Pruzzo backs Soulé to lift Roma; Torri puzzled by Koné's lack of offers

Rome's radio stations hosted a discussion among prominent pundits on Roma's transfer strategy and squad composition. Piero Torri of Manà Sport stated that while negotiations with Nusa remain active, he continues to favour Lyon's Fofana, despite the financial burden of such a deal. Torri also raised concerns about Roma's ability to execute sales: "The problem with profit margins is there. Roma tries to sell Salah-Eddine for 8 million and the player refuses, then no offers come in for Koné. D'Amico at Atalanta has made tremendous sales, here he can't manage it. If Read costs 30, Wesley is worth triple." Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio praised Read as a versatile player suited to Gasperini's system, comparing him to Dumfries and noting that he could flourish alongside Castro given the latter's advanced playmaking traits. Roberto Pruzzo acknowledged Read's potential but questioned the lack of push from the fullbacks in Roma's recent display, pointing out that both Rensch and Wesley appeared undercooked. Pruzzo added: "You have good attackers, but you need to complete the squad. If you're able to spend this amount on an winger, I think it's the right thing to do." He also suggested that Castro and Malen could complement each other effectively in attack.

Radio commentators weighed in on Roma's transfer window and squad stability on 2 August. Rossomando stated that Lorenzo Pellegrini's desire to remain at the club is evident, arguing that if he wanted to leave, he would already have pursued other options with his agent. Rossomando attributed Roma's wider difficulties to ownership and management rather than individual player decisions, noting that other Italian clubs are also experiencing transfer delays. Conflitti offered a defence of the club's sporting directors, suggesting that this summer's events have clarified that transfer delays at Roma cannot be blamed solely on Ghisolfi, Massara, and D'Amico. He acknowledged that some errors may have occurred but argued the responsibility extends beyond the sporting department to the broader structure of the organisation. Both commentators spoke on Radio Manà Manà Sport as part of Romanews.eu's daily radio commentary column. Rossomando said: "The will of Pellegrini to stay at Roma is clear, otherwise he would have already found other solutions with his agent. As always the problems arise from whoever runs this company, namely the ownership. Many other clubs in Italy are also behind schedule." Conflitti added: "I would say that this summer has dispelled some doubts about what Roma's problems are regarding market delays. The blame clearly was not solely on the sporting directors, so we need to reconsider some of the thinking on Ghisolfi, Massara and also D'Amico, aside from some mistakes that may have been made."

Radio commentators have weighed in on Roma's defensive recruitment and tactical priorities this summer. Marcacci told Radio Radio that Koulierakis appears to be the type of tough, no-nonsense defender capable of adapting well to Serie A, adding: "Probably he will start as a backup, but he is a player of greater reliability compared to many others we have seen pass through. With the ball at his feet he is not stronger than Hermoso but he can be more disciplined." Matera, also speaking to Radio Radio, identified a gap in Roma's squad in the left wing role, both for the starting position and the bench. He suggested the club is unwilling to compromise on quality: "The feeling is that Roma do not want to settle for taking players just for the sake of it. Gasperini wants to have level-appropriate alternatives in every role." The assessment reflects head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's approach to squad depth across all positions.

Roma resumed training in their Welsh retreat following a 4–1 friendly defeat to Cardiff, with head coach Gasperini overseeing double sessions as the squad prepares for the start of the season. Defender Wesley suffered a minor right ankle discomfort during the afternoon session and stopped after around ten minutes, though the medical staff expressed no serious concern. The squad also managed absences—Bah was unavailable—while Niccolò Pisilli continued separate recovery work from a calf injury. Central defender Koulierakis, freshly signed from Wolfsburg, lifted spirits by training with his new teammates immediately upon arrival. The new recruit displayed considerable enthusiasm for joining Roma, describing his move as immediate and showing genuine emotion about the prospect of working under Gasperini and experiencing the atmosphere and warmth of the Roma fans.

Roma completed their third preseason fixture in their Welsh training camp with a friendly against Cardiff that yielded little of competitive value but offered Gasperini insights into younger players, notably Lulli. The match left two concerning legacies: the injury to midfielder Bah, a 2007-born player who has featured regularly in preseason friendlies due to absences elsewhere in the squad, and a troublesome impact on Roma's midfield depth. Bah sustained a right knee distortion injury during the first half and underwent an MRI scan today to determine the severity of the damage. The midfielder previously suffered an 11-month cruciate ligament injury in 2024. Roma's midfield picture remains the most acute concern for Gasperini heading into tomorrow's fixture against Newport, with Koné and El Aynaoui still recovering from World Cup commitments and Pisilli managing an injury. By contrast, defence has strengthened: new arrival Koulierakis trained with the squad immediately and may see minutes as Gasperini assesses his characteristics. Following training yesterday, Gasperini held a meeting with newly appointed CEO Galantic at the training base. Roma's Welsh preseason work continues through a combination of tactical drills and small-sided matches.

