Aston Villa have initiated negotiations with Borussia Dortmund to secure the signing of forward Donyell Malen, a player once controversially labeled “too fat” by an Arsenal coach before being sold.
Malen, who joined Arsenal in 2015, had high hopes when signing for the club. “When I learned Arsenal were interested, I felt so proud and excited,” he said at the time. “I was drawn to the club because of legends like Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry.”
However, his stint with Arsenal ended in 2017 when he moved to PSV for around £540,000. Reflecting on his departure, Malen recalled that Andries Jonker, Arsenal’s then head of youth development, criticized his fitness. “He said I came in too fat, which surprised me. I wasn’t match fit when I arrived, but too fat? No,” Malen stated. “Things were going well at Arsenal, but I wanted to leave for PSV when the opportunity arose.”
At PSV, Malen flourished, scoring 55 goals and providing 24 assists in 116 appearances. Despite Arsenal’s desire to extend his contract, Malen chose to return to the Netherlands. “I never played football for money. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have left England,” he said. “The claim that I was too fat is nonsense.”
His impressive performances at PSV earned him a £26 million transfer to Borussia Dortmund in 2021, where he replaced Jadon Sancho. Since joining the Bundesliga side, Malen has tallied 39 goals and 20 assists in 131 appearances but has struggled to secure consistent starts. Villa are reportedly discussing a deal worth £16.6 million plus bonuses, following Dortmund’s rejection of their initial £13.3 million bid.
If the deal is completed soon, Malen could make his Premier League debut against his former club Arsenal on January 18. A return to England might provide an opportunity for Malen to make a statement, particularly against the Gunners, whom he has yet to face in his career. His former coach, Brian Tevreden, once compared his playing style to Alexis Sanchez, highlighting his potential impact.
Villa, currently competing in the Champions League and chasing another European spot, would benefit from Malen’s versatility across the forward line. Whether a deal is finalized in time remains uncertain, but his signing could prove a significant boost to Villa’s ambitions this season.
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