Radio pundits divided on Nusa arrival and Roma's wing-back need

Roma have confirmed their first signing of the summer transfer window. Santiago Castro has joined from Bologna as a Roma player and will wear the number 9 shirt, vacated by Artem Dovbyk. The Ukrainian striker completes the reverse move to Bologna, where he will attempt a fresh start under Tedesco. The swap represents Roma's opening business of the transfer market, with the club's sporting director D'Amico continuing recruitment work. Castro takes up a key offensive role in Gian Piero Gasperini's squad, while Dovbyk seeks to rediscover his form in Serie A after his time in the Italian capital.

Santiago Castro has joined Roma from Bologna on a permanent transfer for €35 million, with the Argentine striker expressing his eagerness to contribute under Gian Piero Gasperini. Castro told Roma's official channels: "It was a short negotiation, I wanted to come from the first moment. I spoke with the sporting director, they told me what they expect from me, I felt the confidence and I know what I can do to help the squad. Since I heard from them I chose straight away to come here." On Gasperini, he added: "I like him. He does very well in Italy for years, I'm here to give a hand, I can do what he wants." Roma have swiftly moved to strengthen their defence with the signing of Konstantinos Koulierakis, a 2003-born centre-back from Wolfsburg, on a permanent deal worth approximately €15 million. The left-footed Greek defender will undergo medical tests and sign his contract in the coming days, competing with Hermoso for the left-centre role in Gasperini's three-man defence. Meanwhile, Angeliño departs on loan to Deportivo La Coruña with a €2 million buyout clause, returning to the Spanish club where he developed through the youth system. Roma have tabled an official €25 million offer to Feyenoord for right-back Givairo Read, with sporting director Tony D'Amico opening direct negotiations to find a resolution. Nottingham Forest remain interested but have had two bids rejected. The coming days are expected to be decisive in the pursuit of a replacement for Çelik on the right flank.

Santiago Castro is officially a Roma player, becoming Gasperini's first January signing and inheriting the number 9 shirt worn previously by fellow Argentines Balbo and Batistuta. The Argentine striker pledged his commitment at his presentation, stating he is ready to give everything for the club. Koulierakis will arrive in Rome between today and tomorrow for medical tests and contract signature before the squad departs for their training base in Hensol, Wales. Roma remain in pursuit of a new winger, with sporting director D'Amico having submitted a €25 million offer to Feyenoord for Read. The Dutch club's player has already agreed personal terms, leaving Feyenoord to decide on the bid.

Robinio Vaz has returned to full training with Roma's squad ahead of the club's upcoming training camp in Wales, which departs tomorrow. The young French striker has recovered from a knee injury sustained at Trigoria just over two weeks ago and trained with his teammates on the day of the announcement. Vaz's availability strengthens Gasperini's options as Roma prepare for the season ahead. The 2009-born forward faces increased competition for minutes following the arrival of Castro, but remains committed to his development at the club and aims to earn more playing time as a backup to Donyell Malen. The midfielder's return from injury comes at a crucial juncture for Roma's preparations, providing the head coach with additional depth in his attacking setup for the Welsh training camp.

Roma face Cardiff City in a pre-season friendly on 1 August at 16:00 at Cardiff City Stadium, marking their first match of the Wales training camp following earlier warm-up fixtures against Primavera, Trastevere and Cannes. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will field a 3-4-2-1 formation: Svilar in goal; Mancini, Ndicka and Hermoso across the back; Rensch and Wesley as wing-backs; El Aynaoui and Cristante in midfield; Dybala and Soulé in attacking support; with Malen leading the line. Tickets for the friendly are available through Cardiff City's official website. The match will be shown live on streaming platform DAZN, with a repeat broadcast at 21:30 on Italian channel NOVE. Live text coverage with real-time updates will be available on ilromanista.eu.

Santiago Castro's AS Roma career is officially underway following his arrival in Rome, where he was greeted by approximately 300 supporters at Termini station. The 2004-born Argentine has completed his medical examination and met with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini at Trigoria, also reconnecting with fellow countryman Matías Soulé and receiving a welcome from Paulo Dybala. Castro will inherit the number 9 shirt vacated by Artem Dovbyk and has signed through to 2031 on a net salary of 2 million euros per season. Roma invested 35 million euros plus bonus payments and retain 10 per cent of any future resale fee to Bologna for the acquisition. Gasperini gains a quick, technical striker suited to his tactical demands and capable of operating alongside Donyell Malen in either a 3-4-1-2 formation or with the Dutch winger deployed out wide. Castro arrives in full physical condition and will travel with the squad for their winter training camp in Wales, where he is expected to feature in the upcoming friendly against Cardiff to build match fitness.

Roma face Cardiff City in a pre-season friendly on 1 August at 16:00 at Cardiff City Stadium, marking their first match of the Wales training camp following earlier warm-up fixtures against Primavera, Trastevere and Cannes. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will field a 3-4-2-1 formation: Svilar in goal; Mancini, Ndicka and Hermoso across the back; Rensch and Wesley as wing-backs; El Aynaoui and Cristante in midfield; Dybala and Soulé in attacking support; with Malen leading the line. Tickets for the friendly are available through Cardiff City's official website. The match will be shown live on streaming platform DAZN, with a repeat broadcast at 21:30 on Italian channel NOVE. Live text coverage with real-time updates will be available on ilromanista.eu.

