Aston Villa are reportedly in discussions to secure the services of Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund, a move that could present the forward with a compelling opportunity to face his former club, Arsenal, in the near future.
Malen, who began his professional journey with Arsenal in 2015, has often reflected on his early excitement about joining the London club. "When I found out Arsenal were interested in me I felt so proud and excited. Arsenal was a club that had always interested me for two main reasons - Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry," he recalled. However, his tenure with the Gunners came to an end in August 2017 when he transferred to PSV Eindhoven for approximately £540,000. In hindsight, Malen has spoken candidly about his departure, recalling a disparaging comment from Andries Jonker, the then head of youth development at Arsenal. "I heard him say that I came in too fat. That surprised me. They had already been working at Arsenal for two months when I arrived. Then of course you are not immediately at the same level... I was not yet match fit, but too fat? No. It was going well in England, but I still wanted to leave Arsenal because I had the opportunity to sign for PSV. I took that chance," he explained.
During his time at PSV, Malen flourished, scoring 55 goals and providing 24 assists in 116 competitive appearances. Despite Arsenal's interest in retaining him, he opted for a move to the Netherlands. "I still had a contract for a year and Arsenal even wanted to extend that," he stated. "I don't play football for the money. I never did that. Otherwise, I would not have left England. There are stories that I was not fit when I came to Arsenal. But I have never been too fat, that really is a nonsense story."
In 2021, Malen's impressive performances earned him a £26 million transfer to Borussia Dortmund, where he stepped into the void left by Jadon Sancho's move to Manchester United. After three years in the Bundesliga, Aston Villa are keen to bring him back to England, potentially marking his debut in the Premier League, as reported by The Mirror.
Current negotiations suggest that Dortmund are seeking £16.6 million, plus additional bonuses, after rejecting Aston Villa's initial bid of £13.3 million. Malen appears poised for a change, having struggled to secure consistent playing time in Germany, where he has scored 39 goals and provided 20 assists in 131 matches.
The timing of Malen's potential transfer could be pivotal, as Aston Villa are set to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on January 18. This match could have significant implications for Arsenal's title ambitions. Notably, Malen has yet to compete against Arsenal in his professional career, and the Dutch international would likely relish the chance to make an impact against his former team.
While it remains uncertain whether the transfer will be finalised in time for the upcoming fixture, Malen's addition to Villa would undoubtedly pose a considerable threat to Arsenal's usually robust defence, given his versatility in attack. Currently, Villa are performing admirably in the Champions League and are vying for another European spot this season, making the prospect of Malen's arrival all the more intriguing.