Aston Villa set to complete Roma transfer at the end of successful loan spell: reports
Aston Villa narrowly escaped the possibility of playing against Donyell Malen in the quarter-finals of the Europa League next month.
Villa defeated Lille over two legs to set up a last-eight clash against the winners of Roma’s tie against fellow Serie A outfit Bologna. Had Roma got the job done, Villa would have faced the on-loan Dutch forward at the Stadio Olimpico next week.
Instead, Bologna will be Villa’s opponents for the second and indeed third time this season. Malen’s Europa League hopes are over but the matter of his future appears to be moving towards a more satisfactory conclusion.
Donyell Malen set for permanent switch
According to reports in Italy, any lingering doubts over the completion of a permanent transfer after Malen’s loan spell in the Italian capital are likely to prove unfounded.
“Today, it’s hard to imagine a Roma side without Donyell Malen,” reports RomaPress.
“It’s also hard to imagine the Dutchman not being a Giallorossi striker next season. His performances since January have convinced everyone: Gian Piero Gasperini, the club, and the fans.
“Malen arrived in Rome in January on a €2 million loan deal, with an obligation to buy tied to the achievement of specific objectives. The clause stipulates that the purchase will become automatic if the team qualifies for the Champions League or Europa League.
“The Giallorossi could, however, move up the deal before the end of the season, considering paying the €25 million requested by Aston Villa to permanently acquire the striker, thus starting to plan for the future with Donyell Malen already firmly established in the coaching team.”
What a successful loan actually looks like
Such effusive praise and eagerness to get a deal done are the inevitable consequences of Malen’s superb form in a Roma shirt and it started in his very first game.
Malen scored on his Serie A debut against Torino and has scored six more goals in the nine games that followed. He scored both of Roma’s goals in a 2-0 win over Cagliari and a 2-2 draw with reigning champions Napoli. He was also on the scoresheet in their ill-fated second leg against the Rossoblu.
Combined with seven goals for Villa in the Premier League and Europa League this season, it’s turned into a very decent season for Malen somewhat against the odds. Four international goals for the Netherlands in the last year – all of them as a Villa player – have been the icing on the cake.
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