Roma confirm Malen permanent signing from Aston Villa for €25m

Gian Piero Gasperini has made clear to Roma's leadership that the time for patience is over. In a meeting held on Thursday evening in Wales with new CEO John Galantic present and Tony D'Amico and Friedkin Jr. joining remotely, the coach pressed his case for a left-sided winger—a position the club has been unable to fill for over a year. Antonio Nusa remains Roma's primary target for the role, though the club is also exploring alternatives. Gasperini has not ruled out stepping back and continues to demand a starting-quality attacker to complete his squad. The main obstacle to securing Nusa is not wages but RB Leipzig's willingness to negotiate. Malick Fofana has also been considered a viable "Plan A" option, but Roma have encountered difficulties in pursuing him. Concerns over his right ankle condition have led the Giallorossi to structure discussions with Lyon around a loan deal with a conditional obligation to buy. Roma have allowed themselves a few more hours to explore the feasibility of the Nusa operation as the window progresses. Separately, barring further bureaucratic delays related to his Spanish passport, Nahuel Molina is expected to arrive in Rome imminently as the club's third signing of the summer.

Lorenzo Pellegrini will undergo medical checks at the Roma Campus today after agreeing a one-year contract extension to 2027. The midfielder signed yesterday but an official announcement has not yet been made. Pellegrini chose to renew his terms with the Friedkin Group ownership despite initially preferring a two-year deal with a third-year option, following two months of negotiation. The academy product has been managing an injury sustained earlier in the summer and travelled to Finland in early June for assessment. He has been training with a personal fitness coach in recent weeks ahead of the squad's return to training in two days. According to Daniele Aloisi of Il Messaggero, Pellegrini has also accepted a substantial reduction in wages, with his salary falling from approximately €6 million to €2.5 million plus bonuses. His commitment to remain at Roma was unwavering throughout the talks, even when Beşiktaş and Juventus enquired about his availability. The club has indicated that a more substantial contract extension could follow next June if the 2026–27 season proves successful—a campaign Pellegrini did not want to miss, given it marks Roma's centenary year.

Roma have resolved several outstanding transfer matters in recent days. Marash Kumbulla is joining Rayo Vallecano on a move to Spain, with the defender saying: "I am happy and enthusiastic to wear the Rayo shirt and begin this new adventure. It is a team that last year showed how, through hard work, important objectives can be achieved. Moreover, we are talking about one of the most historic clubs in La Liga, a league I now know very well thanks to past experiences. I want to thank the president and coach for their confidence, and I cannot wait to begin." Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract extension for one year has been finalised, awaiting only official club announcement. The departures of Kumbulla and Angeliño have freed resources, and Roma's focus now shifts to recruiting wingers—one attacking left-sided player and one on the left wing-back role. On the right flank, Nahuel Molina's arrival is effectively confirmed pending EU clearance through Spanish citizenship. Roma are targeting left-sided attacking options, with Nusa of Leipzig identified as the primary target despite his substantial asking price. Malick Fofana, the Belgian talent at Lyon recently recovered from injury, is also under consideration at a lower valuation. If Matías Soulé departs, Endrick—on loan at Real Madrid—remains in contention, with no objection from either Mastantuono's operation or José Mourinho. On the wing-back front, Cacciamani continues to appeal but has been blocked, at least publicly, by Cairo; alternative options are under evaluation.

Roma face Brighton this afternoon at 15:00 local time (16:00 Italian time, live on DAZN) in their most demanding fixture of their British pre-season tour. The match will be Roma's first outing in the new white kit, unveiled in recent days and well received by supporters. Gasperini will use the Brighton encounter to assess his squad's development ahead of the new season. Roma's core squad remains largely unchanged from last season, with the additions of Castro and Koulierakis competing for minutes alongside Hermoso and Malen in the early pecking order. Donyell Malen returns to action after illness and will be hunting his first goal of the summer. The side has yet to keep a clean sheet in pre-season friendlies, though Gasperini is without key midfield personnel for this stretch. Roma continue to pursue Molina and a left-footed left-back—reported as the "Mister X"—to bolster their options. Gasperini's cautious starts in summer pre-season are well documented, and this match will provide a clearer picture of defensive solidity, an area that has troubled Roma across their recent warm-up games.

Roma conclude their pre-season tour of Britain at the Amex Stadium today at 16:00 (15:00 local time) against Brighton, managed by Hürzeler. Gian Piero Gasperini intends to use the fixture as a full dress rehearsal for the season ahead, planning to field his strongest XI with considerable minutes. The squad departed their Vale Resort base in Wales yesterday morning after a final training session, flying from Cardiff airport at approximately 17:40 to Gatwick before travelling by coach to Brighton's south coast venue. Roma and Brighton last met in the Europa League in March 2024 when Daniele De Rossi managed Roma. The giallorossi won the first leg 4–0 at the Olimpico, then lost the return fixture 1–0 at the Amex—a result that proved inconsequential to the tie. Gasperini has indicated he will rotate little from the previous friendlies, expecting his players to build momentum ahead of the season. In attack, an alternating pairing of Castro and Malen is anticipated, continuing to develop confidence in the Argentine striker and give the Dutch forward opportunities after recent illness forced him into individual training. Hermoso is expected to return to the defence. Bryan Cristante spoke to Sky Sport before departing Wales: "The Champions League? There's huge desire because we'd come close a few times over recent seasons, but we've finally managed to return after a really strong campaign. We can't wait to start. The clash with Dybala? That wasn't a dispute between me and him—it concerned other things. A second and it was done. Pellegrini? He updates us, we can't wait to see him back here and we're waiting for him." Roma's next pre-season fixture is against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August.

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.