Aston Villa's Transfer Error: Donyell Malen's 23 g/a in 24 Games at Roma

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Discover how Aston Villa's quick decision on Donyell Malen may have cost them as he excels at Roma.

Aston Villa may have made a huge transfer mistake with Donyell Malen after what happened during his time at Roma.

Malen joined Aston Villa halfway through the 2024-2025 season, scoring three goals in 17 games during that period.

The Dutch international was then given another half-season to prove his worth, but Villa shipped him out on loan to Roma in January, earlier this year.

The Serie A club then turned the deal permanent in the summer transfer window, and he started the season in superb form.

It's safe to say it didn't quite work out for Malen at Villa, but they didn't give him long to adapt to the Premier League.

With Aston Villa having a huge rebuild this summer, they could certainly have done with someone like Malen heading into this season.

After an impressive half-season at Roma earlier this year, Malen has been playing in a centre-forward role for the Italian club this campaign.

It's been a phenomenal start to the season, providing six goals and assists in just four matches.

In fact, the 27-year-old has provided 23 goals and assists in 24 games since his move to Roma in January.

Malen's return for Villa wasn't even that disastrous either, providing 12 goals and assists in 46 matches, while he regularly played out wide during that period.

With Ollie Watkins heading through the exit door, giving Malen another season to adapt to the Premier League could have been a smart move.

Given his return for Roma over the last nine months or so, it's looking like a huge transfer mistake from the Midlands club.

When signing a player from a different country, you can't always expect them to instantly make an impact, especially in a league as tough as the Premier League.

Aston Villa may have just wanted to cut their losses and get Malen off the books, but in hindsight, it could have been a big error from them.

Malen's versatility would have made him an incredibly useful option, while he's shown at Roma to be a consistent goalscorer in the striker position.

It may not have worked out for Malen at Aston Villa, but it's fair to say he wasn't given enough time to fully prove himself.

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