Serie A Club Set To Buy €25m Aston Villa Flop In The Summer: Does Emery Actually Need Him? | OneFootball

Italian transfer journalist Nicolo Ceccarini, writing for Tuttomercatoweb, reports that AS Roma has made a firm and final decision to sign Donyell Malen from Aston Villa this summer. The Giallorossi management loves the Dutch international’s immediate impact and plans to wrap up the deal no matter where the team ends up in the Serie A table.

Roma Set to Buy Donyell Malen Permanently From Aston Villa, Regardless of Champions League Finish

This is a big shift from the original plan, which included a conditional buyout. Roma only have to pay the €25m fee if the club clinch a spot in the Champions League or Europa League and Malen plays in half of the remaining games.

Roma have already put a lot of money into the forward. The club paid a €2m loan fee to bring him to the capital in January, meaning the total cost hits about €27m. For a club dealing with tight finances, that kind of spending shows exactly how much they value him. The 27-year-old has been one of the best players in Italy since he arrived.

In fact, he is the first player to score five goals in his first five Roma games since Gabriel Batistuta back in 2000. He has already scored against Juventus and grabbed two goals against the champions, Napoli. Inside the club, the manager is pushing for the move more than anyone. Villa, for their part, retain a 10 per cent sell-on clause, which could mean a nice payday for the club later on.

Do Aston Villa Actually Need Him Back? The Honest Answer Is No, And That Is Telling

ROME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: Donyell Malen of AS Roma in action during the Serie A match between AS Roma and US Cremonese at Stadio Olimpico on February 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Malen started well at Villa Park after his move from Borussia Dortmund in early 2025, but he never really secured a regular spot under Unai Emery as the season went on. His stat line of ten goals and two assists in 46 games makes things look better than they were. He spent a lot of time on the bench and often seemed lost when the game got fast and physical. Emery didn’t think twice about letting him go in January, and that choice pretty much tells you everything about whether Villa wants him back.

Villa currently sit fourth in the Premier League with 51 points, fighting for a Champions League spot while still playing in the Europa League. Unai Emery centers the attack on Ollie Watkins, and Villa built the rest of the forward line to support that. Malen is a technical player who needs space and a system that caters to his movement, which just doesn’t mesh with the high-pressing, physical style Emery demands. At Roma, the tactical setup centres on the players’ individual strengths, giving Malen the freedom and specific role he never found at Villa.

The reality is that this deal works out perfectly for Villa. The club get back the €25m they paid Dortmund, keep a 10 per cent cut of a future sale, and clear a spot on the wage bill for a player who actually fits the system. Malen is still fighting for a spot in the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup, and it looks like he has found the right home. Villa found the right exit. Sometimes the best transfers are the ones where everyone moves on.