Roma train in Cardiff with possession drills and sprints; Malen works separately

Nahuel Molina is on the verge of joining Roma. Talks with Atlético Madrid over the Argentine right-back accelerated on 5 August, with an agreement between the two clubs now in the final stages. Barring any surprises, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will have his new right winger in place. Molina's imminent arrival represents a significant addition to Roma's defensive line as the 2026–27 season approaches. The move has moved swiftly through negotiations in recent hours, positioning the club to complete the transfer in the coming days.

Evan N'Dicka has called for Roma to be more ambitious in the Champions League after the club finished third in Serie A last season and secured European football under Gian Piero Gasperini. The defender, now in his fourth season at the Stadio Olimpico, acknowledged the competition's appeal but stressed Roma must aim higher than a bit-part role. "It is beautiful to play in it, but we don't want to be extras. We must be ambitious. We must go step by step—Serie A is a complicated championship and finishing third is not a simple thing. We work to do better," N'Dicka said. N'Dicka has emerged as a defensive leader under Gasperini's management, helping Roma qualify for European football after a challenging campaign. His comments reflect the club's intent to build on last season's third-place finish and make a genuine push in continental competition rather than merely participating. The full interview with N'Dicka will be published on 6 August on Forzaroma.info.

Evan N'Dicka has spoken about his experience playing in the Champions League and his relationship with José Mourinho, reflecting on Roma's ambitions for the season ahead. The full interview will be published tomorrow. N'Dicka also commented on Roma's aims to improve on last season's performance. The defender, who joined Roma in July 2023 from Eintracht Frankfurt, has established himself as a key figure in the club's defence under the current coaching setup. The complete exclusive interview with N'Dicka will be available tomorrow on the publication's platform.

Roma's squad resumed training the day after their friendly fixture against Newport County in Cardiff, which they won 4–1. Donyell Malen took part in the afternoon session after missing the previous match due to flu. Malen's absence forced head coach Gian Piero Gasperini to deploy a new arrival, Castro, in the centre of attack in his place. Castro marked his debut by scoring from the penalty spot in the win. With the international break completed and pre-season underway, Roma's conditioning work continues at their overseas training camp.

Santiago Castro is taking detailed instruction from head coach Gian Piero Gasperini on positioning and movement patterns used by fellow forward Donyell Malen. Castro was Gasperini's first signing request this summer, having previously been targeted during the coach's time at Atalanta. During a cooling break in yesterday's friendly against Newport, Gasperini explained that when Castro receives the ball, he should position himself diagonally rather than facing away from goal, allowing him to release play quickly and push forward. Malen has mastered this movement, and Castro executed it successfully multiple times in the second half, earning applause from his manager. Castro scored against Newport and continues to build match fitness. Gasperini has indicated Malen remains the primary striker and the pair would rarely start together, though that option remains available during the dense fixture schedule ahead. The squad trained at Hensol on 5 August under the watch of owner Ryan Friedkin, with afternoon work provided for players who did not feature from the start yesterday. Meanwhile, Roma's transfer activity continues. Negotiations are advancing on a deal for Molina: Atlético Madrid will receive €13 million plus €4 million in bonus payments, with the player offered a four-year contract worth €2.5 million annually. Left-back targets include Cacciamani, and in attack Roma are weighing options between Nusa and Fofana.

Roma continued their summer preparation in Cardiff on the afternoon of 5 August with a session open to the press, focusing on players who did not start in the previous day's friendly against Newport. Donyell Malen attended training after missing that match with a fever, completing an initial period with the group before moving to individual work. The squad ran through warm-up drills followed by strength and acceleration work before finishing with a small-sided game played at one end of the pitch. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are preparing for their Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico in twenty days' time. Before that, a friendly against Brighton is scheduled for Saturday. Vice-president Ryan Friedkin and new chief executive Galanic, who was also present for the Newport match, observed the session. Several Roma supporters based at the resort watched training with their flags.