Donyell Malen has found an early sense of belonging at Roma, and he believes the confidence offered by Gian Piero Gasperini and his new team-mates has allowed him to become the player he had long hoped to be.
The decision
The Dutch forward said leaving Aston Villa was his own choice. He wanted regular football and a central role in attack, rather than feeling peripheral to the side.
“I wanted to play every weekend and feel important to the team,” Malen said. “At that time, I did not feel that way. I believe I made the right decision.”
He has played across the front line during his career, but regards the centre-forward position as the one in which he is most at ease. His pathway has already taken him through Ajax, Arsenal and PSV: he joined Ajax at a young age, moved to Arsenal at 16 and then entered PSV’s second team at 18. Those experiences, he said, exposed him to both Dutch and English football cultures.
At Roma, Malen feels the circumstances are different. He pointed to the scale of the club, the supporters, the squad and the work of Gasperini as factors that make success easier to pursue.
“I have scored in other places, but never at this rate from the start,” he said. “I have played a lot and in different positions, but now I feel I am in the right place, among the right people. The coach and the players give me real belief.”
His first Roma appearance, when he scored a hat-trick, remains the defining moment of his opening period in Italy. Malen recalled a team that already felt united and strong, and said that such beginnings can provide the basis for a meaningful season.
He also described an immediate understanding with Paulo Dybala, a partnership that has already drawn attention around Trigoria. Malen said their connection was formed quickly, while keeping the focus on the collective rather than personal scoring contests, including comparisons with Inter captain Lautaro Martinez.
The forward has been struck by several colleagues. He named Mile Svilar, Niccolò Pisilli, Manu Koné and Marten de Roon among those who have impressed him, noting that he had previously known some players from the Netherlands.
Malen said he is only beginning to learn Italian, joking that he expects to speak it properly within six months. For now, his vocabulary includes the essentials of the Italian game: penalties, offside decisions, passes and food.
His adaptation has included a sharp lesson in the climate. Asked for the principal difference between Serie A and the Premier League, Malen first mentioned the heat. English football, he said, is shaped by rain and cold, whereas Italian summer conditions make it harder to play continuously at full pace.
He also noted a contrast in defensive habits, saying that the compact blocks encountered in Italy are not a regular feature of the Premier League. Malen has nevertheless been encouraged by his own ability to make use of difficult deliveries around the edge of the penalty area, preferring to call them “not good” balls rather than dirty ones.
Gasperini’s demanding training sessions have also left an impression. Malen said he had not been sick after training, despite stories from other players, but admitted that the work can be extremely heavy. He particularly values the manager’s directness.
“You know he will not lie to you about anything,” Malen said of Gasperini.
He also recalled the coach’s reaction after the Parma match, when Gasperini’s delight saw chairs and even a table knocked over in the dressing room.
Malen confirmed that he missed the Netherlands call-up because of an injury, adding that he was disappointed not to represent his country. With the international break now over, Roma’s attention turns immediately back to the league.
Sunday’s picture
Roma will travel to Como in two days, with a notable landmark available to Gasperini. A victory would bring the coach his 300th Serie A win.
The match also offers Roma the chance to reach 16 points from their opening six league fixtures. Only twice before in the club’s history have they begun a Serie A campaign with that return at this stage.
Malen declined to linger on either the manager’s individual milestone or the statistical significance of the start. His message was more in keeping with Roma’s present mood: the work is demanding, the group feels connected, and the next Sunday afternoon is the only useful measure.
