Donyell Malen Emerges As Gasperini's Ideal Roma Striker

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Gian Piero Gasperini described Donyell Malen as the perfect forward for Roma after the Netherlands international struck twice in a 2-2 draw with Napoli, taking Roma to fourth in Serie A, 14 points behind leaders Inter, and extending Malen’s outstanding scoring run since arriving from Aston Villa.

Malen now has five league goals for Roma, all scored since the January move from Aston Villa, and the striker is averaging one goal every 78 minutes in Serie A, becoming the first Roma player to score at least five goals in the first five league appearances since Gabriel Batistuta in 2000.

The Dutch forward’s early output has already placed Malen in Roma history, with the scoring pace underlining why Gasperini wanted this profile of attacker, while data from Opta highlighted the achievement during the Napoli match, comparing Malen’s streak with Batistuta’s six goals at the start of the 2000 campaign.

Gasperini explained that Malen had been identified as a tactical fit long before these numbers appeared, stressing the qualities that link with Roma’s approach. "I have always been convinced Malen has the ideal characteristics for my style of football, as he is a complete striker, he can get shots away quickly, is fast, can combine with his team-mates," Gasperini told DAZN. "This is a side that needs a striker like him, who is scoring frequently also because we put him in a position to be consistently dangerous."

The head coach believes there is still more development ahead, especially once key creative players return. "He's only been with us for five games, so we can keep improving, I feel, especially if we get [Paulo] Dybala, [Matias] Soule or [Stephan] El Shaarawy back to full fitness, we can be more competitive." Gasperini suggested Malen’s movement and speed could combine well with those playmakers.

Roma’s position in the table has strengthened Gasperini’s belief that the group has maintained a consistent mindset despite changes in attack. "We've had a positive attitude throughout the season, which is why we are fourth in the table," he added. "I am not afraid to say that if we'd had Malen in the first half of the season, we'd have a few more points right now, but the overall approach has always been the same."

The draw with Napoli and Malen’s continued scoring run left Roma still chasing Inter at the top but reinforced Gasperini’s view that the January transfer addressed a key need in the squad, with the coach looking toward the remainder of the Serie A season with a settled system built around the Dutch forward’s attributes.