Aston Villa have confirmed that Donyell Malen has left the club to join Roma, in a deal reportedly worth €27m in total.
The 26-year-old joined us from Borussia Dortmund only a year ago, and went on to make 46 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals and providing two assists.
Although there were lingering question marks over his best position and where he could be most effective for Unai Emery, the Dutch international was an important option in the squad and his quality will certainly be missed having now sealed his move to Italy.
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As confirmed in Villa’s official statement, Malen has joined Roma for an undisclosed fee, but as per The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, it’s an initial loan switch worth €2m, while there is an obligation to buy clause included in the agreement which will see Malen seal a permanent move in the summer for €25m.
It’s undoubtedly disappointing to see him leave as his direct and positive style of play gave us an important impact and contribution when needed, and his versatility and flexibility in terms of role and position were key attributes too that helped us compete across multiple fronts.
Malen should be lauded for his professionalism and commitment as he continued to fight for his place despite a limited role, and there’s little doubt that he will be a success in Serie A.
However, it seems as though the decision to move on was made from both sides with Emery looking to reinvest and bring in an option better suited to what he needs in the final third having now obtained the funds to do so, while for Malen, he’ll likely get the opportunity to play a more prominent role in his favoured position at Roma.
It’s imperative that Villa do act quickly though to fill that void, as with Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup fixtures to come, we need to ensure we have enough firepower and quality in the attacking unit to sustain our push for success this season, and adding an option who can provide a different dynamic and type of threat could be critical.
Speculation has heavily linked Tammy Abraham with a return to the club, but time will tell if that is indeed the priority option for Emery and Villa, albeit he would tick that box noted above with his physical attributes and ability to complement what Ollie Watkins gives us in front of goal.
