other areas of the squad. Engels represented one of several profiles being monitored to add depth to the centre of the park, but the pursuit has now ended with his decision to move to the London club. West Ham will compete in the Championship next season following their top-flight relegation.

Santiago Castro has joined Roma from Bologna on a permanent transfer for €35 million, with the Argentine striker expressing his eagerness to contribute under Gian Piero Gasperini. Castro told Roma's official channels: "It was a short negotiation, I wanted to come from the first moment. I spoke with the sporting director, they told me what they expect from me, I felt the confidence and I know what I can do to help the squad. Since I heard from them I chose straight away to come here." On Gasperini, he added: "I like him. He does very well in Italy for years, I'm here to give a hand, I can do what he wants." Roma have swiftly moved to strengthen their defence with the signing of Konstantinos Koulierakis, a 2003-born centre-back from Wolfsburg, on a permanent deal worth approximately €15 million. The left-footed Greek defender will undergo medical tests and sign his contract in the coming days, competing with Hermoso for the left-centre role in Gasperini's three-man defence. Meanwhile, Angeliño departs on loan to Deportivo La Coruña with a €2 million buyout clause, returning to the Spanish club where he developed through the youth system. Roma have tabled an official €25 million offer to Feyenoord for right-back Givairo Read, with sporting director Tony D'Amico opening direct negotiations to find a resolution. Nottingham Forest remain interested but have had two bids rejected. The coming days are expected to be decisive in the pursuit of a replacement for Çelik on the right flank.

Roma will spend the second phase of their pre-season at the WRU National Centre of Excellence in Hensol, Wales, roughly 20 kilometres from Cardiff. The squad arrives tomorrow at 18:35 (local time) and will train there until 7 August at the facility, which opened in 1992 and underwent a €4 million upgrade in 2009. The centre is the country's most important sports complex, featuring seven football and rugby pitches plus two 18-hole golf courses, set within extensive grounds. Players will stay at Vale Resort, a 4-star hotel with 143 bedrooms offering table tennis, spa, pools and a gym. The historic Hensol Castle nearby houses weddings and one of the country's oldest distilleries with gin and rum schools. This is Roma's third consecutive pre-season trip to the United Kingdom. Three friendly matches are scheduled: Cardiff (1 August) and Newport (4 August) in Wales, then Brighton (8 August) in England. Training resumes the day after the Cardiff match with recovery work in the gym followed by field sessions. Double sessions run Monday and Thursday; the squad will also train on the morning of the Newport fixture. The squad departs for Brighton on 7 August afternoon. New arrival Castro, who has chosen the number 9 shirt, will be present; fellow new signing Koulierakis, a Greek defender, is expected to arrive tomorrow for medical tests and contract signing. Angeliño and Salah-Eddine will not attend: the Spaniard completes his final training today before moving to Deportivo la Coruña, while the Moroccan heads to Olympiacos.

Roma have secured Konstantinos Koulierakis from Wolfsburg for €15M plus add-ons, strengthening their centre-back options. The Greek defender, who moved from PAOK in 2024, has made 66 appearances for the German club, scoring 4 goals and providing 3 assists. He arrives as a backup to Evan N'Dicka and a challenger to Mario Hermoso. Simultaneously, the Giallorossi have tabled a €25M offer for Givairo Read of Feyenoord as they hunt for a right-flank option. Read is being tracked alongside Ivan Fresneda as mutually exclusive targets at the position. The Dutchman has recorded 5 goals and 11 assists in 54 appearances this season and has also been monitored by Inter throughout the summer. Nottingham Forest's two proposals for Read were rejected by Feyenoord. In outgoings, Angeliño is departing on loan to Deportivo La Coruna with a €2.5M option to buy. Koulierakis, who has earned 22 caps for Greece, represents squad depth in central defence rather than an urgent priority for Roma, with potential movement possible among current defenders Jan Ziółkowski, Daniele Ghilardi, or Evan N'Dicka.