Molina breaks the mould: La Liga's second-best defensive contributor since 2022

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 pursuit of Givairo Read has collapsed after Feyenoord unexpectedly raised their demands during final-stage talks. Roma had offered approximately €28–29 million in total, including bonuses, moving closer to Feyenoord's initial €30 million valuation and exceeding rival offers from Nottingham Forest. After requesting a night to consider the proposal, Feyenoord shifted position dramatically, demanding €30 million plus bonuses to reach nearly €35 million—a move that reportedly frustrated Roma's hierarchy. The sudden escalation prompted Roma to immediately abandon the Read option and pivot to pursuing Molina instead. The breakdown underscores the volatility of late-stage transfer negotiations and the tactical positioning often deployed by selling clubs to maximize fees. Roma's swift decision to walk away suggests the club's preference for alternative targets over capitulating to what they viewed as unreasonable late demands.

Roma have completed two official signings — Castro and Koulierakis — with Molina approaching a deal, but Gian Piero Gasperini is growing increasingly puzzled by the lack of further arrivals as the club aims to compete on three fronts including the Champions League. The Friedkin Group's ownership presence in the stands during recent activity has offered little reassurance; behind cautious public statements, Gasperini's frustration is mounting as days pass without new players arriving. The stall in the market is already affecting Gasperini's preparation. Roma's second consecutive friendly displayed the problem plainly: for lack of reinforcements, the coach deployed a trequartista behind two strikers, a formation born more of necessity than choice. The side struggled against Newport County, the twentieth-placed side in last season's League Two (English fourth tier), before winning 4–1 with goals from Hermoso, Castro (penalty), Koulierakis and Soulé; Newport scored through Kyle. Only the defence is genuinely complete in squad depth. Every other area remains in flux, leaving Gasperini unable to finalize his tactical setup or implement meaningful summer rotations without disrupting the team's balance.