Former hope turned disappointment Donyell Malen is making a spectacular comeback in the colors of AS Roma, to the point of already seducing the whole of Italy. Recruited during the last winter transfer window, the Dutch striker nevertheless arrived with a mixed reputation. Brilliant in sequences at Borussia Dortmund, where he showed his percussion and finishing qualities, he was coming out of a disappointing experience at Aston Villa, where his irregularity and lack of impact had cooled observers. Many saw him as a risky bet when coach Gian Piero Gasperini validated his arrival on loan in the Italian capital. But true to his reputation for relaunching offensive careers, the Italian technician believed he could awaken the Dutchman’s instincts. A bet which, for the moment, looks like a masterstroke.
On paper, however, this transfer was perplexing. The Roman offensive squad already seemed well stocked, with varied profiles capable of occupying positions around the point. Between the creativity of Paulo Dybala, the percussion of Matías Soulé, the power of Artem Dovbyk, the physical promise of Evan Ferguson, the experience of Stephan El Shaarawy, or even the young solutions like Bryan Zaragoza, Lorenzo Venturino and Robinio Vaz, the attack seemed saturated. In this context, the arrival of a player losing confidence looked more like a rotation bet than a central piece of the project. Fans themselves wondered what place he could really occupy in an already dense and competitive hierarchy. And finally, the more the weeks pass, the more Donyell Malen establishes himself as the new effective leader of the Giallorossi.
5 goals in Serie A
And yet, his debut was thunderous with five goals in his first four league matches. His last performance against Napoli is the perfect illustration of this. In the 7th minute, he completed a lightning transition served by Zaragoza, confirming his sense of timing. After the equalizer signed Leonardo Spinazzola for the team led by Antonio Conte, the native of Hippolytushoef restored the advantage from the penalty spot before Alisson Santos snatched a draw (2-2). This double reinforces his status as a man in good shape of the moment and explains why the transalpine press already speaks of him as “ the usual threat » Roman offensive. “ When I signed for Roma I had a good feeling, I’m very happy to be here. Gasperini was very important for me, he talked to me about my role and what I could bring to the team. Roma is a very ambitious team. This is the ideal place to highlight my qualities “, declared the main person concerned. His series of goals also indirectly weighs on the fight at the top of the ranking, a result which suits Milan and Juventus, delighted to see their direct competitors neutralized. Beyond the statistics, its tactical importance in the Roman system is striking. Gasperini uses his speed to trigger transitions and stretch opposition blocks, which frees up space for the attacking midfielders behind him.
“ I have always been convinced of his qualities. He is a fast attacker. The team needs a striker like him who scores regularly. He’s only been with us for four or five games, and he can always do better. If we could recover Dybala and Soulé, who was a little injured, we would be even more competitive. It wasn’t easy to score the penalty, he also takes free kicks very well. It wasn’t easy against Milinkovic-Savic, he was very precise. With Malen, we would already have a few more points in the first part of the season. We never had any attitude problems. We lost these direct confrontations, but we came close to the goal. We did better in the second half of the season, with draws against Milan and Naples, but we are disappointed with the result “, explained the former Atalanta guru. His constant pressing perfectly matches the physical demands of the coach, renowned for his intense and vertical teams. Thus, Roma continues its solid performances, displays newfound confidence and is in the race for the podium with a total of points which keeps it in immediate contact with the top of the ranking. In this collective dynamic, Donyell Malen is no longer a simple winter bet, but has become one of the symbols of Roman renewal, one which transforms a recruitment considered risky into a decisive offensive weapon.
