Koulierakis: Manolas helped convince me, and I'm here for Gasperini too

Gian Piero Gasperini cancelled a scheduled interview with Sky Sport on 7 August, declining to discuss Roma's transfer activity and the club's pre-season training camp in Wales. Instead, the coach held a meeting with Roma's ownership at their Hensol resort base, focusing on the status of ongoing negotiations. The gathering included CEO John Galantic and centred on contract renewals, inbound moves, and player departures. Two deals were discussed: Lorenzo Pellegrini has formally agreed to renew his contract for one season, but paperwork remains unsigned. The Molina transfer is reportedly agreed in all its aspects but awaits a final procedural step. Gasperini's decision to skip the media appearance reflects the urgency of Roma's summer business with less than three weeks until Fiorentina visit the Olimpico for Serie A's opening day on 24 August. The club needs to accelerate its market activity, and the coach appears determined to prioritise action over words. Roma departed Wales for England on 7 August afternoon. Fans will next hear from Gasperini after Brighton's match against Roma, though the reference to waiting for Godot suggests uncertainty around whether clarity will then arrive.

Roma's pre-season training camp in Wales is drawing to a close, with Gian Piero Gasperini's squad preparing for a final warm-up fixture before returning to Italy. The penultimate day at Vale Resort in Hensol saw the players divided between a morning gym session focused on muscle strength and an afternoon programme of small-sided matches and intensive athletic work. Donyell Malen, sidelined by illness in recent days, is completing his recovery and pushing to feature in the next friendly. Today marks the end of the British training camp. Roma will hold a final morning session before lunch, then depart for Cardiff Airport at an unspecified time, flying by charter to London at 17.40. From Gatwick, the squad will travel by coach to Brighton to prepare for the tour's final test: a match against Brighton on Saturday afternoon at 16.00 (Italian time). The fixture offers a stern examination of Premier League opposition before Roma return to Italy. The training period has been intensive and valuable, consolidating the tactical identity built in the previous season. After the Brighton encounter, the squad will head home, concluding the overseas phase of their pre-season preparations.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has made a significant gesture towards AS Roma by signalling his willingness to renew his contract, accepting terms for a single year—potentially with an option for a second year subject to certain conditions. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has been instrumental in keeping lines of communication open with the midfielder, consistently expressing his desire to continue working with Pellegrini in his second season at the club. The two remain in regular contact. Roma's board has long delayed formal action on a renewal offer, but is now prepared to present an official proposal to the player. As of the evening of 6 August, no official offer had yet been formally submitted. Pellegrini's willingness to accept a reduced contract term reflects his commitment to remaining in the Giallorossi colours, despite the protracted nature of negotiations over the summer. Gasperini's backing has been crucial to narrowing the gap between the club and its captain, signalling that Pellegrini remains central to the coach's plans.

Jan Ziółkowski has opened up about his development at Roma during the club's summer training camp in Wales, highlighting the influence of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Polish football legend Zibi Boniek in his growth. Speaking to SiamolaRoma.it, the defender reflected on a difficult early moment when he was substituted after 30 minutes on his starting debut against Viktoria Plzen in late October, calling it a valuable lesson: "Chiaramente è stata una sensazione molto brutta. Era il mio esordio e forse stavo cercando di strafare. Il mister cerca sempre di fare il meglio per la squadra e di vincere le partite e ha deciso di sostituirmi. Ma io l'ho accettato e l'ho messo alle spalle." Ziółkowski credited experienced defenders Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini and Evan N'Dicka with helping him settle and improve. He also praised goalkeeper Mile Svilar's reliability: "È una bella sensazione. È rassicurante sapere di avere alle spalle uno come Mile. Per me è un portiere di classe mondiale e rende anche il mio compito più facile." On Roma's return to the Champions League this season, Ziółkowski expressed excitement: "Sarà un'emozione unica giocare la competizione migliore al mondo, dove dovremo fare del nostro meglio. Ce la siamo conquistata meritatamente la scorsa stagione." He also discussed his ongoing communication with Boniek, saying the veteran "mi dice sempre di essere me stesso" and offers honest feedback when required.

