News Focus
- Donyell Malen’s loan move to Roma becomes a permanent transfer following their Coppa Italia victory.
- The deal obligates Roma to pay €25m plus previous loan fees, with Villa keeping a 10% sell-on clause.
- Aston Villa have now turned their attention to signing Roma’s Argentine forward Matias Soule.
- Roma value the 23-year-old at approximately €40m, seeking a significant profit on their 2023 investment.
- The Premier League club are monitoring replacements including Summerville, Nusa and Tel if Soule departs.
Italian media reports indicate that Aston Villa are preparing a formal approach for Roma attacker Matias Soule. This development follows the confirmation that Donyell Malen will remain in Italy on a permanent contract.
The Dutch forward’s transfer became obligatory after Roma defeated Lazio in Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final. The victory guaranteed the Giallorossi qualification for the Europa League next season. This achievement activated a mandatory purchase clause in Malen’s loan agreement. The striker has also featured in more than half of the matches available to him since joining in January.
The Serie A side will pay Aston Villa €25 million for the permanent rights. This adds to the €2 million loan fee already paid for the second half of the season. Villa have additionally secured a 10 per cent share of any future sale. Malen will sign a four-year contract until 2030, earning approximately €4 million per year.
However, the business between the two clubs may not end there. La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Villa are keen to bring Soule to the Premier League. The 23-year-old Argentine is reportedly set to meet with Roma’s owners shortly to discuss his future. Sources suggest the prospect of English football appeals strongly to the winger.
Soule has contributed six goals and five assists in 31 league appearances this term. Roma paid Juventus €26 million plus bonuses to sign him two years ago. They now hope to receive around €40 million for his signature.
Should the attacker depart this summer, Roma are considering several replacements. Their shortlist includes West Ham United’s Crysencio Summerville, Antonio Nusa of RB Leipzig, and Mathys Tel at Tottenham Hotspur.