Netherlands forward Donyell Malen has left Aston Villa after a year with the club to join Italian side AS Roma for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club said on Friday.
Roma said the Netherlands international has joined on a loan deal with an option to buy. Sky Italia reported that Roma paid a loan fee of £1.7 million ($2.28 million), and the option to buy will become an obligation, with a fee of £21.6 million, if certain conditions are met.
🎙️Watch Malen's first interview as a Roma player!
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) January 16, 2026
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British media reports suggested Malen's move may be a part of a swap deal, with England striker Tammy Abraham, a Roma player currently on loan at Turkish side Besiktas, being linked with a return to Villa, where he previously spent a season on loan.
Malen, 26, joined Villa in January 2025 after four years at Borussia Dortmund. He made 46 appearances for Villa in all competitions, scoring seven goals.
Roma, fifth in the Italian league and seven points below leaders Inter Milan, will visit Torino on Sunday.