CONFIRMADO: Nahuel Molina leaves Atlético to join Roma

· Yahoo Sports

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 11: Nahuel Molina #26 of Argentina during the second half of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Argentina and Switzerland at Kansas City Stadium on July 11, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images

AS Roma and Atlético de Madrid on Wednesday announced Nahuel Molina’s transfer following four seasons in the Spanish capital.

Molina on Monday touched down in Rome, where dozens of Giallorossi supporters greeted him upon his return to Italian football. Upon confirmation of his move, Molina published an Instagram post commemorating his four-year stint at Atlético, which featured peaks and valleys across 181 games in all competitions.

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“Today, after four years, it’s time for me to say goodbye to this great club,” Molina wrote. “I’m grateful to have been part of this wonderful family. I want to thank all my teammates and the coaching staff for helping me grow across all these years, as well as everyone behind the scenes who has been there day to day, supporting me every step of the way. And finally, I want to thank all the Atlético fans, who are the heart of this club.”

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Roma decided to pursue Molina after Feyenoord rejected their approach for right-back Givairo Read. Molina’s previous experience in Italy made him an attractive option for Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma, who will be playing Champions League football next season following a third-place finish in Serie A last year.

Molina reportedly has been offered a four-year contract worth €2.7 million per season to return to Serie A, where he starred for Udinese before Atlético signed him in 2022. Following crunch talks last week, Roma and Atleti reached a verbal agreement over a transfer between €17 million and €19 million with bonuses included.

Molina had been under contract to 2028 after Atlético exercised an extension clause in his contract last year. However, the Argentina right-back was deemed expendable because Atleti need to raise funds to finance the arrival of a center-back; the club is targeting Cristian Romero, Molina’s national teammate, and the Tottenham Hotspur central defender has agreed personal terms ahead of his move to Madrid.

Molina largely was a substitute over the past two seasons, and he made only 13 starts in LaLiga during the 2025/26 campaign. The 28-year-old endured a turbulent 181-game Atlético career; fans routinely criticized him for his inconsistency and defensive inattention, which was again on display during Argentina’s loss to Spain in the World Cup final.

Molina’s eye for goal from right-back/right wing-back often was his best trait, and it should help him in Gasperini’s high-octane attacking system. He scored nine goals across those 181 appearances for Atleti, including impressive long-range strikes against Getafe and Real Madrid in the spring.

Per Marca, Atlético will not sign a direct replacement for Molina. Diego Simeone can use World Cup winners Marcos Llorente and Marc Pubill at right-back, while Javi Boñar should stay in the first team following solid cameos in LaLiga last season.

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