Gasperini's Dream Attack

Nahuel Molina is on the verge of joining Roma. Talks with Atlético Madrid over the Argentine right-back accelerated on 5 August, with an agreement between the two clubs now in the final stages. Barring any surprises, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will have his new right winger in place. Molina's imminent arrival represents a significant addition to Roma's defensive line as the 2026–27 season approaches. The move has moved swiftly through negotiations in recent hours, positioning the club to complete the transfer in the coming days.

Angeliño has completed a move away from Roma on loan to Deportivo La Coruna, the Spanish club where he developed through the academy. The left-back passed medical examinations and the deal includes a purchase option set at €2 million. Roma announced the agreement in an official statement: "AS Roma communicates that it has reached an agreement with Deportivo La Coruna for the departure of Angeliño. The operation is concluded with the formula of a loan with a right of redemption." Angeliño, 27, endured a difficult campaign at the Giallorossi, hampered by physical issues and other concerns. The move represents a fresh start for the Spanish defender at the club that launched his professional career. By returning to La Coruna, he hopes to rediscover his form and reignite his development under familiar surroundings.

Angeliño has passed his medical and will join Deportivo La Coruña on a loan deal with a right of redemption. The Spanish left-back departs Roma after collecting 80 appearances and 4 goals in giallorosso colours. AS Roma confirmed the transfer, stating: "L'AS Roma comunica di avere trovato l'accordo con il Deportivo La Coruna per la cessione di Angelino. L'operazione si conclude con la formula del prestito con diritto di riscatto. In giallorosso, l'esterno spagnolo ha collezionato 80 presenze, segnando 4 gol. In bocca al lupo per il futuro, Angelino!" The departure opens the door for Roma to pursue a new left-back, with Alessio Cacciamani of Torino on the club's radar. Torino are demanding €15 million plus bonuses and are unwilling to reduce their asking price, though talks between the parties continue. Kumbulla has also been cleared to leave and will join Rayo Vallecano on loan with a right of redemption, with his medical scheduled for the following day.

Roma's squad resumed training the day after their friendly fixture against Newport County in Cardiff, which they won 4–1. Donyell Malen took part in the afternoon session after missing the previous match due to flu. Malen's absence forced head coach Gian Piero Gasperini to deploy a new arrival, Castro, in the centre of attack in his place. Castro marked his debut by scoring from the penalty spot in the win. With the international break completed and pre-season underway, Roma's conditioning work continues at their overseas training camp.

Roma held a recovery and conditioning session in Cardiff following their friendly victory over Newport. The squad underwent light athletic work, with drills including possession exercises and sprint training. Donyell Malen participated in the session but completed a modified programme apart from the main group. The training camp in Wales continues Roma's pre-season preparation under Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of the 2026–27 season. Players who featured in the Newport friendly undertook recovery work, while those who did not play completed the full session. The club is managing individual fitness loads as the squad builds towards competitive action. Malen's separate training suggests a cautious approach to his integration, though he remained part of the wider camp activity in Cardiff.

Santiago Castro is taking detailed instruction from head coach Gian Piero Gasperini on positioning and movement patterns used by fellow forward Donyell Malen. Castro was Gasperini's first signing request this summer, having previously been targeted during the coach's time at Atalanta. During a cooling break in yesterday's friendly against Newport, Gasperini explained that when Castro receives the ball, he should position himself diagonally rather than facing away from goal, allowing him to release play quickly and push forward. Malen has mastered this movement, and Castro executed it successfully multiple times in the second half, earning applause from his manager. Castro scored against Newport and continues to build match fitness. Gasperini has indicated Malen remains the primary striker and the pair would rarely start together, though that option remains available during the dense fixture schedule ahead. The squad trained at Hensol on 5 August under the watch of owner Ryan Friedkin, with afternoon work provided for players who did not feature from the start yesterday. Meanwhile, Roma's transfer activity continues. Negotiations are advancing on a deal for Molina: Atlético Madrid will receive €13 million plus €4 million in bonus payments, with the player offered a four-year contract worth €2.5 million annually. Left-back targets include Cacciamani, and in attack Roma are weighing options between Nusa and Fofana.