Matías Soulé's future at Roma continues to hang in the balance despite the arrival of fellow Argentine attacker Castro, who completes the club's all-Argentine attacking line alongside Paulo Dybala. The former Frosinone winger has been proposed to AC Milan, though the Rossoneri must first resolve the departure of Rafael Leão. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Soulé has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia, England, and Germany through exploratory calls, though no concrete offers have materialised. Roma's number 18 is not entirely excluded from the Giallorossi project, but the club would consider a departure if the right financial proposal arrives. The scouting activity around the Argentine signals he is not untouchable, despite his presence in the squad for the 2025–26 season. Soulé recently welcomed Castro on social media with a message saying 'benvenuto fratello' (welcome brother), though the prospect of the two combining regularly in Roma colours may prove only a fleeting possibility.

Santiago Castro is officially AS Roma's new number 9. The Argentine striker arrived in the capital on Monday at midnight and was greeted by around 250 celebrating supporters before his announcement hours later. Castro completes an Argentine contingent at the club that now includes Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé. Soulé, the former Frosinone player, welcomed his compatriot on social media by sharing one of Castro's first images in the yellow and red shirt. "Benvenuto fratello!" (Welcome brother!) wrote Soulé. Castro replied to the earlier Bologna forward with "Andiamo hermano!" (Let's go brother!) and a She-wolf emoji, signalling the bond forming within Roma's South American group at Trigoria.

Santiago Castro has joined Roma from Bologna on a permanent transfer for €35 million, with the Argentine striker expressing his eagerness to contribute under Gian Piero Gasperini. Castro told Roma's official channels: "It was a short negotiation, I wanted to come from the first moment. I spoke with the sporting director, they told me what they expect from me, I felt the confidence and I know what I can do to help the squad. Since I heard from them I chose straight away to come here." On Gasperini, he added: "I like him. He does very well in Italy for years, I'm here to give a hand, I can do what he wants." Roma have swiftly moved to strengthen their defence with the signing of Konstantinos Koulierakis, a 2003-born centre-back from Wolfsburg, on a permanent deal worth approximately €15 million. The left-footed Greek defender will undergo medical tests and sign his contract in the coming days, competing with Hermoso for the left-centre role in Gasperini's three-man defence. Meanwhile, Angeliño departs on loan to Deportivo La Coruña with a €2 million buyout clause, returning to the Spanish club where he developed through the youth system. Roma have tabled an official €25 million offer to Feyenoord for right-back Givairo Read, with sporting director Tony D'Amico opening direct negotiations to find a resolution. Nottingham Forest remain interested but have had two bids rejected. The coming days are expected to be decisive in the pursuit of a replacement for Çelik on the right flank.

Kostas Koulierakis has completed his move to AS Roma, becoming the club's second summer signing under director D'Amico. The Greek defender met head coach Gian Piero Gasperini via videoconference on Tuesday evening. Although presented by some as a backup option, Gasperini views him—like fellow new arrival Artem Dovbyk—as a core addition to the squad rather than reserve cover. Gasperini pushed for the upgrades after Roma finished third and qualified for the Champions League, seeking improvements across multiple fronts: numerically, technically, and tactically. With Zeki Çelik's departure confirmed and moves away for both Salah Eddine and Angeliño imminent, Roma's full-back options have thinned to just Devyne Rensch and Wesley, both capable on either flank. The recruitment team is pursuing two more wide defenders—targets include Read with Fresneda as an alternative, and Cacciamani—all of whom Gasperini has already approved. The club also plans to add further attacking reinforcements in the coming weeks, with Nusa identified as an immediate priority and Endrick a longer-term target. D'Amico's push to accelerate business reflects the board's backing for Gasperini's vision and focus on squad improvement rather than other institutional matters.

Roma have tabled a €25 million offer to Feyenoord for right-back Givairo Read, according to Fabrizio Romano, in a move designed to strengthen the right flank. The bid supersedes a €19 million offer from Nottingham Forest and comes after the club completed deals for Castro and Koulierakis. Read, born in 2006 in Amsterdam, emerged as a standout performer in Eredivisie last season under Robin van Persie's management, making 16 appearances with one goal and three assists. The Dutch-Surinamese talent has drawn comparisons to Internazionale's Dumfries, recently departed for Real Madrid, owing to his pace and dual threat in defence and attack. At 175cm, Read brings modern full-back qualities: disciplined defending coupled with consistent offensive thrust. He featured prominently in the Netherlands' Under-19 European Championship-winning campaign. However, the 20-year-old's 2025–26 campaign was disrupted by two consecutive hamstring injuries that sidelined him for more than three months—a concern that momentarily cooled Bayern Munich's interest. Once fit, he has reestablished himself among Europe's most sought-after young full-backs. Read made his senior debut against Roma in a Europa League fixture three years earlier. His performances in Eredivisie and Champions League have not escaped the attention of elite clubs across the continent. Roma's sporting director D'Amico is now pursuing the profile as a long-term prospect to compete with or replace Çelik on the right.