Ricky Massara, Roma’s sporting director, has confirmed the club’s intention to secure Aston Villa-owned Donyell Malen as their long-term center-forward. He also guaranteed that coach Gian Piero Gasperini would remain with the club.
The match against Inter is scheduled to kick off at San Siro at 19:45 UK time (20:45 CEST). The race for a top-four finish in Serie A appears set to be decided in the final moments, with only three points separating Como, Roma, and Juventus heading into the last eight rounds of the season.
Massara Offers Reassurance on Roma’s Future
Malen, acquired from Aston Villa in January, has had a remarkable impact, contributing eight goals and one assist in 12 competitive appearances. This performance naturally raises the question of whether Roma will activate the €25 million option to make his move permanent.
Massara told DAZN Italia, “There is a purchase option for Roma. Malen is performing exceptionally, has made an incredible impact in Serie A, and we hope he will be Roma’s center-forward for many years.”
He added, “Naturally, we regret our elimination from the Europa League, but we never established precise targets for this season. We’ve initiated a new project with an outstanding coach who is achieving significant results. We are pleased to be competing for fourth place and aim to remain in contention until the very end.”
This prompts the question: Is Gasperini’s tenure secured for next season? “It is guaranteed,” Massara affirmed.
Team News and Italian Football Outlook
In team news, Matias Soulé is set to return to action for the first time since February 15. However, Wesley sustained a muscular injury while on international duty with Brazil and is expected to be sidelined for a month. Wesley now joins a list of long-term absentees, including Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné, Artem Dovbyk, and Evan Ferguson.
Addressing broader concerns, with Italy failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, Massara was asked for his recommendations to improve Italian football.
“In critical times like these, numerous ideas are always proposed,” Massara commented. “My view is that football has evolved considerably in recent years. If we can comprehend these changes and act upon them, we will see progress. Conversely, if we disregard these transformations, we will find ourselves having the same discussions four years from now.”
