Story byGasperini heaps praise on Roma new boy Malen: ‘Exactly what I was looking for’Football ItaliaSun, January 18, 2026 at 8:40 PM UTC·2 min readGian Piero Gasperini was quick to single out Donyell Malen after Roma’s 2-0 win away to Torino, praising the Dutch forward for delivering exactly what he wanted from his new signing. Malen enjoyed a dream debut for Roma, scoring on his first appearance after arriving in January and combining effectively with Paulo Dybala, who also found the net. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSpeaking to Sky Sport after the match, Gasperini stressed the immediate impact the former Aston Villa forward has had on the team.“A player like Malen raises the level of the squad,” Gasperini explained. TURIN, ITALY – JANUARY 18: AS Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini looks on during the Serie A match between Torino FC and AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on January 18, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/)“We played with quality. Dybala had an important match and scored an extraordinary first goal.