Roma close to signing Koulierakis to complete defence, deal worth €15m

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.