Key Points
- Target Identification: Tottenham Hotspur have been urged to re-examine a potential transfer move for AS Roma striker Donyell Malen during the upcoming January transfer window to resolve their ongoing goalscoring issues.
- Current Form in Italy: The 27-year-old Dutch international has revitalised his career in Serie A, scoring 26 goals in 32 overall appearances for AS Roma, including 11 goals in all competitions so far this campaign.
- Tottenham Goal Drought: Despite ascending the Premier League table following three consecutive victories, Roberto De Zerbi’s side continues to struggle for central attacking productivity.
- Underperforming Attackers: Primary attacking options Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush are currently struggling to make a significant goalscoring impact, leaving centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke as Spurs’ leading scorer.
- Transfer History: Tottenham previously targeted Malen during the January 2025 transfer window before he joined Aston Villa, where he endured an underwhelming stint before moving to Italy.
- North London Rivalry: A potential move to Tottenham would stir local controversy due to Malen’s youth career at Arsenal’s Hale End Academy, where he registered 18 goals in 57 appearances.
Tottenham Hotspur (North London News) November 3, 2026 – Tottenham Hotspur are being advised to reignite their transfer interest in former target Donyell Malen when the winter window opens in January, following the Dutch forward’s remarkable goalscoring resurgence in Italy.
Despite a recent resurgence in form that has seen Tottenham Hotspur climb the Premier League standings following three consecutive victories, scoring goals from central attacking positions remains a fundamental area of concern for head coach Roberto De Zerbi. Neither summer acquisition Dominic Solanke nor forward Omar Marmoush have managed to consistently influence matches in front of goal during the current campaign.
The scope of Tottenham’s offensive dilemma is highlighted by the fact that defender Jan Paul van Hecke currently leads the club’s goalscoring charts this season. The lack of reliable clinical finishing inside the penalty box has led senior recruitment staff to prioritize the acquisition of a proven centre-forward during the upcoming January window.
According to football transfer specialist Matt Law, Tottenham initially considered making a formal approach for Malen during the January 2025 transfer window. However, the Netherlands international ultimately opted to join Premier League rivals Aston Villa. Malen struggled to cement a permanent spot in the West Midlands, failing to establish momentum before securing a move to Serie A outfit AS Roma.
Since arriving at the Stadio Olimpico, the 27-year-old attacker has experienced a career transformation. Across 32 appearances for the Giallorossi, Malen has registered an impressive tally of 26 goals. In the current season alone, he has already found the net 11 times across domestic and European competitions. His individual return has propelled AS Roma to third place in the Serie A standings, keeping them within four points of the summit.
Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi is understood to be keen on securing an elite focal point for his attack. Having successfully re-engineered Tottenham’s midfield dynamic and defensive structure following extensive summer recruitment, the Italian manager views the addition of a clinical striker as the final piece in his tactical system.
While alternative solutions—such as launching an official bid for Lorient’s Eli Junior Kroupi or deploying Dejan Kulusevski in a false-nine capacity—remain under internal discussion, Malen’s verified output at the highest European level positions him as an ideal mid-season target.
Any potential transfer carrying Malen to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would inevitably spark debate across North London due to his developmental history at Arsenal. Although Malen never logged an official competitive appearance for the Gunners’ senior squad, he developed through their Hale End Academy between 2015 and 2017. During his two-year spell in Arsenal’s youth sector, he notched 18 goals in 57 matches across multiple youth age groups.
Should Malen complete a winter transfer to Tottenham, he would follow a rare path from Arsenal’s academy to Spurs’ senior lineup, drawing structural parallels to Harry Kane’s early development trajectory across the North London football divide.
Why are Tottenham Hotspur prioritising a new striker in January?
Despite recording three straight Premier League victories to steady their campaign, Tottenham Hotspur continue to suffer from a lack of focal consistency within the final third. Head coach Roberto De Zerbi has stabilised the team’s defensive structure and midfield transitions, yet the team’s forward line continues to underperform in expected goals ($xG$) metrics.
With frontmen Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush struggling for form, Tottenham’s primary source of goals has unexpectedly shifted toward defensive set-pieces, leaving defender Jan Paul van Hecke as the team’s top goalscorer. To maintain a top-four push and secure European qualification, Tottenham’s recruitment department views the acquisition of an established goalscorer as an absolute priority for the January transfer window.
How has Donyell Malen turned his career around at AS Roma?
After an uninspiring tenure with Aston Villa following his exit from Borussia Dortmund, Donyell Malen relocated to Serie A to join AS Roma. Under tactical alignment in Rome, the 27-year-old Dutch international has re-established himself as one of European football’s most efficient central finishers.
Malen has yielded 26 goals in 32 matches for the Italian side. His 11 goals this season have played a direct role in maintaining AS Roma’s domestic title challenge, positioning the club third in Serie A and within four points of league leaders.
What secondary attacking options are being considered by Roberto De Zerbi?
If a move for Donyell Malen proves unfeasible due to AS Roma’s unwillingness to sell mid-season, Tottenham have developed secondary tactical contingency plans.
Reports indicate that Spurs retain an interest in French starlet Eli Junior Kroupi as a long-term prospect. Alternatively, Roberto De Zerbi has tested internal tactical adjustments, including shifting Swedish international Dejan Kulusevski into a central false-nine role to improve link-up play and central chance creation.
Background of the Development
Donyell Malen began his football career in the youth system of Ajax before moving to Arsenal’s Hale End Academy in 2015. Over two seasons in London, Malen demonstrated significant promise within Arsenal’s Under-18 and Under-23 setups, scoring 18 goals in 57 appearances. However, seeking immediate first-team opportunities, he departed Arsenal in 2017 to join PSV Eindhoven.
At PSV, Malen established his reputation as a prolific scorer, securing a high-profile transfer to Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund in 2021. His consistent performances in Germany attracted attention from across Europe, prompting Tottenham Hotspur to evaluate a transfer approach in January 2025.
Malen ultimately signed for Aston Villa, but his stint in the Premier League proved brief and unproductive. A subsequent transfer to AS Roma provided the environment necessary to revive his scoring metrics, culminating in his current status as one of Serie A’s top performers.
Prediction: How This Development Could Affect the Stakeholders
Impact on Tottenham Hotspur
Securing Donyell Malen in January would immediately provide Roberto De Zerbi with a proven finisher capable of converting high-value chances generated by Spurs’ midfield. Integrating a natural goalscorer would alleviate pressure on Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush, offering tactical flexibility between a traditional centre-forward and a fluid transition attack. This firepower could prove decisive in Tottenham’s push for Champions League qualification.
Impact on AS Roma
For AS Roma, losing Malen midway through the campaign would represent a severe blow to their Serie A title ambitions and European knockout hopes. Having relied heavily on his 11 goals this season to stay within four points of the top spot, the Italian club would require immediate reinvestment to replace his goal output.
Impact on North London Football Dynamics
A transfer bringing a former Hale End prospect to Tottenham Hotspur would add fresh narrative tension to the North London rivalry. Arsenal supporters would inevitably monitor Malen’s performances at Spurs, while Tottenham fans would look for the forward to follow the precedent set by former academy talents who achieved stardom on the opposite side of North London.
