Pruzzo urges Roma to keep Svilar, suggests Koné as lesser loss

Tennis player Flavio Cobolli, a known Roma supporter, has restated his devotion to the Giallorossi in an interview with OverTime Tennis, ranking club legends Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi among football's all-time greats. Cobolli nominated Totti as the finest striker ever, best playmaker (De Rossi), best Italian player, and best footballer of all time. He also crowned Roma as his favourite football club and Totti as Roma's greatest-ever player. The sole exception to his romanista heroes came in the 'best young player' category, where Cobolli selected Lamine Yamal.

Roma radio pundits offered contrasting assessments of the club's transfer approach and squad strength ahead of the new season. Roberto Pruzzo said: "In these summer friendlies the same squad as last year has been on show. If a player capable of shifting the balance and adding quality doesn't really arrive, then it remains a repetitive squad. Roma has several certainties but the creativity is what it is. To try to raise the level of the attacking department you need that type of player who reshuffles the cards." Alexandro Vocalelli rated Neil El Aynaoui as useful but noted a significant gap between him and Manu Koné, calling Koné arguably Roma's most irreplaceable player. Ugo Trani dismissed Rafa Leão as impractical, citing salary demands and consistency concerns, and suggested that Arsenal's pursuit of Nusa made a move unlikely, though the Leipzig forward would not object to joining Roma. Trani also mentioned that Gasperini had made a personal commitment to a broadcast without a formal Sky contract agreement, and that an interview could take place in the coming days. Stefano Agresti suggested Gasperini might not be greatly troubled by Koné's departure if El Aynaoui develops further. Francesco Balzani reported that a market summit with Friedkin had been planned but lacked positive outcome, while Francesco Balzani and Antonio Felici highlighted the difficulty of securing attacking reinforcements on Roma's budget constraints.

Radio pundits have weighed in on Roma's transfer activity and squad composition ahead of the new season. Carina told Radio Radio Mattino that Lorenzo Pellegrini's one-year contract renewal was surprising, noting that Gasperini's line had prevailed over the club's initial reluctance to renew either Pellegrini or Paulo Dybala. "I continue to think that Roma still lack a bit of quality," Carina said. "Judgements on the market will ultimately be given based on the profile of the left-sided winger." Pruzzo echoed similar concerns on the same station, observing that recent summer friendlies had shown the same squad as last year. "If a player capable of truly shifting the balance and adding quality doesn't arrive, then it remains a repetitive squad," he said. "Roma has several certainties but the creativity is what it is. To try to raise the level of the attacking department, that type of player who reshuffles the deck is needed." Meanwhile, defender Molina is set to arrive at Roma imminently. Matera reported that the player was in Madrid on 6 August for passport processing and could land in Rome on 7 August, with the aim of having him available at Trigoria on Tuesday when training resumes after the squad's return from Wales. Orsi assessed Molina as a solid acquisition with the experience and characteristics Gasperini has long sought in a right-sided fifth-back role, though cautioned he would not fundamentally reshape the team's balance.

Roma's preparation continues ahead of a friendly against Brighton, the final match of their British tour. Defender Marash Kumbulla has officially joined Rayo Vallecano on loan with a right of purchase. Mile Svilar spoke to Radio Romanista, reflecting on his Champions League experiences, anecdotes from his time at Roma, and his outlook for the future. Tickets went on sale for Roma's Serie A fixture against Fiorentina. Antonio Rüdiger was pictured proudly wearing the number 10 shirt of Roma legend Francesco Totti, underlining the cultural significance of the shirt within the club. The day's news caps a busy summer window period for the Giallorossi as they prepare for the new campaign.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has signed a contract extension with Roma through 30 June 2027, ending speculation from Premier League clubs and Juventus. An official announcement is expected in the coming hours. The move secures the club's number 7 and caps weeks of negotiation. Mile Svilar reinforced his commitment to the club in a radio interview, saying: "I am happy here, my family is happy here. I want to stay at Roma." He outlined the squad's objectives: progressing in the Champions League, starting strongly in Serie A, and maintaining competitive intensity. Bryan Cristante, speaking from the pre-season camp, expressed enthusiasm for Gian Piero Gasperini's work and confirmed the group is eager to reunite with Pellegrini. Cristante also dismissed reports of lingering tension with Paulo Dybala: "Everything was cleared up immediately, with no lasting issues." Ticket sales for Roma's home opener against Fiorentina on Monday 24 August at 20:45 began today, generating immediate demand with over 3,000 supporters queuing online. The 40,000 season-ticket allocation was exhausted long ago. Separately, Marash Kumbulla's departure to Rayo Vallecano on a loan with a right of redemption was confirmed, ending his Roma tenure after 68 appearances, 4 goals, and the 2022 Conference League triumph.

Roma will face Brighton in a pre-season friendly at the American Express Stadium on 8 August 2026 at 16:00 Italian time. The match comes after Roma's training camp in Wales and friendlies against Cardiff and Newport County. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to field a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso, midfielders Devyne Rensch, Neil El Aynaoui, Bryan Cristante, and Wesley, with Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé in attacking roles behind striker Donyell Malen. Tickets for the fixture are available through Brighton's official website. The friendly will be broadcast live on DAZN, with live text coverage available on ilromanista.eu and radio commentary from Radio Romanista providing real-time updates from the stadium.

Roma will face Brighton in a pre-season friendly at the American Express Stadium on 8 August 2026 at 16:00 Italian time. The match comes after Roma's training camp in Wales and friendlies against Cardiff and Newport County. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to field a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso, midfielders Devyne Rensch, Neil El Aynaoui, Bryan Cristante, and Wesley, with Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé in attacking roles behind striker Donyell Malen. Tickets for the fixture are available through Brighton's official website. The friendly will be broadcast live on DAZN, with live text coverage available on ilromanista.eu and radio commentary from Radio Romanista providing real-time updates from the stadium.

Roma are continuing their pre-season preparations in the United Kingdom with a focus on getting Donyell Malen back to his best. The Dutch winger arrived at camp below match fitness after playing through the final five months of last season without rest, accumulating fatigue from both club and international commitments. He was reduced to 25 minutes in the Cardiff friendly and missed the Newport match due to fever. Head coach Gasperini has implemented a tailored recovery programme: Malen trained separately on Wednesday following a one-to-one consultation with the coach, completing ball work, shooting drills, and extensive running to close the fitness gap with his teammates ahead of the league opener on 24 August. El Aynaoui, also returning from international duty, is following a modified training schedule, while Evan N'Dicka, who did not feature in Copa America matches, requires no such adjustment. Loyal captain Lorenzo Pellegrini will rejoin the squad soon after missing pre-season through injury and rejecting offers from Juventus and Besiktas. He has agreed to accept a one-year contract at a reduced salary—dropping from €6 million to €2.5 million annually—in the hope of negotiating a two-year extension next summer. His initial demand for a three-year deal shifted to this more flexible arrangement, positioning Roma's rebuild around his leadership. On the transfer front, Molina is en route to the club, whilst the pursuit of Nusa remains on hold despite his public denial of requesting a move from Leipzig. Fofana of Lyon stands as an alternative. Right-back targets include Endrick of Real Madrid. Roma conclude their Welsh camp tomorrow before heading to Brighton for a friendly at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.

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.