Aston Villa transfer target Donyell Malen reveals 'nonsense' reason he left Arsenal
Aston Villa have wasted no time in trying to secure their first signing of the January transfer window. On just the second day of the window, it was revealed that the Villans are currently negotiating with Borussia Dortmund over the signature of forward Donyell Malen after having their first bid of £14.9 million rejected according to The Athletic .
Malen has been at Dortmund since 2021 after joining from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven following a breakout few seasons in the Netherlands in which he managed 79 goal contributions in 116 appearances.
Before stamping his mark at PSV, the 25-year-old spent two years in Arsenal's academy from 2015 to 2017, moving to London from Dutch giants Ajax. A young Malen enjoyed a decent spell with the Gunners and was included in their 2016/17 pre-season tour of Australia. However, the Netherlands international was eventually sold for a brutally honest reason.
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Speaking to Algemeen Dagblad five years ago, Malen revealed the reason for his sale.
"I heard him say that I was too fat when I arrived. That surprised me," the Dortmund forward admitted.
"They had already been working at Arsenal for two months when I arrived. Of course, you are not immediately at the same level. I was not yet match fit, but too fat? No... but I still wanted to leave Arsenal because I had the opportunity to sign for PSV. I took that chance."
"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."
"I still had a contract for a year and Arsenal even wanted to extend that," Malen continued.
"I don't play football for the money. I never did that. Otherwise I would not have left England."
The former Gunner could come back to haunt his old club as early as this month. Villa face Arsenal on January 18 in the second clash between the two sides this season and, should Unai Emery and the Villa hierarchy secure his services before then, Malen would have the opportunity to show his former side what they are missing.
Emery and president of football operations Monchi are looking to strengthen their team this month if the opportunity arises, and the availability of the Dutchman would be a coup in improving the depth of the forward line.
Malen has struggled to be a consistent figure in the Dortmund starting line-up in recent times with the Black and Yellow often undergoing changes in management and style. He has often been used on the right flank which is an area where Villa have struggled for form this season. Leon Bailey has failed to reach his standards that he set last season whereas young winger Jaden Philogene does not seem ready for a consistent starting place quite yet.
Dortmund's no.21 has managed 59 goal contributions in 131 matches and was the club's top scorer in the Bundesliga last term, managing 13 goals in the German top tier, a personal best.
Malen played eight times in Die Schwarzgelben's 2023/24 Champions League campaign in which they were runners-up, with the attacker appearing in the final against Real Madrid, coming on in the second half of his side's 2-0 loss to Real Madrid.
