Ziółkowski: Special bond with Boniek, Champions League ambition drives Roma push

Roma director Gianluca D'Amico has secured Nahuel Molina from Atlético Madrid, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confident the Argentine winger is perfectly suited to his 3-4-2-1 formation. Initial concerns about how Molina would adapt to playing as a right-sided defender rather than his familiar centre-back role at Atlético Madrid, where he won the World Cup with Argentina in Qatar, have been allayed by Gasperini's assessment of his tactical profile. Molina's experience and reliability are expected to address Roma's defensive flanks, particularly when deployed as a wing-back rather than in a traditional full-back capacity. D'Amico arranged the signing during a recent trip to Madrid and is now pushing forward with a second wide player acquisition. Roma are in advanced talks to sign Cacciamani from Torino for less than €15 million. The club aims to secure two external defenders at a combined cost well below the price of a single marquee signing, as Roma reshape their squad options on both flanks for the new season.

Angeliño has officially left AS Roma after a difficult season, returning to Spanish club Deportivo La Coruña. The left-back shared a farewell message on Instagram, reflecting on his time in the Giallorossi colours and thanking the club, staff, and supporters. The Spanish defender expressed his gratitude for the experience at the Olimpico: "It was an honour to wear this shirt and defend the Giallorossi colours. From day one I felt part of a great and welcoming family, and playing every match at the Olimpico is a privilege I will always remember with affection. Leaving Rome is never easy and a part of me will always stay here." He extended his appreciation to the wider Roma organization and the fanbase, stating: "Thanks to the club, the coaching staff and all the people who work for this club, but especially thanks to the fans for making me feel one of you. The memory of the warmth of the Olimpico will remain indelible." Angeliño's departure concludes a challenging campaign at Roma. The Friedkin Group–owned club will now focus on alternative options at left-back as preparations continue for the 2026-27 season.

Roma face Brighton in a pre-season friendly as their summer training camp in Wales continues. The match comes after Roma secured a convincing win against Newport, bouncing back from a disappointing display against Cardiff City. The fixture represents another prestigious test for Gian Piero Gasperini's squad during the current transfer window. Roma's Welsh retreat has provided a platform for the club to build sharpness ahead of the new campaign while the transfer market begins to gather pace. The Brighton encounter offers an opportunity to extend the run of positive results and maintain momentum in their preparations. Fans can follow the match across television and streaming platforms, with full team news and probable line-ups available for the occasion.

Roma continued their pre-season preparation in Cardiff on 2 August with a training session that was disrupted by fresh injury concerns. Koulierakis arrived at the camp after completing his medical and paperwork in Rome, and took part in the open session alongside new CEO John Galantic and about fifteen travelling supporters. However, Wesley was forced to abandon the session after just minutes when an ankle sprain sustained in the previous day's friendly against Cardiff proved too painful to continue; he left the field visibly limping with significant strapping on his right leg. Jan Ziółkowski briefly caused alarm with a knock to his ankle during the session but recovered to continue without issue. Gasperini's squad is preparing for a Tuesday match against Newport while managing workload rotation through the summer window. Niccolò Pisilli remains unavailable despite being in the group, while defender Bah is awaiting an MRI scan scheduled for 3 August after sustaining a knee sprain in training on 1 August. Neil El Aynaoui, recently returned to training following World Cup duty, completed an extended fitness session around the resort and briefly paused for a minor left-knee discomfort before resuming his run.

Koulierakis joined Roma's squad in Wales on 2 August, arriving at Vale Resort in Hensol after completing his medical and signing yesterday. The Greek centre-back posed for photographs with Roma supporters at the training ground before linking up with Gasperini and the squad for his first team session. He arrived on a permanent deal worth €16 million plus €1.5 million in bonuses, with Wolfsburg retaining a 20 per cent sell-on clause. Koulierakis joins an established defensive unit comprising Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso, Ziółkowski and Ghilardi, though the last-named could depart the capital. This morning Dybala and the wider group completed a gym session, with a video review and field training scheduled for the afternoon. Gasperini welcomes Koulierakis as Roma's second new acquisition of the summer, following Castro, who made his debut in yesterday's 0–0 draw with Cardiff. The defender will bolster Roma's backline as pre-season preparations continue in Wales.

Konstantinos Koulierakis has completed his move to AS Roma from Wolfsburg on a deal worth €16 million plus €1.5 million in add-ons, signing a contract until 2031. The Greek centre-back will link up with Gian Piero Gasperini's squad and is expected to be in Wales immediately as the club continues pre-season preparations. Koulierakis joins an already established defensive unit at the Stadio Olimpico comprising Gianluca Mancini, Mario Hermoso, Evan N'Dicka, Jan Ziółkowski and Daniele Ghilardi. His arrival strengthens Gasperini's options at the heart of defence as Roma look to build on their existing squad depth. Wolfsburg issued a farewell message on social media, stating: "Treat him well. He will give you everything. Konstantinos Koulierakis moves to Roma. Thank you for your commitment in white and green and the best of luck for your new challenge, Koulie." Gasperini continues to pursue additional reinforcements, particularly in attack, as the club prepares for the 2026–27 season.

