Donyell Malen Scout Report At AS Roma 2026/2027: Why The Ex-Aston Villa Forward Has Become A Serie A Goal Machine Under Gian Piero Gasperini Tactics - Player Analysis
Donyell Malen has undergone a clear evolution since moving from Aston Villa to AS Roma.
Malen arrived in Rome in January 2026 after a difficult time in the Premier League, where he struggled to establish himself as a consistent attacking presence.
In 46 appearances for Aston Villa, he only scored 10 goals and provided two assists.
His move to Roma, however, has completely changed his career trajectory.
Since his Roma debut in January, Malen has become one of the most productive forwards in Europe's top-five leagues.
He has scored 21 goals and registered three assists in just 25 appearances.
His 21 goals are more than any other player across the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 since his Roma debut, while his combined goals and assists also put him at the top of the ranking, in front of players like Bruno Fernandes and Lamine Yamal.
Despite arriving only in January, Malen finished the 2025/2026 Serie A season among the league's top scorers, scoring 14 goals and finishing second only to Lautaro Martínez, who scored 17.
It will be interesting to see if he can challenge Martínez for the top scorer spot this term.
His strong start to the new season has only strengthened that possibility.
Malen is already among the top four players across Europe's top-five leagues for goals, expected goals, and the combined metric of expected goals and assists.
The numbers may be different now, but Malen has always been a dangerous attacking player.
His qualities were already there before his move to Roma; what has changed is the environment in which he is playing.
His team, position, and role have allowed these qualities to become more visible and have a greater impact on his performances.
Malen's game is based on speed, movement, and his ability to attack space.
This has become particularly evident since his move to Roma, where his role has increasingly shifted towards that of a centre-forward.
The change has allowed him to make greater use of his movement between and around centre-backs, attacking the channels and threatening the space behind the defensive line.
His ability to start from central areas while still moving into wider zones also makes him difficult for defenders to track.
Rather than relying on physical strength or aerial ability, Malen is at his best when he can face the goal, use his pace and movement to exploit spaces and attack the defensive line.
His development at Roma is a good example of how the right team, position and tactical role can bring out qualities that were already present in a player.
This Donyell Malen scout report and player analysis will look at Malen's main strengths, as well as the areas he can improve to become an even more complete and productive No. 9.
Donyell Malen Positioning
Malen's position has changed throughout his career.
The 27-year-old forward has become a versatile attacking player capable of playing as a centre-forward, second striker or from wider positions.
At PSV Eindhoven, he was mainly used as a centre-forward, although he also played in wider areas earlier in his time at the club.
At Borussia Dortmund, his role became more versatile, with Malen playing as a striker and on both wings.
He was used particularly often on the left during his early Dortmund years before moving more regularly to the right, where he became an important attacking player.
At Aston Villa, he continued to offer versatility across the frontline.
Now, at Roma, he is increasingly being used as a centre-forward, returning to a role similar to the one he had at PSV but with the experience of playing in several different positions.
Donyell Malen Career Heat Map
In the heat map presented above, we can see that Malen has played across almost the entire attacking half, both in the wide areas and through the central channels.
It's possible to see that his presence is more evident on the left side, but his positioning also shows his ability to move into central areas and the opposite flank.
Donyell Malen Acceleration & 1v1 Duels
Let's start with Donyell Malen's main strengths.
Malen is known for his explosive runs and ability to beat defenders in 1v1 situations.
His acceleration is one of his biggest strengths, allowing him to quickly create distance from his opponent when attacking space or receiving the ball at his feet.
Once he gets moving, he is difficult to stop, especially when he has space to attack.
His 1v1 ability is not only based on his speed.
Malen combines quick changes of direction with close control and quick touches, allowing him to carry the ball past opponents and continue his run towards goal to score.
