Ex-Premier League stars finding new life in Serie A — and more

Donyell Malen is only the last player to shine in Serie A after a move from the Premier League, following in the footsteps of Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay.

With six goals scored in his opening seven Serie A matches, ex-Aston Villa striker Malen has had a tremendous impact at Roma, becoming the second-best European top-scorer after Harry Kane since his move to the Olimpico.

His impact in the Serie A title race has given Roma a boost on “Anglia Bet“ as the Giallorossi fight for a top-four finish.

Malen’sbig Roma impact

After Round 27, the Giallorossi sit 4th in the standings, with a three-point lead over Como and four points more than Juventus.

Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini recently explained how he convinced Malen to join the team from Aston Villa during the winter transfer window.

“He played for Aston Villa and the national team. The way I convinced him to come and play for Roma was by telling him, ‘You’ll play.’ He often ended up on the wing, but for me, he’s a striker, and he wanted this. A striker doesn’t have to be 1,90m tall,” said the Giallorossi boss.

“I think we are already on a good level, but everything can improve. If you lose strikers for one and a half months, it becomes more difficult for everyone.”

Malen is the last player to have had an immediate impact on Serie A after a move from the Premier League.

One of the most notable examples is McTominay at Napoli. The Scotland star won the Scudetto in his first year at the Stadio Maradona and was named the best player in the league in 2024-25.

One year after his move to Naples, another Manchester United player followed him as the Partenopei signed Hojlund from Old Trafford.

The Dane has grabbed 13 goals and provided four assists in 34 appearances under Antonio Conte so far this season.

Back in 2019-20, Romelu Lukaku made the difference for Inter after a move from Manchester United, helping the club win the Scudetto in his second season at the Stadio Meazza, also under Conte.

Danilo, a former Manchester City defender, is another player who has won the Serie A title, lifting the trophy with Juventus in 2019-20.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 05: Fikayo Tomori of AC Milan warms up prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 05, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Fikayo Tomori won the domestic title with Milan in his second season in 2021-22 after completing a permanent move from Chelsea.

Talking about Milan and Chelsea, how can we not mention Christian Pulisic, another player who has surely improved his game since moving from Stamford Bridge to San Siro?

Captain America has only won one Supercoppa at Milan, but has scored 42 goals in 124 games with the Rossoneri, justifying his €20m price tag.

British number one Emma Raducanu says she wants to "bring my instincts back out" as she prepares for Indian Wells in California.

Despite being in the decisive stretch of the 2025/26 season and amid the upcoming presidential elections at Barcelona, the club’s sporting department, led by director Deco, continues to work on planning the squad for next season.

As has been well-established by now, a new left-footed centre-back is one of the priority signings for Barça, with names like Alessandro Bastoni and Micky van de Ven being touted as possible targets for the La Liga champions.

Deco eyes Nathan Ake of Manchester City

However, according to SPORT, one of the defenders most appreciated by Deco is Nathan Ake, currently under contract with Manchester City until 2027.

The 31-year-old Dutch international is viewed internally as a player who could fit both sporting and financial requirements for the Blaugrana.

Ake offers versatility, being able to play as a left-sided centre-back or left-back, which suits the needs of coach Hansi Flick.

Nathan Ake remains on Deco’s radar. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Moreover, within club offices, there is a belief that Manchester City might be open to negotiating his departure, considering the depth in the centre-back department.

After all, Ake has not been a regular starter under Pep Guardiola this season, playing 1,129 minutes across 24 matches, with only 12 starts, many of them in the cup competitions.

As such, Barcelona see Ake as a possible market opportunity in the club’s complicated financial context. Although the club recently received positive news regarding its salary limit, significant financial caution is still required.

The priority investment is expected to go toward signing a centre-forward, meaning that a relatively affordable defensive option could be attractive.

Barcelona already considered signing Ake during the winter transfer window after the long-term injury to Andreas Christensen. Ultimately, the club opted to bring in Joao Cancelo on loan instead. Even so, he remains on Deco’s shortlist.