Read agrees to join Roma as third summer signing

Konstantinos Koulierakis has joined AS Roma and arrived in Wales on 2 August to link up with the squad after completing his move from Wolfsburg. The 22-year-old Greek defender made his first remarks as a Roma player in an interview with the club's YouTube channel, saying: "When my agent told me Roma was interested in me, I told him: 'Ok, let's go and do our best to become part of this great Club'." He added: "I was welcomed very well and I'm happy to be here. I had no doubt at all: my only thought was to come and sign." Koulierakis was warmly greeted by his new teammates and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The defender, born in 2003, acknowledged he has room for improvement but highlighted his strengths: "I'm young, I still need to improve in many aspects, but I will continue to do so. My strengths? My left foot, but also my mental strength: I never stop, I always give my best to try to win." He named Sergio Ramos as a childhood idol and drew comparisons with Aymeric Laporte, noting shared characteristics and their mutual left-footedness. Koulierakis revealed he had been in touch with Kostas Manolas during the summer, another Greek who played for Roma: "We spoke this summer and we also talked about Roma among other things. I had told him it would have been a great step for me to come here, but it was just a chat, now I've signed!" He expressed his excitement about the Olimpico atmosphere and Roma's supporters: "From what I've seen on TV, the atmosphere is incredible. I know how great Roma fans are, so I can't wait to play in front of them." Wolfsburg bade him farewell on social media with a message in Italian to Roma and the fans: "Treat him well. He will give you everything."

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.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is waiting for reinforcements and sent a barb at the club following Roma's 4–1 defeat in Cardiff. After signing Castro, Roma have targeted Norwegian winger Nusa and offered Leipzig €40 million plus bonuses, though the German club is asking for €60 million. The alternative remains Betis winger Ezzalzouli, for whom the 24-year-old Moroccan's club is asking €55 million. A new option is now Endrick, a Brazilian playmaker who could arrive on loan from Real Madrid with the Spanish club retaining a right of redemption, according to reports. Diego Moreira of Strasbourg remains under consideration. In defence, Roma are monitoring Fiorentina's Dodo, Sporting's Fresneda, and Feyenoord's Read. For the last-named, Roma have offered €25 million. Elsewhere, discussions continue over the renewal of Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract.

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.

Wesley missed training on 2 August after suffering a right ankle sprain in a friendly against Cardiff two days earlier. The injury is not considered serious at this stage. Muhammed Bah underwent an MRI scan of his right knee on 3 August following a severe knee sprain sustained in the same Cardiff match. The club hopes to rule out ligament damage; Bah previously suffered a similar injury to his other knee two years ago. Roma's defensive contingent faced fresh setbacks during the club's training camp at Hensol. The Cardiff friendly, played on 1 August, proved costly in terms of injuries. Bah's scan is a precautionary measure given his history of knee problems, though the early prognosis suggests no immediate alarm. Separately, Konstantin Kourielakis, the Greek defender acquired from Wolfsburg for nearly €18.5 million, took part in his first training session on 2 August.

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.