Chelsea to beat Man United & Newcastle for €35m attacker’s signing?
Transfer News: Chelsea, Manchester United, and Newcastle United are all keeping tabs on Donyell Malen this summer, according to Corriere dello Sport, even as Roma prepare to make his loan move permanent. The Italian newspaper reports that “the big clubs are watching” as Malen shines on loan at Roma from Aston Villa, with the Dutchman having effectively “taken over Roma, Serie A and now the European transfer market.”
Transfer News: Chelsea, Man United and Newcastle eye Donyell Malen
Roma signed Malen on an initial loan from Aston Villa in January, paying a €2m fee for the six months with an option to buy him outright for a further €25m. In just 16 appearances across Serie A and the Europa League, Malen has scored 12 goals and added two assists, emerging as Roma’s top scorer in all competitions despite only arriving in mid-January. Only Gabriel Batistuta has scored more goals after his first 15 Serie A games for Roma, a comparison that speaks volumes about the huge impact he’s made at Stadio Olimpico.
Roma’s owners, the Friedkins, are due in Rome to green-light the permanent transfer, with the feeling growing that Malen is already worth double the minimum fee they are set to pay. Roma’s stance is crystal clear, they have no intention of selling, though Corriere dello Sport reports that half of Europe are “moving in the shadows.” FotMob currently lists his market value at €17.3m, though Transfermarkt places that figure considerably higher at €35m.
Malen is a real threat in front of the goal, with sharp movement off the ball and the versatility to operate centrally or wide. His weakness, though, remains consistency over longer stretches. His time at Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa both showed periods where he faded after bright starts.
Transfer News: Do Chelsea actually need Malen for the 2026/27 season?
Honestly, not quite. Chelsea signed Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens last summer, but both have underperformed, leaving the club searching for reliable wide and central attacking options, which is an area where Malen could help out. However, Chelsea chasing a player Roma publicly insist is unavailable, at a price likely to go past €50m after the purchase, feels like a bit of a long shot.
Malen’s Serie A hot streak is sensational, but so was his early form at Dortmund before inconsistency crept in. Chelsea need a player who can deliver across a full season, not just half of one. Roma going to the Champions League next season gives Malen every reason to stay put, and Chelsea should probably look elsewhere for more dependable attacking reinforcement in summer 2026.
Rohit Sarkar
