Marash Kumbulla and Anass Salah-Eddine return to Roma after their loan spells at Mallorca and PSV, respectively. This summer, they aim to earn Gasperini’s trust and fight for their place on the team. But is that a realistic goal or just sheer hope?
The Albanian and the Moroccan experienced very different seasons. Kumbulla struggled with relegation risks and injuries in Spain, whereas Salah-Eddine won the Dutch championship with PSV convincingly and also secured an international achievement: the African
Cup.
Let’s start with Max. I often forget two things about Kumbulla: first, he’s still owned by Roma, and second, he’s only 26. It feels like ages since Roma signed the promising 20-year-old defender from Hellas Verona. Although his earlier loan to Espanyol was somewhat successful, the 2025-2026 season was difficult for Marash: just 10 appearances in La Liga and Copa, with fewer than 600 minutes played overall. It initially looked promising in September, including a start and full 90 minutes against Real Madrid. But then, it was the usual story: a hamstring injury sidelined him for three months.
After the New Year, Kumbulla made a brief comeback with two consecutive games, but another injury ended his season early. Interestingly, after January, Kumbulla only played a total of 18 minutes in La Liga. That’s errr, not good.
On top of that, Mallorca was relegated on the final matchday, which explains why Mallorca decided to send Kumbulla back to Italy. The Albanian player is returning to Rome for the third time, following stints at Sassuolo and Espanyol. He remains under contract with the Giallorossi until 2028, leaving Max at a crossroads this summer: either find another club through a loan or sale, or stay at Roma and try to earn Gasperini’s trust.
The issue is that Gasperini’s defense is locked: Mancini, Ndicka, and Hermoso are the MVPs, while Ghilardi and Ziolkowski are emerging young center-backs prepared to seize their opportunities.
So where exactly does Kumbulla fit in? How’s his morale after a disappointing season? Will injuries plague him again? Could a sale of Ndicka and/or Ziolkowski pave the way for a Kumbulla renaissance?
At 26, Max faces a crucial moment. He recently announced his availability for Roma and plans to join the preseason as scheduled. Beyond that, the decision is in his and Gasperini’s hands. His market value, according to transfermarket, is currently at its lowest point, so it might be worthwhile to hope for a final opportunity—a last dance—and then sell him in 2027 for more than €3 million and a pack of Skittles.
Anyway, don’t be surprised if he ends up in Spain once more for a team like Santander or Osasuna.
Now, let’s share a more uplifting story: Salah-Eddine. Anass claimed two titles this season—winning the league with PSV and the Africa Cup with Morocco. He participated in seven out of PSV’s eight Champions League matches, and his club was eager to retain him. This contrasts with Kumbulla, although Anass experienced some minor injuries and was absent for nearly two months of league play during the Africa Cup.
Overall, Salah-Eddine contributed a total of 1630 minutes for PSV, including one assist. Although the Dutch champions were eager to acquire Him permanently, the Moroccan player chose to go back to Roma and give his luck in the Eternal City another shot.
Ballsy move from Anass, but it shows he’s highly motivated to prove himself. That, and he’s also part of the Morocco NT at the upcoming World Cup, which can only increase his value even more.
But who is actually discussing a sale here? Unlike Kumbulla, there is currently a position open on the team for a player like Salah-Eddine. Because of Angelino’s uncertain situation, Wesley had to fill in as left-back for most of last season, and Tsimikas has returned to Liverpool (thank goodness).
That said, ASE just looks and feels like a Gasperini-type player—technically adept, quick, not diminutive, and aggressive. I’ve always questioned why he was initially loaned out, but now Roma has acquired a more experienced and motivated player.
We’re back in the Champions League, so our 2026-2027 campaign will be a long and challenging journey, requiring everyone available. ASE appears to be a suitable (and, of course, inexpensive) option for rotating at left back, provided he gets a fair chance.
I’m interested to see how things develop between Marash and Anass this summer, but if I had to put my money on a player, it’s Salah-Eddine. What about you?