Koulierakis trained with Roma for the first time on 2 August after arriving at Vale Resort, declaring himself eager to contribute to the club. "I am truly very happy to be here. The welcome has been fantastic," the Greek defender said. "When my agent told me Roma was interested, I responded immediately: 'Yes, let's go'. I want to do my best to become part of this great Italian club. I had no doubt whatsoever." Wesley suffered a right ankle sprain on Saturday during Perry Ng's penalty-kick incident and attempted to train but signalled to Gasperini he was unable to continue. No alarm is warranted, though he is expected to sit out Tuesday's match against Newport to avoid reinjury. Pisilli remains sidelined with a calf problem sustained ten days earlier. El Aynaoui has a minor left knee discomfort but nothing troubling. Bah will undergo an MRI scan on 3 August to assess the extent of his right knee injury. In the transfer market, Roma continues to push for Read. The Dutch winger played the full 90 minutes in a friendly against Atalanta on 2 August but remains committed to joining Roma. His club has rejected an opening bid of €23 million plus €2 million in bonuses, demanding €30 million instead. 3 August could prove decisive in reaching agreement. Roma is also pursuing Cacciamani at Torino and exploring attacking options—Nusa is preferred but his cost complicates matters, while Endrick is also under consideration. Koné has drawn interest from Manchester United, though Arsenal has dropped out of the race. Kumbulla is heading to Rayo Vallecano.

Rome's radio stations hosted a discussion among prominent pundits on Roma's transfer strategy and squad composition. Piero Torri of Manà Sport stated that while negotiations with Nusa remain active, he continues to favour Lyon's Fofana, despite the financial burden of such a deal. Torri also raised concerns about Roma's ability to execute sales: "The problem with profit margins is there. Roma tries to sell Salah-Eddine for 8 million and the player refuses, then no offers come in for Koné. D'Amico at Atalanta has made tremendous sales, here he can't manage it. If Read costs 30, Wesley is worth triple." Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio praised Read as a versatile player suited to Gasperini's system, comparing him to Dumfries and noting that he could flourish alongside Castro given the latter's advanced playmaking traits. Roberto Pruzzo acknowledged Read's potential but questioned the lack of push from the fullbacks in Roma's recent display, pointing out that both Rensch and Wesley appeared undercooked. Pruzzo added: "You have good attackers, but you need to complete the squad. If you're able to spend this amount on an winger, I think it's the right thing to do." He also suggested that Castro and Malen could complement each other effectively in attack.

Santiago Castro is now officially a Roma player, and head coach Gasperini has acquired his new centre-forward option alongside Donyell Malen. The Argentine, nicknamed 'El Torito' for his resemblance to Lautaro Martínez and citing Batistuta, Tevez and Milito as idols, did not begin his career as a lead striker. At Vélez Sarsfield, Castro played right-back before Daniel Cielinski, a coach working with him at youth level, asked whether he would consider moving forward. Cielinski, now working between Atletio Perù's youth academy and Los Andes' women's team in Buenos Aires, recalled Castro in 2014 as a 10-year-old boy with exceptional energy and intensity. "When you ask a child 'where do you like to play?', most say 'striker', but Santiago gave a different answer: he simply wanted to play," Cielinski said. "He had the desire to start the action, to always be the one initiating play. That indicated he could become an attacker." Castro initially struggled in the role, failing to score in his first ten matches, but Cielinski persisted with the position. "After the tenth match I think he scored two goals. From there everything started: he stayed in that role and naturally loved it. He never stopped." Cielinski identified Castro's standout quality as power and bravery with both feet, noting he always sought the ball and moved continuously. "I see him in the penalty area, inside the box, in the space around the penalty arc," Cielinski said of his ideal position. He praised Castro's family, particularly his father's respectful non-interference in the coaching process throughout his son's development.

Gian Piero Gasperini has clarified Roma's attacking strategy, stating that Santiago Castro and Donyell Malen will alternate as the club's central striker throughout the season rather than feature together regularly. Both are pure strikers, and the manager will deploy only one at a time in Roma's established 4-2-3-1 formation, with two playmakers operating behind the lone forward. A rare pairing will be reserved for emergencies or closing stages of matches when chasing a result. This approach was already visible in a friendly against Cardiff City, where Castro started and Malen appeared from the bench. Roma's €35 million investment plus bonuses in Argentine forward Castro stems from the need to manage player workload across a demanding season featuring European competition. Last season, Malen featured heavily in the second half of the campaign and risked arriving fatigued. Castro's quality and prospect as a young talent provide Gasperini with greater depth without compromising standards. The two attackers possess complementary but distinct characteristics: Malen thrives on attacking space and exploiting pace, while Castro prefers dropping deep to link play and create connection with teammates. This stylistic difference makes regular partnership difficult, echoing a similar arrangement Gasperini employed at Atalanta with Zapata and Muriel.