- Donyell Malen’s €25 million buy option in his loan deal has been triggered by AS Roma
- He becomes the first Aston Villa sale of the summer
- Malen joined the Italian side in January
Aston Villa’s Donyell Malen is set for a permanent £21.7m move to Inter Milan after a specific loan clause was triggered
Aston Villa forward Donyell Malen has had his €25 million (£21.7 million) buy option triggered after Inter Milan won the Coppa Italia on Wednesday night.
This result means Roma are mathematically certain of Europa League qualification, activating the clause in Malen’s loan deal enabling him to join permanently.
Aston Villa sanctioned his departure in January, after the Dutchman wanted more minutes in the striker position. Roma made a loan offer with an option to buy, which would be activated only if Malen played in 50% of the remaining games, and Gian Piero Gasperini’s side qualified for Europe.
After Inter Milan won the Coppa Italia, as they are already inside the top four, fifth and sixth-placed teams will play in the Europa League for the 2026/27 campaign. Meanwhile, seventh-place will go to the Europa Conference League.
With two Serie A games to go, Roma are in fifth on 67 points. They lead eighth-placed Atalanta by nine points, which confirms their place in a European competition next season, confirming the addition of Malen to their squad.
Taken the Serie A by storm
Malen has hit the ground running since his debut against Torino in January. The 27-year-old has scored 14 goals in 18 games, with 13 coming in the Serie A.
It means he is already the joint-second highest goalscorer in the league, despite playing just over half the number of games as everyone else.
His explosive form in Italy has justified his decision to leave the Premier League. At Villa, Unai Emery utilised him primarily as a wide forward or second striker. This tactical choice limited his central opportunities behind Ollie Watkins.
Under Gasperini, however, Malen has operated as the focal point of a fluid, high-pressing frontline. He recently broke Mario Balotelli’s long-standing record for the most Serie A goals scored by a January signing in a single season.
ReadAstonVilla verdict
From a Villa perspective, receiving €25 million (£21.7 million) for a player wanting to leave, which is also more than what they bought him for, is a positive. Whilst his form for Roma has obviously caused some concerns among supporters, ultimately, Malen didn’t fit Emery’s system. A sale was the best scenario, and now the Villans can move forward.
The fee gives Villa some financial flexibility in the transfer window. They can pursue key targets in areas they need to strengthen, and with the added potential of Champions League football, perhaps they can spend bigger.
