Donyell Malen transfer truth as Aston Villa respond to enquiry for £37m man
Borussia Dortmund reportedly asked about Ian Maatsen's situation in transfer talks with Aston Villa over Donyell Malen.
Sky Germany claim the German giants expressed an interest in taking Maatsen back to the Signal Iduna Park following his stint there last season, but Villa rebuffed their loan request as part of a deal which would see Malen go the other way. They add that Villa do not want to let Maatsen go this month and the player himself is focused on improving under Emery.
The Villa boss wants to sign Malen from Dortmund to add more versatility and pace to his frontline. The Dutch international has a price tag of £25m, but negotiations between Villa and Dortmund have continued. Jaden Philogene, who was re-signed from Hull City last summer, is expected to leave on loan in this window.
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Leon Bailey, who hit top form last season under challenge from Moussa Diaby, scored his first goal of the season in Saturday's win over Leicester City. He was assisted by Maatsen, who made an instant impact by winning the ball back just seconds after coming off the bench and then assisting Bailey to score.
Maatsen has only made two starts in the league this term against Southampton and Crystal Palace, but his game-changing influence in the victory over Leicester felt like it could be a breakthrough for him at Villa. The 22-year-old's starts have been limited in all competitions due to the form of Lucas Digne, who has arguably been the club's most consistent player since the start of last season.
While talks continue with Dortmund over signing Malen, Villa are also working to recruit a new right-back this month. Kosta Nedeljkovic will likely leave on loan as a result.
