Roma cool on Alajbegovic as Greenwood emerges as main attacking target

Marash Kumbulla is on the verge of joining Rayo Vallecano on loan, with the deal between the Spanish club and Roma in its final stages. According to Fabrizio Romano, an agreement is close and only formal procedures remain to be completed. The Albanian defender will return to Spain for the third consecutive spell on a temporary basis, following previous loans at Espanyol and Mallorca. Roma are actively thinning their squad as they manage the summer transfer window. Kumbulla's departure is part of the club's outgoings strategy as they assess whether any of their key players may depart. The loan move represents a continuation of the defender's pattern of temporary moves away from the Stadio Olimpico.

Marash Kumbulla is closing in on a loan move to Rayo Vallecano after returning to Roma this summer. The Albanian defender, who rejoined the club following his last loan spell, does not feature in head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's plans and has been placed among the outgoings. According to Fabrizio Romano, Rayo Vallecano are in advanced negotiations to sign Kumbulla on a temporary deal, which would give the centre-back greater playing time in the new season. Kumbulla, who was born in 2000, was immediately identified as a surplus player upon his return to Trigoria. Roma's sporting department moved quickly to arrange a fresh club, and an agreement between the two sides is now down to the final details. The loan formula is expected to be the basis of the transfer, allowing the defender to find regular football elsewhere while Roma manage their squad needs.

Konstantinos Koulierakis arrived in the capital on 1 August 2026 and trained with Gian Piero Gasperini's squad this morning, becoming the second summer reinforcement after Castro. The defender gave his first interview as a Roma player, explaining his immediate decision to join: "When my agent told me Roma was interested in me, I answered straight away: 'Let's go'. I want to do my best to become part of this great Italian club. I had no doubt whatsoever." Koulierakis cited Tsimikas and Joakim Maehle, both former Wolfsburg teammates, as sources of information about Gasperini. "They told me he is one of the greatest coaches in Italy and I'm very excited to work with him," he said. The 25-year-old Greek defender named Sergio Ramos as his childhood idol "for his mentality, his strength and his character" and Aymeric Laporte as a stylistic influence, noting they share the left-foot trait. On his own attributes, he said: "I believe my main strength is my left foot, but also my mental strength: I never give up and I always want to win." Koulierakis expressed eagerness to play at the Olimpico, saying the atmosphere is "incredible," and revealed he had spoken with Kostas Manolas by telephone this summer, discussing Roma's importance as a step in his career. He also recalled Manolas' Champions League header against Barcelona, describing it as "an incredible match." He closed with gratitude to the club's owners: "I am really happy to be here right now. Forza Roma!"

Konstantinos Koulierakis joined Roma's pre-season training camp in Wales on 2 August, a day after his signing was officially announced. The defender arrived at the Vale Resort to meet Gian Piero Gasperini and his teammates, including Bryan Cristante, Gianluca Mancini, Paulo Dybala, and Donyell Malen. The moment was captured on camera as Koulierakis embraced the head coach and squad members. Some Roma supporters at the resort approached the new arrival to request photographs and autographs. Gasperini now has an additional defender available as Roma continues its pre-season preparations. The timing of Koulierakis's arrival reflects the club's push to strengthen the backline during the current transfer window. His integration into the group comes as Roma prepares for the 2026-27 season.

