Roma pressing ahead on Read; Endrick remains in the frame for attack

Givairo Read, the twenty-year-old Feyenoord winger, has attracted Roma's interest as a potential reinforcement. Robin van Persie, who managed Read at Feyenoord's Under-18 level and now coaches the club's senior side, offered a glowing assessment last summer: "As a person, he has remained the same boy he was three years ago – while many footballers change because of status and money. He doesn't. As a footballer, he is making enormous progress: he is simply fantastic and I believe he is ready to make the quality leap." Manchester City had shown interest in Read a year ago, but no deal materialised. Read, who turned twenty on 2 June, is considered a potential heir to Denzel Dumfries at international level and was linked with Inter as a replacement for his compatriot. Standing 1.84 metres tall, he began his career as a fullback but has developed into an attacking right-winger capable of playing on the left when needed. Last season proved more complicated than anticipated: after a strong start, a thigh injury forced him to miss much of the second half, limiting him to nineteen appearances compared to thirty-two in 2024–25. He recovered in time to contribute to Feyenoord's second-place finish. Trained early in his career by former Inter player Wim Jonk at Volendam, Read possesses technical skill, personality and pace that have caught the attention of multiple European clubs. For a manager like Gasperini, who has a proven eye for Dutch football, Read could prove a valuable addition both in the short term and for the future.

AS Roma have completed the signing of centre-back Konstantinos Koulierakis from Wolfsburg. The 23-year-old Greek defender arrived on 1 August, with the transfer officially confirmed the previous evening. Roma paid €15 million plus €1 million in add-ons to secure him. Koulierakis touched down at Ciampino airport in the morning, underwent medical tests, and signed his contract with the club. He has chosen to wear the number 33 shirt. The defender will travel to Wales later in the day as Roma prepare for their pre-season schedule. A social media post featuring a photograph comparing Koulierakis with Kostas Manolas—both sharing the same first name—celebrating a goal against Barcelona circulated online during his unveiling.

Roma are intensifying their pursuit of Mathieu Read from Feyenoord, though negotiations with the Dutch club have stalled. Read has agreed to join Roma, but the clubs remain deadlocked over terms after Roma's initial offer of €25 million proved insufficient. Roma are considering a fresh bid as they work to bring the player to the Stadio Olimpico. On the left wing, Roma continue to target Nusa from RB Leipzig as their primary objective, though the deal is complicated by cost. Leipzig are demanding €60 million for the Norwegian winger, a fee Roma find challenging to accommodate. Head coach Gasperini is also pushing for a move for Endrick, whom he prefers over Mastantuono for the attacking line. However, a sale of Soulé—who has attracted interest from AC Milan—would need to materialise first to facilitate that signing. Roma also conducted an exploratory approach for Pape Matar Sarr-linked defender Spence, but Tottenham's asking price of €40 million was deemed too steep for the club's resources. Elsewhere, Kostas Koulierakis officially arrived yesterday and is set to link up with the squad in Wales today.