London, UK – 16 January 2026 – Aston Villa forward Donyell Malen has sealed a move to Italian giants AS Roma, concluding a short-lived spell in the Premier League after only one year at Villa Park. The transfer marks a significant change in scenery for the Netherlands international, who was seeking more consistent playing time.
Mid-Season Switch to the Eternal City
The transfer, confirmed by both clubs, sees the 26-year-old attacker head to Serie A. While Aston Villa has stated the move is for an undisclosed fee, reports from Roma suggest the structure of the deal is a loan agreement that includes an option to buy, indicating a potential permanent future in Italy for Malen.
Malen originally joined Aston Villa in January 2025 from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. During his tenure under Unai Emery, the Dutch forward managed to find the net 10 times across 46 appearances in all competitions. However, his journey at the club has been characterized by fluctuating involvement.
Struggles for Regularity at Villa
Despite showing flashes of his undeniable attacking talent, Malen has struggled to secure a guaranteed starting spot in the highly competitive Aston Villa squad. This season, he has notched seven goals, a respectable return, but his impact has been limited by a lack of consistent starts. In the Premier League specifically, Malen has featured in 21 matches but has only been named in the starting XI on five occasions, suggesting a mutual recognition that a change of environment was necessary for the player’s development and career trajectory.
For Aston Villa, this departure frees up wages and potentially creates space in the squad for Emery to target reinforcements who fit more seamlessly into his current tactical setup. While Malen’s goal return is not insignificant, his inability to consistently displace established players like Leon Bailey or Moussa Diaby has evidently led to this mid-season resolution.
Malen’s Career Trajectory Revisited
Donyell Malen’s career path has been marked by periods of high promise interspersed with necessary steps for growth. A product of the esteemed Ajax youth academy, he also spent time developing within the Arsenal system before making his senior breakthrough at PSV Eindhoven. His move to Borussia Dortmund in 2021 was seen as a significant step up, where he established himself as a potent threat in the Bundesliga.
Across his club career spanning PSV, Dortmund, and Villa, Malen has accumulated an impressive record of 104 goals in 294 competitive outings. Furthermore, he remains a key component of the Netherlands national team setup, boasting 13 goals in 49 international caps. His move to Roma offers him a fresh start in one of Europe’s top five leagues, where the tactical demands of Serie A will present a new challenge.
The Roma Perspective
AS Roma, currently positioned fifth in the Serie A standings, will be hoping Malen can provide an immediate injection of pace and versatility to their forward line. The club has confirmed he will wear the iconic number 14 shirt. Roma manager Daniele De Rossi, known for tactical flexibility, may see Malen as an ideal fit for systems requiring dynamic wing play or as a central striker in rotation.
The expectation in Rome will be high, given the investment, even if currently structured as a loan. Malen’s ability to cut inside from the flank and his proficiency in front of goal are qualities that Roma will rely upon as they push for European qualification slots in the remainder of the season. The next few months will be crucial in determining whether the option to buy is exercised next summer.
Transfer Market Implications
The January 2026 transfer window has seen several high-profile moves across Europe, and the movement of Malen underscores the constant churn within top-tier football. For Premier League clubs, selling a player who hasn't fully settled, even for a substantial fee, is often a pragmatic decision, allowing reinvestment in areas deemed more critical by the coaching staff.
This transfer highlights the fine margins at clubs competing for European spots. While Malen showed statistical productivity, the intangible element of fitting perfectly into the manager's system proved elusive at Aston Villa. Now, as he embarks on his Italian adventure, all eyes will be on Donyell Malen to see if the change of scenery sparks the consistent, world-class form he is capable of delivering.
