Donyell Malen reveals Aston Villa text messages which helped to seal his transfer
New Aston Villa signing Donyell Malen has revealed that compatriot and his reunited teammate Ian Maatsen helped to sell the transfer to the forward after delivering a glowing assessment of the club he himself only joined in the summer transfer window.
Malen became Villa's first January addition on Tuesday evening when he agreed a move from Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund and is in line to make his Villa debut at Everton this evening (Wednesday, KO 7:30pm). On the international front, he plays alongside left-back Maatsen, who signed from Chelsea in the summer window.
The pair exchanged text messages when it became evident that a move for Malen was on the cards and Maatsen's summary of Villa left the attacker in no doubt that the move would prove to be a good fit. Having been in England with Arsenal previously, spending a couple of years in the Gunners' academy under Arsene Wenger, it's a 'dream come true' for the Dutchman to make a return to the Premier League.
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"Yeah, he texted me a few times and I spoke to him," Malen said of Maatsen. "He said very good things about the club, so I’m very happy to see him again. It’s a dream come true for sure. I’ve been in the Academy for Arsenal, and it was always a dream to play here. It’s finally happening, so I’m very happy.
"I’ve seen a lot of football. I’ve been in different leagues now. I’ve played Euros, I’ve played a lot of tournaments, so that creates a lot of character, so from there, I just have to show it."
Malen's numbers for Dortmund, indeed throughout his entire career to date including with PSV Eindhoven as well, are very impressive; the forward has scored 94 senior goals in 248 appearances, while he has also netted nine goals for the Netherlands across the course of the 41 caps he's earned.
"I’ll try to help the team and give them something, that’s one of my qualities," he added. "From there, I have to keep pushing and look up. I try to create, score goals, give assists and just give the stadium a buzz. Try to do special things. I think the ambitions, the plan of the coach. It’s a nice stadium. I’ve seen a lot this year. Those are the reasons. A lot of games, a lot of big games also, coming, so I’m very excited."
