Koulierakis bids farewell to Wolfsburg ahead of Roma move

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.

Fenerbahçe are actively pursuing attacking targets in Spain, with board member Cihan Kamer on a mission to secure a forward. According to Milliyet, the Turkish club's primary target is Pavlidis of Benfica, whose representation is based in Spain and will be Kamer's first port of call. Should negotiations prove difficult, Kamer plans to approach Real Madrid for Endrick, the Brazilian forward Roma has already begun preliminary contact with several weeks ago. Discussions with the Spanish club are also planned regarding Brahim Diaz, with Atlético Madrid's Sorloth listed as a final option. Roma's interest in Endrick places them in direct competition with Fenerbahçe, as Turkish clubs have emerged as major players in this transfer window alongside Saudi Arabia. The financial power available to Turkish sides, particularly in wages, has enabled them to challenge top-five league clubs for targets. The Roma moves for Endrick remain in their early stages, but the arrival of a serious competitor in Fenerbahçe could intensify the race.

Roma are advancing in talks to sign Nahuel Molina from Atlético Madrid after abandoning their pursuit of Givairo Read. The Giallorossi are negotiating the Argentine's fee down from Atlético's €15M plus €5M in bonuses, with reports suggesting they could land him for €3–4M less. They had previously tabled €27M as their final bid for Feyenoord fullback Read, but the Dutch club sought more and Roma walked away. Molina, 28, would represent a significant move back to Serie A, where he previously played for Udinese before joining Atlético in 2022. He has made 181 appearances, scored 9 goals, and provided 17 assists for Los Colchoneros, with his contract running until 2027. Roma see his acquisition as allowing funds to be redirected to other positions. The club continues to track other targets including Antonio Nusa, Malick Fofana of Olympique Lyonnais—for whom they have received reassurances over his recovery from a serious ankle injury—and youngster Alessio Cacciamani of Torino, who impressed on loan at Juve Stabia last season. The strategy of pairing an experienced wing-back with a younger option on the opposite flank is central to Roma's defensive plans for the window.