Malen makes Roma transfer permanent
Donyell Malen has completed a permanent transfer from Aston Villa to Roma.
Malen joined Roma in January on loan for the rest of the campaign, but with the club securing Champions League football for next season, the option to buy clause in his contract became an obligation.
As such, he has signed a four-year deal through to June 2030 after an impressive five months in the Italian capital.
Malen finished the campaign with 15 goals in 20 appearances in all competitions, including one on the final day of the season to help Roma to a 2-0 win over Hellas Verona.
He scored 14 goals for Roma in Serie A this season; the last player to net as many or more goals in a single top-flight campaign for the Giallorossi was Tammy Abraham in 2021-22 (17).
However, the Englishman achieved this in 37 appearances, more than double the 18 games it has taken the Dutchman.
Only Lautaro Martinez (17) has scored more goals than Malen (14, level with Tasos Douvikas) in the current Serie A season.
Among the players who have finished a Serie A season with fewer than 20 appearances in the era of three points per win, Malen is, along with Zlatan Ibrahimovic (15 in 19 appearances in 2020-21) and Ronaldo (14 in 19 appearances in 1998-99), one of the three who have scored the most goals.
Gian Piero Gasperini described Malen's initial transfer as a "huge leap forward" in Roma's quest for the Champions League after it clinched third place in the competition.
Roma qualified for the Champions League for the first time since the 2017-2018 season, with Eusebio Di Francesco at the helm – and for the first time since then (77), the Giallorossi also surpassed 70 total points in a Serie A season (73).
