In recent weeks, a renewed sense of optimism has spread among AS Roma supporters and within Gian Piero Gasperini's staff.
After months marked by uncertainty and constant reshuffling in the attacking hierarchy, Roma finally appear to have found a focal point. That spark carries Donyell Malen's name.
Arriving on loan from Aston Villa during the January transfer window, with an obligation to buy tied to specific conditions, Malen wastes little time asserting himself.
In a season where Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson rotate without fully convincing, and where Paulo Dybala often operates as an emergency false nine, his arrival provides long-awaited clarity.
Across his first four appearances in Giallorossi colours, the former Borussia Dortmund attacker scored three goals - one against Torino and a decisive brace versus Cagliari.
Such an immediate impact has not been witnessed in nearly ten years. Only Diego Perotti in 2016 and Romelu Lukaku in 2023 managed the same tally of three goals in their first four Roma outings.
The next fixture could therefore produce a standalone benchmark. No new Roma signing in the past decade has reached four goals within his first five matches.
Should Malen score at the intimidating Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, he would secure the club's most productive debut run of the last ten years - a symbolic milestone that amplifies expectations around his role for the remainder of the campaign.
A start close to Malen's personal peak
Beyond its importance for Roma, this spell also ranks among the strongest openings of his career.
Developed in the Arsenal academy without breaking into the first team, he matures through experiences at PSV Eindhoven, Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa, steadily refining his technical and tactical profile.
When comparing the first four matches of each of his club seasons, the three goals scored in Rome equal his previous best starts: the 2020/21 campaign with PSV and the 2023/24 season in Germany. This statistical symmetry suggests a player rapidly approaching his most efficient version.
For both Malen and Roma, such a sharp and record-threatening introduction signals more than a temporary purple patch. It hints at the possible emergence of the reliable attacking reference that the club has sought for years.
With Malen leading the line, Gasperini appears to have found an ideal focal striker - one capable of transforming Roma's attacking structure and driving the Giallorossi toward increasingly ambitious targets.