Gasperini sticks to one-striker system; Castro and Malen will not play together

Donyell Malen has settled quickly at Roma and dreams of celebrating a Serie A title at the Circo Massimo, recalling footage of the club's 2001 Scudetto celebrations there. The Dutch forward credits head coach Gasperini with giving him clear direction and confidence. "The trust he has placed in me, the clarity with which he expresses himself," Malen said. "It's hard not to understand what he asks. He knows my qualities and puts me in the best conditions to finish the team's work." Malen reflected on his journey through the Netherlands, Germany, England, and now Italy, noting that Roma's path to Champions League qualification after seven years was more significant than individual goal tallies. He acknowledged Gasperini's recent suggestion that he and Santiago Castro may rarely start together, accepting the coach's tactical decisions. On Paulo Dybala, he said simply: "A magician." Malen spoke warmly of his wife Delisha, whom he has known since adolescence, and their recent addition—daughter Shiloh, now six months old, joining three older sons. His mother, who worked night shifts as a taxi driver to support the family during the day, earned particular gratitude. Growing up in a rural area with farms and animals, Malen earned the childhood nickname "the farmer with clogs" after copying his grandfather's footwear.

Roma are closing in on a deal for Feyenoord winger Read but have not yet reached agreement with the Dutch club. Head coach Gasperini is awaiting his third summer signing and has requested four additional reinforcements beyond that. Sporting director D'Amico is working to meet those demands, with Read identified as a concrete target. The player has already committed to the Roma project, but Feyenoord remain a significant obstacle. The club are standing firm on a €30 million valuation, while Roma have tabled an offer of €28 million. Negotiations continue over performance bonuses and a resale percentage, leaving a gap to be bridged between the two clubs. Read's willingness to join is not in question; the impasse is purely between Roma and Feyenoord over financial terms. Gasperini must wait for further progress as talks proceed on the outstanding issues.

Roma have reignited their interest in Torino winger Cacciamani, a 2007-born player tracked closely at Trigoria. The club's first approach, an offer of €7 million, was rejected by Torino owner Cairo, who values the player at approximately €15 million and initially resisted any sale. However, the pursuit has heated up in recent days, with sporting director D'Amico preparing to make a fresh bid. The coming hours could prove decisive. Gasperini remains short of squad depth on both flanks — he is still seeking a left-sided winger, a right-back starter and a left-back option. So far this summer, D'Amico has completed only two signings: Castro and Koulierakis, which the club believes is insufficient to complete the roster. Cacciamani represents one of several targets being tracked, though Read is also among Roma's priorities. The continued lack of concrete progress has prompted the club to accelerate their efforts. With Gasperini awaiting reinforcements, D'Amico is stepping up activity in the transfer market. The prospect of further bids for Cacciamani reflects Roma's determination to strengthen their attacking and defensive options before the window closes.

Donyell Malen has settled quickly at Roma and dreams of celebrating a Serie A title at the Circo Massimo, recalling footage of the club's 2001 Scudetto celebrations there. The Dutch forward credits head coach Gasperini with giving him clear direction and confidence. "The trust he has placed in me, the clarity with which he expresses himself," Malen said. "It's hard not to understand what he asks. He knows my qualities and puts me in the best conditions to finish the team's work." Malen reflected on his journey through the Netherlands, Germany, England, and now Italy, noting that Roma's path to Champions League qualification after seven years was more significant than individual goal tallies. He acknowledged Gasperini's recent suggestion that he and Santiago Castro may rarely start together, accepting the coach's tactical decisions. On Paulo Dybala, he said simply: "A magician." Malen spoke warmly of his wife Delisha, whom he has known since adolescence, and their recent addition—daughter Shiloh, now six months old, joining three older sons. His mother, who worked night shifts as a taxi driver to support the family during the day, earned particular gratitude. Growing up in a rural area with farms and animals, Malen earned the childhood nickname "the farmer with clogs" after copying his grandfather's footwear.

Roma face Newport County in their second pre-season friendly in Wales on 4 August at 20:00 at the Rodney Parade. The match follows an earlier fixture against Cardiff City during the summer preparation period under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Gasperini is expected to deploy a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Mile Svilar in goal; Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Koulierakis across the back; Devyne Rensch and Wesley as wing-backs; Neil El Aynaoui and Bryan Cristante in midfield; Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield line; and Donyell Malen leading the attack. Tickets are available through Newport County's official website. The friendly will be broadcast live on DAZN, with live text coverage available on ilromanista.eu.

Donyell Malen has set his sights on a repeat of Roma's impressive 2025–26 campaign, speaking from the club's preseason base in Cardiff. The Dutch forward scored 15 goals in 20 appearances in his first six months at Roma and is determined to maintain that trajectory in the 2026–27 season. Malen reflected on last season's primary achievement: the Champions League qualification that ended a long drought for the club. "Always nice for a striker to score many goals and help the team win," he said. "In the end, the big success of last year wasn't my scoring record, but the Champions League place we secured. Roma hadn't played in it for so many years. It would be a dream to replicate what we achieved last year." When asked about winning the Serie A Golden Boot, Malen stressed that individual accolades are secondary to overall performance. "Dream of becoming top scorer? The important thing is to play at a high level. It's not just about goals, but creating plenty of chances and providing assists. I know my qualities in finishing, and if I improve week after week, who knows where I can get to," he said.