Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini revealed that Donnyell Malen's arrival at the club was unexpected.
Donnyell Malen
Club: Roma
Malen has been in excellent form since joining Roma last January from Aston Villa, having spent his first six months on loan before the Italian club triggered the purchase option in the summer.
Speaking during the Sport Festival in Trento, Roma's head coach said: "Sometimes, an unexpected opportunity in the market changes your plans. There were some names being discussed, and suddenly we heard that Aston Villa would sell Malen due to tactical issues."
He added, "He wanted to be a pure striker, and I always believed he was the best in that position, as he is extremely dangerous near the penalty area."
He concluded, "Frankly, I did not expect his numbers to be this impressive. I told him that Gonzalo Higuain scored 36 goals in Serie A in a single season, but I would be happy if he reached 30 goals."
Malen has scored 6 goals in the first 5 matchdays, topping the Serie A scoring charts, and won the Player of the Month award for both August and September in the competition.
During the second half of last season, he scored 14 goals in just 18 Serie A matches, whereas he managed only 7 goals in a season and a half with Aston Villa in the Premier League.
In total, the Dutch striker for the Wolves has scored 21 goals in 26 appearances across all competitions since his arrival.
Serie A leaders Roma are preparing to face Como after the international break.
This will be followed by a Champions League clash against Real Madrid.