Roma signed Donyell Malen over Joshua Zirkzee in January, reaping massive benefits, but the decision was more economic than technical, and their interest in the former Bologna star hasn’t decreased, Alfredo Pedullà reports.
Under the right circumstances, the Giallorossi will make another attempt for the Manchester United outcast. His role has continued to be very limited despite the various managers who coached him at Old Trafford.
Gian Piero Gasperini wishes Roma would acquire another elite striker in the summer, and Zirkzee and Malen would form a well-assorted and quality duo, in his opinion. The center-forward is more likely to depart than in the previous window. A late coaching change stopped a few deals during the winter.
However, the 25-year-old didn’t win over Michael Carrick either. He has started just once in the last few months and has mostly seen very limited minutes off the bench. He has scored just twice and assisted once in 25 appearances this campaign.
The forward has been attached to a Serie A return a few times, as Napoli, Juventus, and Milan have all tried at some point. On the other hand, Manchester United always asked for a robust fee despite his struggles. They acquired him for €42.5M in 2024. He notched 12 goals and 7 helpers in 37 games in his best season in Italy.
Like clockwork, some side attempts to bring him back even though he flopped at a higher level. While his skillset is pretty tantalizing, and he would indeed fit well next to a goal poacher, as that’s not his forte, the cost of the deal has generally been too high. We’ll see whether that changes this time around.
