Roma closing in on Koulierakis as transfer push accelerates

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.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has agreed a new Roma contract, but a surgical procedure is preventing him from finalising the deal and training with the squad. The captain flew to Finland after the end of the Serie A season for a minor cleaning operation on an inflamed scar on the right thigh's rectus femoris tendon, performed by Professor Lempainen. The procedure was scheduled in agreement with the club to resolve issues that hampered the closing stages of his campaign following his return in May, and explains why Pellegrini cannot yet train with the group or join the squad for the departure to Wales. Despite the apparent delay, negotiations conducted initially by Massara and advanced by Tony D'Amico have been settled on all details. Pellegrini has accepted a significant reduction in wages, giving up roughly 3.5 million euros net annually to sign a two-year deal worth 2.5 million euros plus bonuses through 2028, with a unilateral option in Roma's favour to extend to 2029. While the captain works continuously with physiotherapists, even during holiday periods, to accelerate recovery, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and teammates including Bryan Cristante are pushing to have him back at the centre of the project soon.

Roma have intensified their search for attacking reinforcements and a wing-back following Zeki Çelik's departure, with Ivan Fresneda of Sporting CP and Real Betis forward Abde Ezzalzouli emerging as primary targets. The club has held three recent talks with Fresneda and his representatives; the Portuguese defender is valued at around €17–18 million plus substantial bonuses. Fresneda joined Sporting from Real Valladolid for €9 million in 2023 and has made 81 appearances, scoring 4 goals and providing 3 assists. Ezzalzouli carries a similarly high price tag. The Real Betis attacker has scored 29 goals and laid on 18 assists in 128 games, while earning 37 caps for Morocco. Roma have also explored options lower down the valuation chain. They tabled a €2.5 million bid for Club America's Israel Reyes on the wing, but the Mexican side demanded €7 million—Reyes has featured 146 times for his current club over five seasons. The Giallorossi remain in complex negotiations over Antonio Nusa but have not abandoned the pursuit. While Santiago Castro's arrival has bolstered the attacking department, Roma's need for multiple wing-backs after Çelik's exit may limit their ability to invest heavily in a second premium signing, though Wesley and Devyne Rensch offer tactical flexibility.

Roma have set a deadline of tonight for RB Leipzig to lower their asking price for Antonio Nusa, with sporting director D'Amico prepared to pivot to other targets if the club does not budge from nearly 60 million euros. The Giallorossi are hunting two wide forwards ahead of their pre-season training camp in Wales, with moves potentially accelerated to come before that departure. Among the alternatives under consideration are Abde Ezzalzouli of Betis, valued at 55 million euros after scoring 10 goals and registering 9 assists in La Liga last season, and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya of Eintracht Frankfurt, rated at just under 35 million. Malick Fofana of Lyon is also being tracked. On the right flank, Ivan Fresneda has emerged as a candidate to fill the gap left by Zeki Çelik's departure, while Diego Moreira remains the primary target for the left-wing-back position. The club are also eyeing Israel Reyes of Club America for defensive cover, though current offers of 3 million euros fall short of requirements. If midfielder Manu Koné departs, Roma would need to invest significantly in midfield, with Habib Diarra of Sunderland and Nicolas Raskin of Glasgow Rangers among the names attracting attention.

Matías Soulé has been proposed to AC Milan through intermediaries as Roma reshape their attacking department. The Argentine playboy, whose future at Trigoria remains uncertain amid the club's offensive restyling, could offer a solution for the Rossoneri. The proposal arrives at a critical moment in the summer window, with Roma eager to generate funds and unlock the incoming transfers demanded by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Milan has not yet responded officially to the possibility of opening talks. Roma's primary focus remains the right flank, where Zeki Çelik's departure to Juventus on a free transfer has created a significant gap. The club's director of sport Tony D'Amico has identified Ivan Fresneda, a Spanish fullback born in 2004 currently at Sporting Lisbon, as the main target. However, Sporting's valuation of at least 25 million euros complicates negotiations, and Roma are weighing the economic sustainability of a potential deal. Elsewhere, Mile Svilar has ruled out any move away from Roma, telling Corriere dello Sport: "For me there has only ever been Roma, you should know that by now after my renewal. I am focused on giving my best for this shirt, this club and these fans. My heart is here." In a separate development, Claudio Ranieri has been named director and president of Club Italia alongside the return of Roberto Mancini as Italy head coach—a decision they made jointly with federation president Giovanni Malagò.