Castro and Koulierakis both scored in Roma's friendly against Newport on Tuesday as Gasperini continues his pre-season preparations at the Vale Resort in Wales. Castro has already integrated seamlessly with Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé, forming what has been described as the Argentine nucleus within the squad. Dybala gifted Castro a penalty during the Newport match, while Soulé and Castro have known each other for some time and even share the same fitness coach. Koulierakis arrived at Roma in a swift deal and was immediately identified by Gasperini as the deputy to Mario Hermoso at centre-back. The Spanish defender remains the hierarchy favourite, though the 15 million euro fee plus 3 million in add-ons suggests Koulierakis will have genuine opportunities to compete. The new arrival has grasped Gasperini's tactical demands from his opening appearance, frequently breaking from the defensive line to support play further up the pitch—a signature requirement of Gasperini's system. Roma continue to pursue a right-winger and await the arrival of Molina to complete their attacking reinforcements.

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.

Konstantinos Koulierakis has settled quickly at Roma following his arrival this summer, already scoring in a friendly against Newport. Speaking to TeleRadioStereo, the defender outlined the key factors behind his decision to join the Giallorossi. "When Roma called me I didn't think twice. Roma is one of the most important clubs in Italy and has an incredible fanbase, a team that is performing well and always aims high," he said. Koulierakis credited fellow defender Manolas with influencing his choice. "We spoke during the summer and talk often on the phone. I explained to him how much I wanted to join a Serie A team, and fortunately Roma came and he told me it would be a very important step in my career," the Greek centre-back explained. Head coach Gasperini's tactical system was equally decisive. "One of the other reasons I chose Roma was for the manager and his style of play, because I think it is particularly suited to my characteristics, especially as a left-sided centre-back," Koulierakis said. He added that Tsimikas had spoken to him about the club and Gasperini's demanding approach, noting Gasperini's recent success in Italy and Europe with Atalanta. "I know it will be hard, but with a successful coach like this the foundations are the best," he concluded.

Evan N'Dicka has reaffirmed his commitment to Roma during the club's pre-season preparations, saying he has never considered departing despite summer transfer speculation. The defender, now in his fourth season at the club and a leader of Gasperini's defence since 2023, spoke at the Hensol training camp after returning from injury. N'Dicka revealed that he focused solely on recovery and his World Cup preparation at the end of last season rather than entertaining thoughts of leaving. "I don't have control over the rumours that come out, I've never thought of going away," he said. "I'm here in Rome and I'm very ready to help the squad and to fight for this shirt." The Ivorian centre-back discussed his experience at the World Cup, where he was unable to feature after his country's elimination despite preparing extensively for the tournament. He also addressed the incident at Udine—the medical emergency that occurred during a match—saying: "I was afraid but right after I was told it wasn't serious and I felt reassured. It was nice to feel the closeness of De Rossi and my other teammates." N'Dicka reflected on his role as a senior player, noting that Lorenzo Pellegrini and José Mourinho helped him settle when he arrived. He praised new defensive teammate Kostas Tsimikas, saying there was "already an understanding" between them, and expressed admiration for defenders Franco Baresi and Sergio Ramos as models for his position.

Konstantinos Koulierakis has joined Roma and reached the squad in Wales, allowing head coach Gian Piero Gasperini to complete his central defence options with six defenders available for three positions. The arrival marks a significant milestone in Roma's history: Koulierakis becomes the tenth Greek player to wear the giallorossi shirt since 1995. The first Greek to play for Roma was Lambros Choutos, who served from 1995 to 2000 without leaving a lasting impression. Traianos Dellas followed from 2002 to 2005, also a centre-back. In the 2005–06 season, goalkeeper Dimitros Eleftheropoulos arrived but never appeared in a match. The 2012–13 campaign saw Panagiotis Tachtsidis and Vasilis Torosidis both arrive; Tachtsidis, under Zeman, notably displaced Daniele De Rossi but lasted only one season amid controversy, while Torosidis, a reliable right-back, is remembered for a fine goal at San Siro against Inter in the Coppa Italia. Holebas, a left-back, also features in Roma's Greek heritage after scoring a notable goal at the Olimpico against Inter in front of the Curva Sud. Keramitsis made his debut in 2022 under Mou. The two most recent arrivals are Manolas and Kostas Tsimikas—one remembered eternally, the other already forgotten.