Malen's Roma resurgence turning heads in England: How did they let him slip away?

Roma have made contact with Matteo Darmian over a possible move, according to reports, though head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's side are not expected to sign available players on a permanent basis this window. Darmian, the former Inter defender, would reportedly favour a one-year deal, and the financial terms are manageable for Roma. However, the operation remains difficult: the player has attracted interest from other clubs, notably teams in Dubai, following the departure of Salah-Eddine which has opened a vacancy on the flanks. Club sources have ruled out significant free-agent signings, but Roma are keeping an eye on opportunities that align with Gasperini's demands. Darmian represents one such prospect, having become available at the end of last season. The current contact amounts to an initial inquiry rather than an advanced negotiation. The situation may develop further in the coming days.

Donyell Malen has transformed into one of Europe's most prolific strikers since joining Roma, a shift so marked that the BBC has examined how Aston Villa allowed such a talent to leave. The contrast with his time in England is stark: at Villa he scored 10 goals in 46 appearances, often from the bench or deployed on the wing. At Roma, he has become a central figure, with 21 goals in 25 appearances, making him the top scorer across Europe's five major leagues in 2026, ahead of Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal. The transformation reflects a precise tactical fit. Under Gasperini, Malen plays almost consistently through the centre of attack, where he can fully exploit his pace, instinct and goalscoring sense. In the Premier League he was frequently shifted to the flanks or used sporadically as a centre forward. His conversion rate has improved dramatically, rising from one goal every 150 minutes to one every 96 minutes. Roma have not simply recovered a player; they have unlocked his best version and restored him to prominence in European football. Even a subdued World Cup did not derail his momentum. Upon returning to Rome, he quickly resumed his scoring form and driving the team forward. His revival resembles other career revivals in Italian football, but Roma have gone beyond mere rehabilitation with Malen.

Mario Hermoso will be available for Roma's match against Inter on Saturday after recovering from a minor ankle injury. The defender trained with the full squad in today's session, allaying concerns for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of the big fixture. Hermoso has become a cornerstone of Roma's defence this season. Gasperini will be able to count on the Spanish defender's leadership and experience for the Inter encounter, with Hermoso now pencilled in for a place in the back three. The former Atlético Madrid player brings both defensive solidity and attacking contribution to the team, making him integral to Gasperini's plans.

Donyell Malen has transformed into one of Europe's most prolific strikers since joining Roma, a shift so marked that the BBC has examined how Aston Villa allowed such a talent to leave. The contrast with his time in England is stark: at Villa he scored 10 goals in 46 appearances, often from the bench or deployed on the wing. At Roma, he has become a central figure, with 21 goals in 25 appearances, making him the top scorer across Europe's five major leagues in 2026, ahead of Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal. The transformation reflects a precise tactical fit. Under Gasperini, Malen plays almost consistently through the centre of attack, where he can fully exploit his pace, instinct and goalscoring sense. In the Premier League he was frequently shifted to the flanks or used sporadically as a centre forward. His conversion rate has improved dramatically, rising from one goal every 150 minutes to one every 96 minutes. Roma have not simply recovered a player; they have unlocked his best version and restored him to prominence in European football. Even a subdued World Cup did not derail his momentum. Upon returning to Rome, he quickly resumed his scoring form and driving the team forward. His revival resembles other career revivals in Italian football, but Roma have gone beyond mere rehabilitation with Malen.

