CLUB SNAPSHOT: At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Club | AS Roma |
| League | Serie A |
| Manager | Gian Piero Gasperini |
| Stadium | Stadio Olimpico |
| Nickname | I Giallorossi |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Leading Scorer | Donyell Malen |
| Argentine Talisman | Paulo Dybala |
| Breakout Wide Threat | Matías Soulé |
| Summer Investment | Santiago Castro |
| Key Concern | Dybala’s declining availability |
The Defining Moment
Roma’s forward line entered 2026/27 with a clarity of hierarchy that few expected. Donyell Malen, the Dutch attacker whose loan spell from Aston Villa in January 2026 had produced 15 goals in 20 appearances, was made permanent and handed the central striker role in Gian Piero Gasperini’s system. Behind him, Paulo Dybala remained the technical reference point, his contract extended until 2027 despite a knee injury that had disrupted the previous campaign. Santiago Castro arrived from Bologna as a significant investment, while Rodrigo Mora joined from Porto as a long-term creative project.
The defining narrative of the season, however, has been the paradox of Dybala’s absence. The Argentine remains, in Gasperini’s words, “the key to aiming higher” and “among the very best, if not the best, in our league.” Yet his availability has declined precipitously: from 24 league appearances two years ago, to 22 last season, to just six of Roma’s opening eleven matches in 2026/27. The numbers without him are startling: Roma have scored 23 goals in seven matches without Dybala, an average of 3.2 per game, compared to 16 in eight with him, an average of exactly 2.0.
This is the story of Roma’s 2026/27 forwards: a Dutch striker who has become the team’s leading scorer, an Argentine maestro whose body is betraying his talent, and a supporting cast that has flourished in his absence.
Tactical Context
Gasperini’s attacking system at Roma is built around a central striker flanked by two creative forwards in the half-spaces. Malen occupies the central role, his pace and movement in behind offering a constant threat, while Dybala or Mora operates as the trequartista behind him, with Soulé providing width and directness from the right.
The early-season numbers reflect a forward line that has been remarkably productive. Roma have scored 31 goals in Serie A alone, the best attack in the division, with a further 10 in the Champions League. Malen has been the primary beneficiary, his eight league goals placing him among the division’s top scorers, while his 18 shots on target are the most of any player in Serie A. The goals have been distributed across the squad — 14 different players have found the net, including six defenders — but the forward line has provided the cutting edge.
The tactical question for Gasperini is how to manage Dybala’s declining availability without sacrificing the team’s attacking potency. The evidence so far suggests the answer lies in the emergence of Soulé and Mora. Without Dybala, Soulé has taken on greater responsibility, contributing two goals and three assists in six matches without the Argentine, compared to two goals and two assists in eight with him. Mora, meanwhile, has started to make an impact, scoring three goals in his last three matches, including a brace against Sassuolo.
The Forwards
Donyell Malen
Malen is Roma’s leading scorer and the focal point of Gasperini’s attack. The 27-year-old Dutch international arrived initially on loan from Aston Villa in January 2026 and made an immediate impact: 15 goals in 20 appearances convinced Roma to make the move permanent, tying him to the club until 2030.
His profile suits Gasperini’s system. Malen possesses the speed to attack space, the flexibility to drift into wide areas, and the finishing instincts to convert the chances that Roma’s creative players provide. His hat-trick against Fiorentina on the opening day of the season set the tone for a campaign in which he has become the team’s most reliable source of goals. His 18 shots on target are the most in Serie A, a statistic that reflects both his volume of opportunities and his willingness to test goalkeepers from range.
At 27, Malen is in his prime. The chemistry he has developed with Dybala — “Playing with him is a blessing, the connection was immediate,” Malen said — offers Gasperini a combination that can unlock the tightest defences. The concern is not quality but dependency: when Malen is absent or isolated, Roma’s attack loses its most direct threat.
Paulo Dybala
Dybala is Roma’s most gifted forward and its most fragile. The 32-year-old Argentine, whose contract was extended until June 2027, remains the technical reference point of Gasperini’s attack. His expected assists (3.42) lead Serie A, his eight big chances created rank second, and his four assists rank third — all achieved in just six appearances.
The problem is availability. Dybala has played only 492 minutes in Serie A this season, the equivalent of 5.4 full matches, and his trend of declining minutes is unmistakable. Gasperini’s optimism — “Forget silk muscles, Paulo is a beast and can play every game” — cannot mask the reality that Roma have learned to function without him. The paradox is that his absence has accelerated the development of Soulé and Mora, giving Roma a dimension of attacking depth that was previously absent.
When fit, Dybala remains indispensable. His connection with Malen is immediate and intuitive, and his ability to create chances from nothing offers Roma a solution against deep-lying defences. The challenge for Gasperini is managing his minutes to preserve him for the matches that matter most.
Matías Soulé
Soulé has been the primary beneficiary of Dybala’s absence and one of the season’s most encouraging developments. The 23-year-old Argentine, who struggled for consistency in previous campaigns, has taken on greater responsibility without his compatriot in the team.
His numbers reflect his growth. In seven Serie A appearances, Soulé has scored two goals and provided one assist, with 18 shots and nine on target. More importantly, his overall influence has expanded: he asks for the ball more, takes on defenders with greater conviction, and has become a technical leader in Dybala’s stead. The mental shift is as significant as the statistical one. As Il Messaggero observed, without Dybala, Soulé “has taken the team on his shoulders, started scoring, providing assists, asking for and receiving the ball.”