Castro and Koulierakis both scored in Roma's friendly against Newport on Tuesday as Gasperini continues his pre-season preparations at the Vale Resort in Wales. Castro has already integrated seamlessly with Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé, forming what has been described as the Argentine nucleus within the squad. Dybala gifted Castro a penalty during the Newport match, while Soulé and Castro have known each other for some time and even share the same fitness coach. Koulierakis arrived at Roma in a swift deal and was immediately identified by Gasperini as the deputy to Mario Hermoso at centre-back. The Spanish defender remains the hierarchy favourite, though the 15 million euro fee plus 3 million in add-ons suggests Koulierakis will have genuine opportunities to compete. The new arrival has grasped Gasperini's tactical demands from his opening appearance, frequently breaking from the defensive line to support play further up the pitch—a signature requirement of Gasperini's system. Roma continue to pursue a right-winger and await the arrival of Molina to complete their attacking reinforcements.

Roma's squad engaged in a teqball competition during a pre-season training camp, with Paulo Dybala and Mario Hermoso defeating Wesley and Castro 7–3. The match took on a South American and Latin flavour, pitting the experience of Dybala and Hermoso against the younger pairing. After the victory, Dybala offered commentary on the result and the age gap between the teams. He stated: "Experience always pays off", and later added: "Much to learn for the young lads", directing the remark at the Argentina–Brazil duo. Dybala and Hermoso combined for 45 years between them, while Castro and Wesley brought nearly 64 years of experience. The teqball contest formed part of Roma's pre-season schedule, with the club using downtime activities to strengthen squad cohesion and competitive spirit among players during the summer training period.

Roma delivered a commanding performance in their second British tour friendly on 4 August, dismantling Newport County 4–1 at Rodney Parade. Castro and Koulierakis both started and scored, with Castro netting the second goal and Koulierakis the third. Mario Hermoso opened the scoring in an unusual midfield deployment, before Matías Soulé added a fourth late on. Newport County pulled one back through Cameron, but it proved irrelevant to the result. The victory came as part of Roma's pre-season preparation under Gian Piero Gasperini and offered promising early signs from the squad. The goals for Castro and Koulierakis marked encouraging contributions from two players in their opening appearances during the tour.

AS Roma unveiled its new away kit for the 2026–27 season on 6 August, two weeks after the launch of the home jersey. The away shirt returns to white—a cream tone—after last season's orange, featuring a horizontal giallorossi band across the chest with the ASR crest at its centre. The design echoes the third kit worn in the previous season. The club shared images of squad members modelling the new strip on social media. Defenders Mancini and N'Dicka, midfielders Cristante and Wesley, forwards Dybala and Malen, and goalkeeper Vaz all featured in the photoshoot. The unveiling comes as Gasperini's Roma continues its preparation for the campaign ahead, having already debuted the home kit in competitive fixtures.

Alessio Cacciamani, an 18-year-old left-back prospect from Torino's academy, has emerged as a target for Roma this summer as the club seeks to strengthen its left-side options. Gasperini has followed Cacciamani closely after his loan spell at Juve Stabia last season in Serie B, where he made 33 appearances totalling 2,331 minutes, scoring 2 goals and providing 4 assists. New Italy manager Roberto Mancini is also monitoring the young talent, and Cacciamani has already featured in senior international fixtures. Roma are reportedly willing to pay close to €12 million to prise him away from Torino, though the club's owner Urbano Cairo is expected to resist the approach. Born in Chiaravalle on 29 June 2007, Cacciamani joined Torino's youth setup in 2023 and progressed through the Under-17 and Under-18 ranks before being promoted to the Primavera side in the 2024–25 season, where he accumulated 20 appearances. First-team manager Paolo Vanoli, now departed, gave him his senior debut. Cacciamani told Sky Sport: "He brought me close to professionalism. I stayed in the first squad for only a few weeks, but that was enough to understand how that world works. I owe much to Vanoli because he believed in my potential and gave me my debut; I was very excited that day." Described as a versatile winger capable of playing full-back, Cacciamani combines pace with strong tactical awareness and positional intelligence—precisely the profile that appeals to Gasperini.

Gianluca Mancini has declared his intention to spend his entire career at Roma following his contract renewal with the club. Speaking from the Welsh training camp, the defender said: "Roma for me is home. Then in football you never know, but I hope it can be like this: Roma for life." Mancini also discussed his recent performances in the Derby della Capitale, saying he did not anticipate scoring twice and only fully grasped the significance during a break: "Before it seemed to me that I had only done my duty, it was like scoring two goals against Milan, Juventus or Inter. Then I understood." Mancini underlined his emotional attachment to the club, referencing a tattoo he pledged to get in December if Roma qualified for the Champions League. "SPQR is a beautiful inscription and it sums up the bond I have with the city and with the club," he said. He also praised the role of those supporting him, noting: "I am not crazy, but you cannot command the heart. When I signed we hugged each other. And he was happy to see me happy." On the absence of Lorenzo Pellegrini from the squad, Mancini described the midfielder as a lifelong friend and an important figure in the dressing room: "But he is missed by everyone, we hope he can reach us soon. He is an important figure for the dressing room and as a player he can give us a great helping hand."