Gian Piero Gasperini has outlined Roma's approach after a perfect beginning to the 2026-27 season, emphasizing that while supporters are entitled to dream of the Serie A title, the club itself remains grounded in reality. Speaking to Sky Sport on 17 September, the head coach reflected on four consecutive wins and the mental benefit they bring, noting that Roma started this season in a stronger position than a year ago. "Me lo auguravo, più che aspettarmelo," he said. "D'altronde avevamo la convinzione di avere alle spalle un buon rodaggio, e una squadra che partiva avvantaggiata rispetto all'inizio della scorsa stagione: siamo insieme da più tempo, ci conosciamo meglio, tante cose le abbiamo già assimilate." On the atmosphere at the club after more than a year in the capital, Gasperini stressed the positive influence of Roma's environment. "L'ambiente influenza tantissimo. Ma come ho sempre detto, influenza in modo positivo, non negativo, perché è un ambiente di grande passione e di grande amore verso la propria squadra, e quindi sono tutte componenti fortemente positive." He credited the unity between players, supporters, club and management as Roma's greatest strength. "Il pregio più grande, tra i tanti, è che si è creata una grande unità tra ambiente, squadra, tifoseria e società, e questo è qualcosa che ti aiuta a lavorare bene e ti dà fiducia per fare i migliori risultati." Gasperini praised the partnership between Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, explaining their complementary qualities. "Dybala ha la capacità di leggere gli smarcamenti di Malen anche quando sembra non guardarlo, e la qualità con cui lo serve è notevole. Malen dal canto suo ha una straordinaria capacità di tradurre in gol azioni che sembrano semplici ma non lo sono." He also highlighted the development of young players including Emanuele Lulli, Niccolò Pisilli and Daniele Ghilardi, noting their professionalism and desire to improve. On the Scudetto question, Gasperini rejected setting concrete objectives so early. "L'asticella non si alza mettendo degli obiettivi più o meno raggiungibili: si alza migliorando ogni giorno." He added: "Ci rendiamo conto che intorno a noi si fanno tutte le previsioni possibili, ed è giusto così: la gente ha i suoi sogni, vuole il massimo. Per quanto riguarda noi, come ogni anno, dobbiamo guardare in faccia la realtà." Gasperini described upcoming matches against Inter, Como and Real Madrid as opportunities to measure Roma's true capabilities against elite opponents, noting that Como are a team "doing truly giant steps" and now belong among the campaign's big sides. On Leonardo Balerdi's arrival and immediate impact, he explained a comparison he had made to Franco Baresi, emphasizing shared defensive characteristics rather than absolute level. Balerdi, he said, had arrived in excellent condition despite limited preparation time and had already proven himself a strong professional making an instant contribution.

Gian Piero Gasperini has reflected on Roma's perfect start to the 2026-27 season and the club's return to the Champions League after seven years, while cautioning against fixing title ambitions before the campaign has matured. In an extensive interview, the head coach said he had hoped for a strong opening but that Roma's advantage this season came from continuity: "We had the conviction of having behind us good preparation, and a squad that started with an advantage compared to the start of last season: we have been together for longer, we know each other better, we have already assimilated many things." Gasperini emphasized the self-improving culture within the group, which blends young talent with experienced players. He highlighted Leonardo Balerdi's immediate impact despite only partial pre-season involvement, describing the Argentine defender's characteristics as reminiscent of Franco Baresi—drawing the comparison from spontaneous association when discussing the best players who have ever existed. "Baresi had a speed in recovering dangerous situations, intensity in challenges, and security in building play. Baresi was thirty years ahead of his colleagues, but belonged to a very different football era. It is in this mix of modernity and old-quality characteristics that I see the similarity," Gasperini explained. He also praised emerging talents Emanuele Lulli, Niccolò Pisilli and Daniele Ghilardi for their hunger to grow without feeling they have arrived, and commended the understanding between Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack, noting Dybala's ability to read Malen's runs and the forwards' capacity to convert seemingly simple opportunities into goals. On Roma's return to European football's top competition, Gasperini said the achievement was far from certain last year and that playing against the continent's strongest teams provides growth through difficulty and self-awareness. He identified unity between environment, squad, supporters and board as Roma's greatest asset this season. When pressed on title talk after four consecutive wins, he firmly set boundaries: "We are aware that all possible predictions are made around us, and that is right: people have their dreams, they want the maximum. For us, as every year, we must face reality. And reality is that we can only talk about objectives after about twenty matches. Setting them after four or five matchdays makes no sense. Of course we have confidence, of course we want to stay high in the table, but right now this is the only concrete objective." Gasperini added that managing such expectations is natural but that Roma's sole focus in the present moment remains maintaining their early momentum without premature forecasting.