At 23, Soulé is entering the phase of his career where potential must translate into consistent output. His development is central to Roma’s long-term attacking plans.
Santiago Castro
Castro is the summer investment who has had to be patient. The 22-year-old Argentine arrived from Bologna, where he had scored 22 goals in 105 appearances, and was handed the number nine shirt. His profile — physically robust, capable of holding up play and operating in the penalty area — offers a different dimension to Malen’s mobility.
His minutes have been limited by Malen’s form, but Gasperini views him as a genuine alternative rather than a mere backup. In nine appearances, Castro has contributed one goal and one assist, with his opportunities likely to increase as the fixture list congestes. At 22, he has time to develop into a more significant contributor.
Rodrigo Mora
Mora is the long-term project who has already begun to deliver. The 19-year-old Portuguese playmaker arrived from Porto for a reported €25 million, with Porto retaining 50% of any future sale. His technical quality, creativity in tight spaces, and ability to operate between the lines made him an ideal fit for Gasperini’s system.
His impact has exceeded expectations. Mora has scored four goals in nine appearances, including three in his last three matches, and has started to establish himself as a regular in the rotation. The comparison with Dybala is inevitable and, in the short term at least, unkind to the veteran: Mora is available, and he is producing.
At 19, Mora represents the future of Roma’s attack. His development will be carefully managed, but his trajectory suggests a player capable of becoming a central figure in the post-Dybala era.
The Numbers Game
TABLE A: Roma Forward Serie A Statistics (2026/27)
| Player | Apps (Starts) | Minutes | Goals | Assists | G+A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donyell Malen | 10 (9) | 645 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| Matías Soulé | 11 (8) | 762 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Rodrigo Mora | 9 (5) | 398 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Santiago Castro | 9 (1) | 333 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Paulo Dybala | 6 (—) | 492 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
TABLE B: Roma Forward Unit – Key Metrics (2026/27)
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Team Goals (Serie A) | 31 | Best attack in the division |
| Malen Shots on Target | 18 | Most in Serie A |
| Goals Without Dybala | 23 in 7 matches | 3.2 per game |
| Goals With Dybala | 16 in 8 matches | 2.0 per game |
TABLE C: Forward Career Context & Pedigree
| Player | Nationality | Previous Clubs | Style Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donyell Malen | Netherlands | Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund | Pace, movement, clinical finisher |
| Paulo Dybala | Argentina | Juventus, Palermo | Creative trequartista, set-piece specialist, injury-prone |
| Matías Soulé | Argentina | Juventus, Frosinone | Direct right winger, left-footed, improving end product |
| Santiago Castro | Argentina | Bologna | Physical centre-forward, hold-up play, penalty-box presence |
| Rodrigo Mora | Portugal | Porto | Creative playmaker, technical, development prospect |
Tactical Identity & Squad Balance
Roma’s forward line is a unit in transition, caught between Dybala’s diminishing availability and the emergence of a new generation. Malen has been the constant, his goals providing the foundation upon which Roma’s title challenge is built. Soulé and Mora have flourished in Dybala’s absence, offering Gasperini options that were not available a season ago. Castro provides a physical alternative that complements Malen’s mobility.
The paradox of Dybala’s absence is that it has made Roma less predictable. When the Argentine plays, the team’s attacking play naturally gravitates toward him. Without him, responsibility is distributed more evenly, and opponents cannot focus their defensive efforts on a single creative source. The numbers support this: Roma score more goals per game without Dybala than with him.
Yet the Argentine remains, in Gasperini’s assessment, the player who can elevate Roma to a higher level. The challenge for the manager is finding the balance between preserving Dybala for the matches that matter most and allowing Soulé and Mora to continue their development. The January window is unlikely to bring forward reinforcements — Roma’s investment in Castro and Mora was significant, and the priority lies elsewhere — but the current group possesses the quality and depth to sustain a title challenge.
The Verdict from the Camp
Gasperini on Dybala’s importance:
“Paulo is the key to aiming higher. At 32, he is at the peak of his maturity, he is a player who today is among the very best, if not the best, in our league.”
Malen on playing with Dybala:
“Playing with him is a blessing, the connection was immediate. You don’t need to explain where you’re going, he already knows where to give you the ball with perfect timing.”
Il Messaggero on Soulé’s growth without Dybala:
“Since Paulo stopped, Matias has become a different player. He has taken the team on his shoulders, started scoring, providing assists, asking for and receiving the ball. In short, he has taken on responsibility, transforming into a sort of technical leader.”
Where Next?
Roma’s forward priority for 2026/27 is managing the transition from Dybala to the next generation without sacrificing the title challenge. Malen must continue his goalscoring form, Soulé must sustain his development, and Mora must prove that his recent run of goals is a sign of things to come rather than a fleeting purple patch.
The longer-term question is Dybala’s future. His contract expires in June 2027, and MLS clubs are reportedly interested. Roma must decide whether to offer another extension to a player whose body is increasingly unreliable, or to let him leave and invest the resources in the players who have already begun to fill his void.
For now, the focus is on the next match and the next goal. Roma’s attack is the best in Serie A, and the depth at Gasperini’s disposal is a luxury few expected. If Malen stays fit, if Soulé continues to grow, and if Dybala can contribute in the moments that matter most, Roma’s forward line is the foundation of a genuine Scudetto challenge. If the Argentine’s body fails him again, the evidence suggests Roma can cope — but the margin between coping and conquering is thin.
