Gasperini Backs Malen To Chase Down Donyell Higuain’s Serie A Record

Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini has declared he would not be surprised if Donyell Malen mounts a serious challenge to Gonzalo Higuain’s 36-goal Serie A record, while dismissing any suggestion that Paulo Dybala needs careful management this season.

The Roma coach made both points in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, published on September 4, 2026, with Malen having already scored five goals in Roma’s opening two league fixtures of the campaign.

A Record Chase That Already Has Momentum

Roma’s move for Malen last January arrived as a loan with an option to buy from Aston Villa, and the Dutchman repaid that faith instantly, striking 14 times in Serie A across the second half of 2025-26.

The club made the deal permanent for €25m at the end of last season, and under Gasperini’s system, Malen has settled into a centre-forward role that has clearly unlocked something extra in his game.

Gasperini explained exactly what won him over.

“The first touch, with which he creates space,” he said. “With the second he prepares, with the third he fires. I said to myself: if I move those three touches closer to the goal, he becomes lethal. Indeed…”

He wasn’t entirely without criticism, though, pointing to a moment against Lecce where he felt Malen had been careless in front of goal.

“You can make mistakes, but there’s a right way and a wrong way,” Gasperini said. “Against Lecce, he did it too carelessly.”

Higuain’s benchmark of 36 goals in a single Serie A season, set in 2015-16 and later matched by Ciro Immobile in 2019-20, has stood as the league’s gold standard for nearly a decade.

Asked directly what he expects from the 27-year-old this season, Gasperini didn’t hold back: “If he threatens Higuain’s record of 36, I’m not surprised.”

No Concerns Over Dybala’s Fitness

Dybala, meanwhile, opened the season with three assists against Fiorentina and signed a one-year contract extension back in July.

Gasperini praised the Argentine’s condition directly: “He’s done his best in preparation, he’s strong, he’s doing well.”

The coach explained he has little patience for the language of preservation.

“There are words I hate: preserve, save, rest,” he said. “I ask Paulo: ‘Do you want to play again?’ If he says yes, I’ll keep him in even when we’re 4-0 up. Never stop a guy who’s having fun.”

His reasoning drew on the example of Lionel Messi’s own remarkable durability at the top level.

Gasperini Addresses The Manu Koné Transfer Saga

The interview also touched on Roma’s summer transfer business, including the reported Chelsea interest in Manu Koné that dominated deadline day.

Gasperini said he hadn’t blocked a potential move for the midfielder, explaining that Chelsea had never actually sent Roma a formal, official offer for the player.

He also admitted that financial restrictions had prevented Roma from pursuing some of their bigger targets over the summer, naming Mason Greenwood and Crysencio Summerville as players the club couldn’t ultimately afford to sign.

The Atalanta Reunion And The Wider Title Race

Roma were set to host Gasperini’s former club Atalanta at the Olimpico the following day, a fixture the coach described in vivid terms.

“Tomorrow will be like a lover reuniting with his ex,” he said, “but Roma has given me new goals. I’m happy here.”

He called Atalanta a genuine benchmark with the financial muscle of a major club, noting that Roma had finished behind them for eight consecutive years before his arrival gave him fresh ambitions elsewhere.

Roma’s fast start has already got senior players talking. Cristante and Pellegrini have spoken openly about the Scudetto and the Circus Maximus, and rather than dampening that enthusiasm, Gasperini embraced it.

“Dreams are never suffocated,” he said. “The important thing is knowing that when the alarm rings, reality is different. Then, if you live reality the right way, you can also make it match your dreams.”

Looking at the wider Scudetto picture, Gasperini pointed to Milan’s strong transfer window, Juventus benefiting from Luciano Spalletti’s long-term work, and Napoli’s squad depth as the chief threats, while also flagging Atalanta and Como’s growth.

He tipped Udinese as Serie A’s potential surprise package this season, and with Roma back in the Champions League, he said the competition will finally reveal whether his side can match their domestic form on the European stage.