‘Arsenal instructed me I used to be too fats and bought me – now I might destroy their title race’
Aston Villa are in talks to sign Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund – and the forward could face Arsenal in the Premier League title race this season
Former Arsenal star Donyell Malen looks set to sign for Aston Villa and could come back to haunt the title-chasing Gunners.
The Dutch forward is currently in talks to join the Midlanders from Borussia Dortmund after Villa had a bid previously rejected. And the 25-year-old – who has nine goals in 41 games for his country – may prove to be a thorn in the side of his former club.
Malen became part of the Gunners’ setup in 2015, later expressing his pride and excitement at the opportunity to join a Premier League club he admired, largely due to the influence of Arsenal legends Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry. The Netherlands international spent a couple of years honing his skills within the Arsenal academy before making a move to PSV in August 2017 for a reported £540,000.
In a past interview, Malen revealed the then-head of youth development at Arsenal, Andries Jonker, had described him as being “too fat” prior to his departure from the club. Malen responded to the claim, saying: “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.”
He added: “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,” reports the Express.
Malen’s decision to join PSV proved to be a pivotal moment in his career, as he went on to rack up 55 goals and 24 assists in 116 appearances for the Dutch outfit. Reflecting on his time at Arsenal, he said: “I still had a contract for a year and Arsenal even wanted to extend that.
“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, he made a move from PSV to Dortmund for a hefty £26million, stepping into the shoes of Jadon Sancho who transferred to Manchester United. Fast forward three-and-a-half years, and Villa are now in talks about bringing Malen back to England, giving him his first experience of the Premier League.
Negotiations are underway, with Dortmund reportedly demanding £16.6m plus bonuses for the adaptable forward after turning down an initial £13.3m bid from Villa. Malen appears ready for a change, having found regular starts hard to come by at the Bundesliga club.
During his stint in Germany, he has racked up 39 goals and 20 assists in 131 matches. He also boasts nine goals in 41 appearances for his country. A quick look at Villa’s upcoming fixtures reveals that Malen’s potential return to England, where he played 67 times for Arsenal’s youth teams, could deliver a blow to the Gunners. The north Londoners are set to face Villa on January 18.
Malen – once likened to Alexis Sanchez by his former Ajax youth coach Brian Tevreden – has yet to play against Arsenal. And what a thrill it would be for him to send a message to the Gunners and potentially disrupt their title campaign by shining at the Emirates.
Whether the deal will be finalised by then is uncertain, but he’s undoubtedly a player who could pose a threat to Arsenal’s sturdy defence – even as a substitute – if he signs with Villa in the forthcoming 10 to 12 days. Villa evidently sees a chance to secure a potent and adaptable forward at a fair price.
Under the guidance of ex-Gunners manager Unai Emery, Malen will be eager to demonstrate that Arsenal made a mistake in letting him go, as they try to catch league leaders Liverpool.