Roma suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Cardiff City in their first pre-season friendly of the summer, with Paulo Dybala opening the scoring from a Matías Soulé assist before missing a penalty. Gianluca Castro made his debut, starting up front and battling throughout before receiving a yellow card late on; defender Bah was also forced off with injury. Gasperini analysed the performance in his post-match comments: "Distratti dietro nel primo tempo, abbiamo preso gol su rimpalli. Qualcosa di buono l'abbiamo fatto, ma se sei poco attento diventa tutto più difficile." The coach reiterated that the squad requires completion, stating: "Il mercato è partito tardi, sono andati via diversi giocatori e servono innesti per rendere la squadra davvero competitiva." Gasperini confirmed his targets—a defender, a winger, and two forwards—insisting they are achievable objectives. Castro is viewed as an excellent acquisition who can rotate with Donyell Malen and elevate the squad's level. On the transfer front, Greek defender Konstantinos Koulierakis landed at Ciampino airport and completed his move from Wolfsburg on a permanent basis for approximately €16.5 million plus bonuses and a 20 per cent sell-on clause. Born in 2004, Koulierakis becomes Roma's second summer signing after Castro. The club is also pursuing Franco Mastantuono, a 2007-born Madrid youth prospect, though Real's preference for a loan or loan with option has not convinced Roma; Fiorentina are advancing in those talks. Negotiations for Feyenoord winger Read continue, with Roma offering €23 million plus €2 million in add-ons.

Gian Piero Gasperini addressed the media after Roma's friendly against Cardiff City, acknowledging defensive frailties in the opening period but praising the team's attacking moments. The head coach stressed that the transfer window has only just begun following the World Cup and indicated he expects additions before the season starts. Gasperini hailed Castro as an excellent acquisition, describing him as a natural centre-forward who can operate alongside Malen. "Castro is a 2004 who wanted to come to Roma at all costs—it will be a fine signing," he said. He outlined the squad's needs: "Compared to last season's squad we need a defender, a winger and two forwards. Then everything can change: if someone leaves, they must be replaced." Gasperini stressed that competing in cup competitions requires depth: "When you play Champions League at a certain level, you need a complete, competitive squad with enough players to rotate without losing quality." With three midfielders currently sidelined and only five defenders available, Gasperini flagged the urgency of recruitment. He confirmed that Koulierakis will arrive to bolster the defence, noting that teams competing in European football must have at least two players per position. The coach added the squad is now in its third week of pre-season training and that he hopes completeness arrives "as quickly as possible."

Roma suffered a 4–1 defeat to Cardiff City on 1 August, a match in which the Giallorossi struggled to perform at their best and tensions flared on the pitch. A flashpoint involved captain Bryan Cristante and Paulo Dybala, who had a heated face-to-face exchange following an unblown foul on Castro that led to Cardiff's fourth goal. The pair did not come to blows, but the moment reflected frustration over the refereeing decision. At Roma's training session on 2 August, the atmosphere had eased considerably. Cristante was observed speaking calmly with all three Argentine squad members, indicating a return to normal team dynamics and no lingering ill-feeling between the players involved in the Cardiff incident. The match marked another disappointing pre-season outing for Gasperini's side as preparations for the 2026–27 season continue.

Konstantinos Koulierakis joined Roma's pre-season training camp in Wales on 2 August, a day after his signing was officially announced. The defender arrived at the Vale Resort to meet Gian Piero Gasperini and his teammates, including Bryan Cristante, Gianluca Mancini, Paulo Dybala, and Donyell Malen. The moment was captured on camera as Koulierakis embraced the head coach and squad members. Some Roma supporters at the resort approached the new arrival to request photographs and autographs. Gasperini now has an additional defender available as Roma continues its pre-season preparations. The timing of Koulierakis's arrival reflects the club's push to strengthen the backline during the current transfer window. His integration into the group comes as Roma prepares for the 2026-27 season.

Koulierakis joined Roma's squad in Wales on 2 August, arriving at Vale Resort in Hensol after completing his medical and signing yesterday. The Greek centre-back posed for photographs with Roma supporters at the training ground before linking up with Gasperini and the squad for his first team session. He arrived on a permanent deal worth €16 million plus €1.5 million in bonuses, with Wolfsburg retaining a 20 per cent sell-on clause. Koulierakis joins an established defensive unit comprising Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso, Ziółkowski and Ghilardi, though the last-named could depart the capital. This morning Dybala and the wider group completed a gym session, with a video review and field training scheduled for the afternoon. Gasperini welcomes Koulierakis as Roma's second new acquisition of the summer, following Castro, who made his debut in yesterday's 0–0 draw with Cardiff. The defender will bolster Roma's backline as pre-season preparations continue in Wales.