Roma target Nusa and Fofana for the left wing as Pellegrini signs new deal

Marash Kumbulla has left AS Roma on loan to Spanish club Rayo Vallecano, with the agreement structured as a loan with a right of redemption. The Albanian centre-back departs after collecting 68 appearances in the giallorossi shirt, during which he scored 4 goals and was part of the squad that won the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022. Kumbulla's exit continues a pattern of movement for the defender, who has now departed Roma on loan. The club issued an official statement confirming the arrangement and wished him well for the future.

Marash Kumbulla has left Roma on loan with a buy option to join Rayo Vallecano, marking his third spell in Spanish football after previous stints at Mallorca and Espanyol. The central defender will compete in La Liga, a division he knows well from his earlier experiences in the country. Kumbulla expressed his enthusiasm upon joining the Madrid club. "I am happy and excited to wear the Rayo shirt and begin this new adventure," he said. "It is a club with one of the most historic names in La Liga, a competition I now know very well thanks to my past experiences. The team demonstrated last year how, through hard work, important objectives can be achieved. I want to thank the president and coach for their confidence, and I cannot wait to start." The loan deal includes a clause allowing Rayo Vallecano to make the transfer permanent at a future date.

Marash Kumbulla has joined Rayo Vallecano on loan with a right of redemption, completing a move away from AS Roma. The defender, who spent last season on loan at Mallorca, returns to Spain after being deemed surplus to requirements under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Kumbulla did not feature in Roma's pre-season preparations in Wales and his path to the first team was further diminished following the arrival of Koulierakis. During his time at Roma, Kumbulla made 68 appearances in the giallorossi shirt, scoring 4 goals and playing a part in the club's UEFA Europa Conference League victory in 2022. The former Verona defender has now departed alongside Angeliño as Gasperini reshapes his defensive options. The Spain-based move reunites Kumbulla with a league he knows well from previous experience. Kumbulla said in a statement: "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 goals can be reached. Moreover, we are talking about one of the most historic clubs in La Liga, a league that I now know very well thanks to past experiences. I want to thank the president and coach for their confidence. I can't wait to get started."

Roma captain Bryan Cristante spoke to Sky Sport from the club's pre-season camp in Wales, ahead of a friendly at Brighton tomorrow that concludes the week's matches overseas. Cristante expressed pride at Roma's return to the Champions League after a prolonged absence. "We've been wanting to play in the Champions, we'd been close a few times, we're proud to play it," he said. "It's important to have the society's presence, which gives an extra gear even in the market; we talk about it daily." Cristante highlighted his desire to face Real Madrid in Europe and revealed that Lorenzo Pellegrini, expected to rejoin the squad soon, remains a key part of the project. "I'd like to play at the Bernabéu in the Champions, it would be nice to play in the new stadium and see Mourinho again," he added. The midfielder also confirmed he and Paulo Dybala had resolved a disagreement that arose during Roma's pre-season match in Cardiff. "We cleared it up straight away, it was a small disagreement that happened on the pitch and ended there," Cristante explained. On domestic ambitions, Cristante acknowledged the Serie A title as Roma's dream objective but cautioned about the campaign's difficulty. "The Scudetto is the dream but it's still early, the league is difficult and very competitive. We want to have a good Champions, we hope to be in the fight in January to try to play for the championship." Cristante also reflected positively on his experiences under Italy manager Mancini, saying the goal is to "be reborn and return to where we belong."

Bryan Cristante, Roma's captain and midfielder, spoke to Sky Sport from the club's pre-season training camp in Wales ahead of a friendly against Brighton. The 2026-27 season is approaching, and Cristante outlined his ambitions: "We have a strong desire to play in the Champions League, we've been waiting for it for a long time and came close several times. We're proud to be playing it. The presence of the society is important—it gives extra momentum in the market too, and we discuss things daily." Cristante acknowledged that Roma have been chasing European qualification for some time and stressed the significance of finally securing Champions League football. Regarding Lorenzo Pellegrini's expected return, he said: "We've been in touch with him in recent days, we can't wait to have him back with us." On potential Champions League matchups, Cristante added: "In the Champions League I'd like to play at the Bernabéu, it would be nice to play in the new stadium and see Mourinho again." On domestic ambitions, Cristante said: "The Scudetto is the dream but it's still early. The league is difficult and highly competitive. We want to do well in the Champions League and hope to be in contention in January to fight for the title." He also confirmed that a minor on-field disagreement with Paulo Dybala in a Cardiff-Roma match was quickly resolved. Looking ahead to his international role under Mancini, Cristante stated: "With Mancini the memories are only beautiful ones. We hope to do well to make everyone happy. The goal is to be reborn and return to where we belong."

