Pellegrini contract agreed, injury recovery delays signing

John Galantic has been named AS Roma's new Chief Executive Officer, ending a vacancy that lasted since September 2024 when Lina Souloukou departed following Daniele De Rossi's dismissal. The Friedkin Group confirmed the appointment through an official statement. Galantic brings substantial executive experience from the luxury sector, having held senior roles at Procter & Gamble (1990–1995), GlaxoSmithKline, and Chanel, where he served as Chief Operating Officer for the United States from 2007. He held the position of CEO at the Tod's Group until spring 2024 and has served as a non-executive board member of Ferrari since 2020. Galantic previously sat on Roma's board between 2014 and 2020 during James Pallotta's presidency. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. The new CEO is described as a passionate Roma supporter, a passion inherited from his father, Ivan, who lived in Rome from 1939 to 1951. Ivan was an art historian specialising in the Italian Renaissance and a professor emeritus of Fine Arts at Tufts University. Gian Piero Gasperini met Galantic on the day of his appointment. The club believes Galantic's appointment will help accelerate transfer dealings, which have historically moved slowly at Roma.

Roma's transfer window has shifted into high gear. An official double announcement confirming the exchange of Santiago Castro and Artem Dovbyk with Bologna is expected imminently. Director of football Tony D'Amico is close to securing Konstantinos Koulierakis, the left-footed centre-back from Wolfsburg born in 2003, who has already given his full approval. An agreement with the German club is being finalised for a fee near €15 million. Koulierakis will expand Roma's central defensive options alongside Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso, with Jan Ziółkowski pushing for a departure. In defence and the wide areas, Ivan Fresneda (Sporting Lisbon asking €20 million) and Gabriele Cacciamani, the 19-year-old Torino prospect who impressed on loan at Juve Stabia, remain under consideration at €15 million. In attack, Abde Ezzalzouli has returned to the agenda alongside Jean-Mattéo Bahoya. Real Betis are demanding €45 million, while Roma are targeting a reduction to €35 million. On outgoings, Riccardo Pagano's move to Cesena has been confirmed with a sell-on clause retained by Roma. Anass Salah-Eddine's transfer to Olympiacos for €7.5 million is closing, and Angeliño has joined Deportivo La Coruña on loan with a €3 million purchase option.

Roma are on the verge of signing Greek centre-back Konstantinos Koulierakis, with the club's director of sport Tony D'Amico advancing negotiations on two fronts. The player has signalled his willingness to join the Giallorossi, while D'Amico has spent hours negotiating with the German club over bonuses on a fixed fee of €15 million. The signing would continue Roma's tradition of recruiting Greek defenders, following in the footsteps of Traianos Dellas and Kostas Manolas. The deal represents one of several moves the club is pursuing across the pitch this window. The transfer for Antonio Nusa of Leipzig has been ruled out due to prohibitive costs, but Roma remain in talks over Abde Ezzalzouli of Betis (€35 million plus €3 million in bonuses) and Jean-Matteo Bahoya of Eintracht. A more concrete option has emerged in 24-year-old Brentford winger Kevin Schade. At full-back, Roma continue to pursue Spanish left-back Ivan Fresneda of Sporting Lisbona, valued at over €20 million, with the club preparing an offer of €15 million plus bonuses to fill the void after Zeki Çelik.

Roma are close to completing the signing of Koulierakis from Wolfsburg for a fee near €15 million, according to radio commentary. The move forms part of the club's broader recruitment plans, which include defensive reinforcements and wide options in midfield. Radio analysts outlined Roma's transfer strategy: should Matías Soulé depart, a second winger will be brought in alongside new signings Nusa and Koulierakis. Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract situation remains in flux after Juventus tabled a concrete three-year offer to the number 7, though he has rejected a move to the Bianconeri. Pellegrini's original agreement with Roma was structured as two years plus one optional year; he may now sign a single-year extension instead. Elsewhere, Castro's incoming deal includes performance-related bonuses described as straightforward to achieve, with the player set to earn €1.5 million annually. The recruitment drive reflects Roma's intent to strengthen across multiple positions ahead of the new season.

Santiago Castro has joined the ranks of Roma's costliest acquisitions, with the club paying 33 million euros in fixed fees and bonuses to secure him. He now ranks fifth in the club's transfer history, sitting between Gabriel Batistuta and Antonio Cassano in the all-time spending table. Patrik Schick remains Roma's record signing at 42 million euros in summer 2017. Artem Dovbyk, who arrived in 2024, cost 41.1 million euros and sits second, followed by Tammy Abraham at 41 million euros in August 2021. The article notes that aside from Abraham's strong first season, all three have delivered performances well below expectations. Gabriel Batistuta was signed for the equivalent of 36.15 million euros in 2000, while Antonio Cassano cost roughly 31 million euros in 2001—both figures now adjusted for inflation and the pre-euro era. Leonardo Spinazzola ranks seventh at 29.5 million euros in summer 2019, though Luca Pellegrini's inclusion in that deal reduced Roma's net outlay to 7.5 million euros. Matías Soulé, who arrived alongside Dovbyk in summer 2024, cost 28.6 million euros and ranks eighth. Steven Nzonzi (26.65 million euros, summer 2018) and Marash Kumbulla (26.5 million euros) complete the top ten.

Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract renewal at AS Roma remains unsigned despite an agreement being reached in principle between the club and his agent Pocetta. The midfielder is set to earn 2.5 million euros plus bonuses over two seasons, with a unilateral option for the club to extend the deal until 2029. However, the signing has been delayed, with Pellegrini's physical condition emerging as a complicating factor. Pellegrini suffered a setback to a right thigh muscular injury in May while attempting to recover in time for the Derby della Capitale. The injury stems from a torn rectus femoris tendon sustained in May 2025, for which he underwent surgery by Dr. Lempainen in Finland. Pellegrini reportedly travelled to Finland for a follow-up examination with the specialist, during which a procedure to clean the old scar tissue was performed. Head coach Gian Piero Gasparini, Bryan Cristante, and Mile Svilar have all publicly expressed hope for a positive resolution. Final approval from the Friedkin Group is awaited before the contract can be completed, with expectations that the signature could arrive in the coming week.

Roma's squad returned to their Fulvio Bernardini training base yesterday afternoon after a friendly against Cannes that ended 3–3 in France, and have been granted a double session today ahead of the new season. Neil El Aynaoui is expected to rejoin the group at Trigoria after representing Morocco at the World Cup, where they were eliminated by France in the quarter-finals. His return will give head coach Gian Piero Gasperini additional midfield depth, with Niccolò Pisilli currently sidelined by injury and Manu Koné absent following France's World Cup campaign that ended in a third-place playoff loss to England. With the Serie A opener against Fiorentina less than a month away, Roma are building their competitive shape in earnest. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar told reporters: "We're working physically a lot, so the results cannot be seen today or in a few days. We need another month of work to really be in good shape and fortunately we have it ahead of us before the real matches arrive." Bryan Cristante and youth academy players have carried the midfield load during the first phase of pre-season. The squad travels to Wales tomorrow to Vale Resort at Hensol, where they will face Cardiff on 1 August, Newport on 4 August, and Brighton on 8 August. Roma return to Rome before the final warm-up fixture against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August.

Gianluca Mancini has renewed his contract with Roma until 2029, reinforcing his commitment to the club despite interest from elsewhere. The defender, who has tattooed SPQR on his quadriceps, rejected approaches to leave the capital. His agent Giuseppe Riso acknowledged the situation: "I wanted to take him away. I told him that for me he's mad, but he loves Roma... Gasperini and D'Amico were better at convincing him than I was. I would have taken him away, but he refused: he wanted Roma. This is a gesture he makes for the Roma people. I'm happy because he's happy." Mancini's renewal comes as Roma continue their summer squad overhaul under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Bryan Cristante has also extended his contract with the club, and Riso praised the midfielder: "Bryan is the captain. He has 360 matches for Roma, he is a pillar and I believe he will enter Roma's history." Roma are pursuing reinforcements across multiple positions. Priority targets include a left-back with a right foot, with Nusa and Ezzalzouli (Betis) under consideration. Movement at Leipzig involving Diomande could free up Endrick from Real Madrid for a loan deal. In defence, Gasperini is seeking a left-sided centre-back, with Fresneda among profiles monitored. At full-back, Wesley and Rensch currently provide options, though Roma aim to sign two additional players for wide positions.

Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract renewal at AS Roma remains unsigned despite an agreement being reached in principle between the club and his agent Pocetta. The midfielder is set to earn 2.5 million euros plus bonuses over two seasons, with a unilateral option for the club to extend the deal until 2029. However, the signing has been delayed, with Pellegrini's physical condition emerging as a complicating factor. Pellegrini suffered a setback to a right thigh muscular injury in May while attempting to recover in time for the Derby della Capitale. The injury stems from a torn rectus femoris tendon sustained in May 2025, for which he underwent surgery by Dr. Lempainen in Finland. Pellegrini reportedly travelled to Finland for a follow-up examination with the specialist, during which a procedure to clean the old scar tissue was performed. Head coach Gian Piero Gasparini, Bryan Cristante, and Mile Svilar have all publicly expressed hope for a positive resolution. Final approval from the Friedkin Group is awaited before the contract can be completed, with expectations that the signature could arrive in the coming week.