Roma Reconsider Evan Ferguson Future As Donyell Malen Scores On Debut
Donyell Malen found the back of the net on his Roma debut and put Evan Ferguson's future in doubt.
Louis Fargher
Updated on 19 January 2026
Evan Ferguson could be made surplus to requirements in Italy as Donyell Malen scored just 26 minutes into his Roma debut.
Donyell Malen Stars On Debut
The Dutch international introduced himself to the Roma supporters superbly, as Malen found the back of the net within half-an-hour.
Malen joined the Giallorossi on loan with an option to buy on January 16th and was thrown into the starting eleven just two days later against Torino.
The 26-year-old thought he had opened his Roma account after 23-minutes, as Malen placed the ball into the bottom right corner before his strike was ruled out for offside by VAR.
Despite this set-back, the Dutch forward managed to regain his composure and put the Giallorossi ahead as Malen found the back of the net once again after a superb pass from Paulo Dybala just three-minutes later.
The Giallorossi have been desperate for a consistent source of goals as Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk continue to struggle under Gian Piero Gasperini.
Both Ferguson and Dovbyk missed the trip to Turin through injury, with the latter attracting interest from Leeds despite requiring hamstring surgery.
Roma managed to find a second against Torino in the absence of Fegruson and Dovbyk, as Dybala scored second league goal of the season with a rocket into the roof of the net.
Gasperini’s side cruised for the final stages of the match and secured all-three points to move back into the top four and Malen’s performance has put Evan Ferguson in a precarious position.
Roma Reconsider Evan Ferguson Future
The Irish international has struggled to adapt since joining Roma on loan during the summer window, as Ferguson has scored just three league goals and suffered multiple injuries.
Several Premier League stars have made their way to Italy this season, with the likes of Ferguson, Malen and Niclas Fullkrug all completing Serie A moves.
Fullkrug, who was recently the victim of a burglary, is a former teammate of Ferguson after the Irishman’s brief loan spell in East London last season.
The German will be hoping to show more than his former West Ham colleague has managed so far, as Roma are reportedly willing to cut Ferguson’s time in Italy short.
The Giallorossi have the option of signing Ferguson for around €37million at the end of the season, but Roma are unlikely to spend this much after the striker’s poor display so far.
Louis Fargher
Louis has been an avid soccer enthusiast for multiple years and boasts knowledge across several leagues in Europe - including Serie A. Louis holds a degree in Soccer Journalism and has produced content for multiple clubs in the United Kingdom.
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