Wesley targets World Cup prominence with Brazil

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.

Roma are in the final stages of negotiations to sign Givairo Read from Feyenoord, with today potentially a decisive day in the transfer. The club has tabled an offer of €25 million in fixed fees and bonuses, which Read has approved after speaking with head coach Gasperini. Feyenoord are expected to respond by the end of the weekend. Nottingham Forest have also bid for the right-back, offering €21 million but with a more lucrative personal package for the player, and the Dutch club hopes to spark an auction between the two suitors—though neither Roma nor Nottingham Forest appears eager to escalate the bidding war. Fresh calls between the parties took place yesterday to try to reach an agreement soon. Gasperini is pressing for attacking reinforcements as well, with the squad set to begin the new campaign in just over three weeks. Nusa is the primary target for a left-sided attacking role, though that avenue is complicated. Mastantuono and Endrick, who scored against Fiorentina yesterday, are also under consideration, with Endrick preferred—but his arrival depends on Matías Soulé's departure first.

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.

Roma collapsed in their first friendly match in Wales, losing 4–1 to Cardiff. Ashford scored twice for the hosts, with goals also coming from Salech and Tanner. Paulo Dybala was Roma's sole bright spot, missing a penalty but pulling one back to make it 3–1, though the goal proved only a consolation. The defence struggled throughout, with Gianluca Mancini, Wesley and Devyne Rensch among the poorest performers, while debutant Castro misfired in attack. The squad trained this morning and appeared fatigued, carrying heavy workloads on their legs—a normal state at this stage of pre-season preparation. Young player Bah suffered a knee injury during the match, sustaining a right knee distortion; instrumental examinations will determine the full extent of the problem. Roma's next friendly comes on Tuesday against Newport at 19:00 local time (20:00 Italian time). The squad will train in the afternoon on Tuesday, with gym work scheduled for the morning.

Roma suffered a 4–1 defeat to Championship side Cardiff City at Cardiff City Stadium on the opening day of their pre-season training camp in Wales. The match exposed significant defensive vulnerabilities in the first half, with Wesley and Rensch at fault for several errors. Cardiff scored three goals in the opening period through two strikes by Ashford and one from Salech, while Paulo Dybala missed a penalty. Roma's night was further complicated by an injury to Bah. Gasperini's side showed improvement after the interval. Dybala converted an assist from Matías Soulé to pull one back, but Cardiff's Tanner restored the two-goal cushion shortly after. Jan Ziółkowski struck the woodwork late on but could not find the back of the net. The result highlighted areas requiring immediate work as Roma prepare for the 2026–27 season.

Roma suffered a heavy 4–1 defeat to Cardiff City in a friendly on 1 August, with Paulo Dybala scoring but also missing a penalty in an otherwise bright performance. The Argentine playmaker created a memorable chance early in the second half, setting up Wesley before converting a tap-in to reduce the deficit. His striking effort from the spot, however, was described as poor. Dybala's physical condition drew praise despite the heavy loss. Roma's defence struggled throughout, particularly in the opening period. Mile Svilar conceded four goals and was caught out by careless errors from his backline, notably a slow pass from Wesley that led to Cardiff's second goal. Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso had difficult nights, while Evan N'Dicka made an early mistake that invited pressure. Bryan Cristante showed glimpses of quality in midfield, while Matías Soulé and Castro offered encouraging signs despite the scoreline. The friendly served as Roma's first pre-season fixture in Wales. Donyell Malen and Lolli were introduced in the second half and showed improved energy compared to the first-team starters. Roma's next fixture is scheduled for 4 August against Newport.