Donyell Malen has officially signed a permanent contract with AS Roma, keeping him at the club until 2030. The Dutch striker revealed that Gian Piero Gasperini was instrumental in his decision to join the Giallorossi. This commitment follows a highly successful debut season for Malen, during which he netted 14 goals in 18 Serie A appearances, contributing significantly to Roma’s Champions League qualification.
The 27-year-old spoke highly of Gasperini, crediting the coach with revitalizing his career after a difficult period at Aston Villa. “What convinced me? Certainly the name of Roma, and the club itself, but also the ambitions of the club and our coach,” Malen stated, as reported by Retesport.it. “When we spoke, in just a few words, he made me feel important straight away and at the heart of the project.”
When asked about his immediate and prolific impact in Serie A, Malen remained humble, attributing his success to his teammates and the coach’s tactical setup. “I certainly hoped and expected to do well,” he said. “But if I reached these numbers and scored so many goals, I owe it above all to the help of my teammates on the pitch and the coach who put me at the centre of the attack from the start.”
Reflecting on his most important goal for Roma, Malen identified a penalty scored against Parma. “Probably it is not the most beautiful, because it was a penalty, but the spot-kick I scored at Parma was truly fundamental for our league position,” he explained. “In that moment I also felt very strongly the joy of our supporters.”
Malen also commented on comparisons made by Roma fans to the legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo. “Ronaldo was a footballer of another level,” he acknowledged. “But it is enough for me to score goals and score them for Roma, helping the club reach its objectives.”
