Roma face Cardiff in first pre-season friendly tomorrow at 4pm

AS Roma have moved to Wales for the second phase of their pre-season preparation under Gian Piero Gasperini. The squad will remain at the Vale Resort in Hensol, approximately twenty kilometres from Cardiff, until 8 August for an intensive training block before returning to Italy and their opening competitive fixtures. Roma will conduct training sessions at the WRU National Centre of Excellence, the Welsh national rugby federation's high-performance facility. The venue offers a natural setting ideal for physical conditioning and tactical work with maximum privacy ahead of the new season. The location represents a strategic choice to escape the intense summer heat of Rome during this critical preparation period. During their time in Wales, the squad will face a series of international friendly matches against Cardiff City, Newport County, and Brighton as part of their match fitness programme.

AS Roma's pre-season operations in Wales have become the focal point of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's early summer planning. The club has established a training base in Wales where Gasperini is overseeing preparations ahead of the new season, with the facility serving as the headquarters for the squad's development work during the initial phase of pre-season. Gasperini continues to assess his available squad following recent summer additions Wesley and Devyne Rensch. However, the coach remains focused on bringing in further reinforcements to strengthen the playing group. The transfer window remains active, with Roma's recruitment team identifying targets to bolster Gasperini's options across the pitch. Key stakeholders including D'Amico and Ryan Friedkin of The Friedkin Group have been planning the club's market strategy, with a decisive summit scheduled to take place before Roma's time in Wales concludes. The search for additional depth continues, with various names being monitored as potential additions to the squad.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, alongside sporting director D'Amico and Ryan Friedkin in a remote link, will hold a market meeting on 31 July before Roma's departure for Wales to define the club's transfer strategy for the coming season. The summit follows the official completion of Santiago Castro's arrival and the imminent signing of Koulierakis, as Roma continues its recruitment drive to strengthen the squad available to Gasperini. The new cycle at the Stadio Olimpico is taking shape after a period of transition. A left winger remains the priority in the transfer window, with Nusa of Leipzig identified as the primary target. Only after securing that position will Roma move forward with other planned operations to complete the squad rebuild.