Lorenzo Pellegrini has signed a new contract with Roma, turning down offers from Juventus and Besiktas to remain with the club. The midfielder, born in 1996 and formally out of contract from 1 July, will be welcomed back by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini on his return from Roma's pre-season training camp in Wales and England, where a friendly against Brighton is scheduled for 8 August. Pellegrini has used recent weeks to recover from injury, a period that Sky Sport reports helped all parties involved reach the best decision. The club is expected to announce the renewal on 7 August. The deal is structured as a one-year agreement. The midfielder's decision to commit to Roma underlines his importance to Gasperini's plans for the 2026-27 season. Pellegrini, who wears the number 7, was free to negotiate with any club after his previous terms expired but chose to stay at the Giallorossi rather than pursue moves elsewhere.

Evan Ferguson could return to Italian football. The 21-year-old Irish striker, currently sidelined by an ankle injury sustained in January, spent time on loan at Roma last season but has not featured since. According to Football Insider, Torino have opened talks with Brighton to sign Ferguson, with the English club open to discussing his departure. Ferguson's Roma spell was disappointing and cut short by injury. He arrived on loan from Brighton during the 2025–26 season but struggled to make an impact before the ankle problem ended his time at the Stadio Olimpico. Torino have identified him as an attacking reinforcement, in a move that coincides with Roma's own interest in acquiring Torino's Cacciamani.

Chris Smalling, the former Roma and England defender now with Saudi club Al-Fayha, has spoken warmly of José Mourinho's leadership during their time together at the Giallorossi. Smalling, who left Roma in 2024 after five years at the club, played under Mourinho at both Manchester United and Roma, and credits the Portuguese manager with instilling trust and passion in his squad. Smalling told the BBC that Mourinho's influence extended beyond tactical acumen. "Sia allo United che alla Roma, José mi schierava nella maggior parte delle partite perché avevamo un buon rapporto e si fidava di me," Smalling recalled, explaining how Mourinho earned the confidence of experienced players. "È molto facile influenzare i giocatori più giovani, ma la bellezza di Sir Alex Ferguson e di José sta nel fatto che sono riusciti a creare quella fiducia nei giocatori più esperti. Molti allenatori sanno fare dei buoni discorsi alla squadra, ma se guardi qualcuno negli occhi, vedi la passione e la vera convinzione che 'succederà', i giocatori più esperti lo seguono e gli altri si impegnano al massimo. Questa è la bellezza degli allenatori di alto livello." Smalling's assessment underscores Mourinho's ability to motivate players through force of personality and genuine conviction, qualities the defender regards as the hallmark of elite coaching.

Roma's attacking department has been decimated ahead of the 2026–27 season, with coach Gian Piero Gasperini now overseeing just five senior forwards for the role — down from ten options at the end of January. The remaining quartet consists of Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, and Robinio Vaz, with young prospect Arena also available. The collapse mirrors Gasperini's repeated public calls for investment in attack. Speaking exactly a year ago on 4 August 2025 at the English national team's St. George Park facility in Burton Upon Trent, Gasperini outlined his philosophy: "It concerns all clubs that spend large sums on attackers. The offensive department is the most sought after and most expensive. Teams with strong attacking players are more competitive." That same summer, Roma pursued Fabio Silva and Jadon Sancho without success, settling on a loan move for Romain Bailey as a last-minute solution. By the end of 2025, Roma had assembled eight attacking options — Dybala, Artem Dovbyk, Evan Ferguson, Bailey, Soulé, Baldanzi, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Lorenzo Pellegrini — to fill three positions in Gasperini's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. The winter transfer window swelled that number to ten through the departures of Bailey and Baldanzi and the arrivals of Malen, Vaz, Bryan Zaragoza, and Lorenzo Venturino. However, only Malen performed consistently. With just twenty days until the league campaign begins, Roma faces a critical shortage. The club is reportedly making another approach for Nusa and preparing a move for Fofana to bolster the depleted ranks.