With Donyell Malen linked with a move to Tottenham, Spurs Web has crunched the numbers to see how he compares with Omar Marmoush and Dominic Solanke, and whether the Dutchman will be a fit for Roberto De Zerbi’s style.Tottenham Hotspur’s results have turned around after three consecutive wins, but goalscoring remains an issue. At the moment, the strikers at Spurs are just not scoring enough, with Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush having a combined two goals so far this season, one apiece.That is certainly a cause for concern, and Roberto De Zerbi has stated that it is something he wants to see improve. Speaking after Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, the Spurs manager called for his players to be a lot more ruthless in front of goal.He said: “I’m very happy for the performance, because we showed to be a mature team, with clear ideas. We didn’t concede a counter-attack, maybe just one in the second half. We created many, many chances.“If we want to follow perfection, we have to be more nasty, no? That is an individual thing, because if I’m number nine, number 10, I want to score. But I can’t say nothing.”Asked whether it is just the forwards he wants to be more ruthless, De Zerbi replied: “From everyone.”On how he can get that mentality across to his players, he added: “I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know because today we won 2-0, but 28 shots. I think we played also very well because many times against 10 players, not 11, it’s always difficult to find the space.“The spaces are very small. You have to move the ball quickly to put the ball from Mathys Tel to Kudus to move the opponent. If you want to play between the lines, you have to be perfect.“Otherwise, you lose the ball and you concede a counter-attack. For example, the second goal, we know very well that situation. The ball on the second post.“Also in the first half, Mathys put the ball for Kudus in the same goal. I think we can be more precise in that situation if we want to score more goals.”Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty ImagesHow Donyell Malen compares with Tottenham’s strikersHowever, while the Tottenham forwards look to improve that side of their game, Spurs continue to be linked with numerous strikers ahead of the winter window.This includes forwards with several more goals than the strikers available to De Zerbi. Nicolo Tresoldi has been linked with a move to Tottenham, as have Varela and, more recently, Donyell Malen.These forwards have a combined 34 goals between them across all competitions, with Tresoldi scoring 13 in 15 appearances, including four in the Champions League, Varela popping up with nine in nine in Serie A, and Malen boasting an impressive 12 goals in 13, including four goals in four Champions League appearances and eight goals in nine Serie A games.2026/27 season stats2026/27 season statsTresoldiMalenVarelaSolankeMarmoushClubClub BruggeRomaMonzaSpursSpursApps (all)151310119Goals (all)13121121Assists (all)13110League apps109998League goals88911League assists11110League mins775575760443594It is clear from the links that Tottenham are aiming to bring in forwards capable of finding the back of the net. But how does Donyell Malen compare with the strikers at Spurs? Spurs Web has now crunched the numbers.Could Donyell Malen replicate his Roma form at Tottenham?The Netherlands international clearly has more goals than Solanke and Marmoush combined, and has even scored just two fewer league goals than the entire Tottenham team has managed in the Premier League.These are impressive numbers, and one would expect that, should he come into the team, he will be in prime position to improve the side’s output.But in football, it is not always as simple as that. First, we have to consider the league and team Donyell Malen is playing in, and whether he will be able to replicate such success at Tottenham.Malen, as we know, has featured in the Premier League under Unai Emery at Aston Villa, but he never proved to be a consistent goalscoring threat.All-time Premier League record: Solanke vs Malen vs MarmoushAll-time Premier League recordDonyell MalenSolankeMarmoushPL club(s)Aston VillaLiverpool, Bournemouth, SpursMan City, SpursApps3518545Goals74211Assists1175Minutes94312,4232,476Mins per goal135296225That is because at Villa, Malen was never the focal point in attack, with Ollie Watkins often deployed as the main striker.However, under Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini, the Netherlands international looks to have found his goalscoring form, and that is down to how he is being utilised.As opposed to his Villa days, Malen now has a more central role as the striker, and that has led to his upturn in form, with the Dutchman grabbing 26 goals in the 2026 calendar year, more than Ballon d’Or winner Harry Kane.League goals in 2026 (calendar year)League goals in 2026MalenKaneLeagueSerie ABundesligaApps2724Goals2221How Gasperini gets the best out of MalenBut how is he used at Roma, and how is Gasperini able to get the most out of the forward? A few things stand out. With the Serie A side, Malen is barely tasked with any defensive responsibilities. Instead, his focus is mainly to stay up front and be ready for counter-attacks and quick transitions.This tactical approach allows Malen’s pace to be utilised, as his speed remains a vital weapon on the break. In fact, the striker barely has to do much physical work or hold-up play at Roma. His main role is to play on the shoulder of defenders and receive passes in behind.Another thing Malen does really well is running the channels. This is hardly surprising, as he was naturally a winger before being converted into a centre-forward.This ability works in favour of the rest of the team, as he is able to pull defenders out of position with his channel runs. Malen is also a threat in the box, capable of positioning himself well for tap-ins, which is another of his core attributes.Why Malen looks the perfect De Zerbi strikerWell, based on the forward’s style of play, he currently stands out as the perfect De Zerbi striker. One could even argue that what Malen is doing at Roma is exactly what Spurs had in mind when they signed Marmoush.A forward who is not especially physical, but capable of running the channels, being a threat in the opposition box and possessing decent enough pace to get in behind defences, is exactly what Marmoush was meant to bring to Spurs.But so far, the Egyptian has yet to deliver on that front, and that has even led to De Zerbi testing him out wide, and even behind the striker.Looking at Malen’s underlying numbers, he comes out on top in many key stats compared with Spurs’ main strikers.Donyell Malen v Dominic Solanke v Omar Marmoush – 2026/27 percentile rankingsMetricDonyell MalenDominic SolankeOmar MarmoushClubRomaTottenham HotspurTottenham HotspurAge272927Non-penalty goals99.523.719.3npxG100.072.57.7Goal conversion %72.515.015.0Aerial duels won %68.179.24.8Touches in box97.180.222.2xA52.732.939.6Offensive duels won90.329.584.5Minutes played595497632With such numbers, and given the form the Dutchman is in, there is every reason to believe that he could well come in and improve the situation at Spurs, as he possesses the ruthlessness De Zerbi wants to see from his players.READ MORE: Data shows Tottenham midfield has jumped from 17th to fourth-best in Premier LeagueThe post Donyell Malen vs Tottenham’s strikers: how the numbers compare appeared first on Spurs Web.