Roma miss out on Engels as Belgian midfielder heads to West Ham

Greek centre-back Konstantinos Koulierakis is poised to become AS Roma's second reinforcement for the 2026–27 season. The 22-year-old defender, born in La Canea on Crete, has established himself as a cornerstone of Wolfsburg's defence in the Bundesliga after the club paid approximately €12 million to secure him from PAOK Thessaloniki in summer 2024. He made his PAOK senior debut on 20 August 2022 and earned his Greece international cap within three months. Koulierakis stands 1.88 metres tall and weighs around 78 kg, combining physical presence with explosive pace over short distances—a crucial asset for modern defending. Despite five managerial changes across two seasons at Wolfsburg, he has become a mainstay in their backline, demonstrating strong leadership qualities. His left foot is a standout technical asset; he is capable of constructing play from the back with both short passes and long distribution, reminiscent of a midfielder's range. He has performed as a left-side centre-back in three-defender setups and as a left-centre defender in four-man defences. Koulierakis excels in the air both defensively and offensively. In his debut Bundesliga campaign he recorded no goals, but last season he netted four headers—a tally matched only by Gianluca Mancini among defenders in Europe's top five leagues, where only Virgil van Dijk surpassed him with five. Koulierakis will turn 23 on 28 November.

Gian Piero Gasperini will hold a crucial transfer meeting with Roma sporting director D'Amico and owner Ryan Friedkin today before the team's departure for Wales. The summit will focus on finalising the club's market strategy for the remainder of the season as Gasperini, the club's new head coach, continues to push for reinforcements to mount a Champions League challenge. Left-wing remains Roma's priority, with RB Leipzig's Nusa staying at the top of the target list. Gasperini will have the opportunity to reiterate this directly to the board. The departures of Angeliño and Çelik have left gaps in the full-back department that require urgent attention. Read is being considered as a hot prospect to address those needs, with Roma having already tabled an offer to Feyenoord. The Dutch club's approval is now required for any deal to progress. Gasperini has already secured initial signings including Castro and Koulierakis, but the technical staff believes further investment is essential for a competitive campaign. All parties are emphasising the need to row in the same direction as Roma builds its new project under the new coaching regime.

Roma radio commentators have outlined the club's remaining transfer priorities, with consensus that an important player departure is necessary before the window closes. Pes stated: "It seems difficult for Roma to close the market without an important sale. The focus now is on arrivals, but offers need to come in to move players out: so far nothing has arrived for either Koné or Soulé." Roma have already spent 35 million euros on Castro and 15 million on new Greek defender Koulierakis, who will join the squad after administrative procedures are completed. Torri reported that Milan could be interested in Soulé, with a potential swap involving Saelemaekers; Roma have reportedly sought a profile matching Saelemaekers' type. Earlier, Roma had reached an offer of 50 million euros for Summerville, though that figure would push total outlay toward 100 million when combined with recent signings. Pruzzo suggested there is only a 10 per cent chance of Nusa joining Roma, as negotiations have dragged on and the player has market options elsewhere. Castro is expected to feature immediately, with Gasperini likely to deploy two forwards against four-back defences.