Roma have agreed terms with Atlético Madrid defender Nehuen Molina after two days of negotiation. The Argentine will arrive for €18 million including bonuses on a four-year contract worth just over €2.5 million per year. Molina will operate on the right flank alongside Wesley on the left, completing Roma's full-back options at senior level. He becomes the fourth Argentine in the squad alongside Matías Soulé, Paulo Dybala, and Santiago Castro. During an intense summer training session, Roma's technical staff oversaw strength and sprint drills with additional load work to sharpen acceleration. The club's board attended in full, notably including vice-president Ryan Friedkin, whose presence underlined the ownership's commitment to backing the head coach's work as the new season approaches. Roma continue to pursue young midfielder Cacciamani from Torino, with president Cairo evaluating the prospect—who spent last season on loan at Juve Stabia—at a valuation of at least €15 million. Gasperini has identified the 2007-born player as ideal cover for Wesley. Analysis on local radio has been mixed. Roberto Pruzzo expressed reservations about recent defensive signing Koulierakis: "He did not make a great impression yesterday. He seemed a bit imprecise and made many passing errors. I didn't understand if he's a defender who wants to hold his position or step forward to the attacker." Antonio Felici praised the club's work on fullbacks: "When you go for players like Molina, who maybe don't have all this interest, finished articles where you know what they can give you, you perhaps get more realistic valuations."

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.

Nahuel Molina is set to become Roma's third summer signing, after Castro and Koulierakis, following an agreement in principle with Atlético Madrid for a permanent transfer worth approximately €13 million plus €4 million in bonuses. The Argentine right-back will join fellow countrymen Dybala, Soulé and Castro at Trigoria. Molina's path to Roma appeared written in the stars. In February 2025, the 2022 World Cup winner dined at a restaurant on Rome's Colle Aventino, a known favourite among Roma players and staff. At the time, he was still wearing Atlético Madrid's colours and could not have imagined the Giallorossi would become his new home. Social media images from the evening have since surfaced, capturing a moment that preceded his move to the Italian capital.

Roma's attacking department has been decimated ahead of the 2026–27 season, with coach Gian Piero Gasperini now overseeing just five senior forwards for the role — down from ten options at the end of January. The remaining quartet consists of Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, and Robinio Vaz, with young prospect Arena also available. The collapse mirrors Gasperini's repeated public calls for investment in attack. Speaking exactly a year ago on 4 August 2025 at the English national team's St. George Park facility in Burton Upon Trent, Gasperini outlined his philosophy: "It concerns all clubs that spend large sums on attackers. The offensive department is the most sought after and most expensive. Teams with strong attacking players are more competitive." That same summer, Roma pursued Fabio Silva and Jadon Sancho without success, settling on a loan move for Romain Bailey as a last-minute solution. By the end of 2025, Roma had assembled eight attacking options — Dybala, Artem Dovbyk, Evan Ferguson, Bailey, Soulé, Baldanzi, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Lorenzo Pellegrini — to fill three positions in Gasperini's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. The winter transfer window swelled that number to ten through the departures of Bailey and Baldanzi and the arrivals of Malen, Vaz, Bryan Zaragoza, and Lorenzo Venturino. However, only Malen performed consistently. With just twenty days until the league campaign begins, Roma faces a critical shortage. The club is reportedly making another approach for Nusa and preparing a move for Fofana to bolster the depleted ranks.

Roma must accelerate their transfer business, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has identified the left flank as a priority area after disappointing performances from Bailey and Zaragoza. Antonio Nusa of Leipzig has been the club's primary target in recent weeks, but the German side's unwillingness to sell—stemming from their sale of Diomande to Real Madrid—has complicated negotiations. The Norwegian winger is pushing for a move, but Leipzig are demanding €60 million. Roma has set themselves a deadline; if Leipzig do not show openness in the coming hours, the club will pivot to alternative targets. Among the options being explored are Premier League players Savinho of Manchester City and Adingra of Sunderland, with Savinho potentially available on a loan deal with a buyout clause given the competitive situation at City and his desire for regular playing time. Godo of Strasbourg and Bahoya of Eintracht Frankfurt remain in reserve, as does the possibility of Rafa Leão, though the AC Milan winger would need to lower his wage demands. Reports also suggest Roma's director D'Amico may be working on a surprise move behind the scenes, similar to the groundwork done for signings such as Koulierakis and Read.

Bryan Zaragoza's spell at Roma has ended in disappointment, with Bayern Munich indicating the Spanish winger has no future at the Bundesliga club. After his loan at Roma concluded, Zaragoza returned to Bavaria only to be told to leave. Bayern sporting director Max Eberl made the club's position clear, stating: "Zaragoza, Palhinha and Boey don't have a future here. We are planning something else. If they want to stay, it will be difficult: they won't have a role." Roma had signed Zaragoza hoping to remedy the earlier disappointment of Bailey's tenure. However, the left-winger made little impact during his time at the Stadio Olimpico, scoring no goals and spending extended periods on the bench. His contribution to Roma's Champions League push proved negligible, and the club has already moved past him. The failed experiment joins Bailey as another unsuccessful wide recruitment for Roma—two losing bets that have left a gap the club must now fill urgently. Zaragoza must now find a new club as Bayern Munich have effectively shown him the door. The responsibility falls on Roma's technical director to identify the correct left-wing profile this time, as another mistake is not an option.