Why Arsenal should bring Donyell Malen back to the Emirates

Donyell Malen

Why Arsenal should bring Donyell Malen back to the Emirates

In the list of promising young players Arsenal must wonder how on earth they let go, Serge Gnabry is the clear pace-setter.

But there is another exciting attacking prospect who slipped through the Gunners' net in 2017 and currently finds himself tearing it up for PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie.

Donyell Malen started out in the famed Ajax academy but made the switch to Arsenal in 2015, inspired by the likes of Dennis Bergkamp - who coached him in Ajax's under-10s - and the mercurial Dutchman's former strike partner.

"Thierry Henry is one of my all-time football heroes," Malen told the Arsenal website shortly after his arrival.

"Some people say we play similarly and I take that as a big, big compliment but it is not something I can say.

"It is true that he is a player that I watch videos of to learn from and try and bring what he did into my game."

Malen showed glimpses of his promise in Arsenal's FA Youth Cup run in 2015/16, getting on the scoresheet in the fifth-round triumph at Coventry and bagging in a losing cause against Manchester City in the last four. 

His progress continued the following season, so much so that he was included in the first-team squad for the tour of Australia and China in summer 2017.

Malen made his debut off the bench against Sydney FC, the same game which saw Alexandre Lacazette find the net on his first appearance in an Arsenal shirt - four years on, the pair could be set for a reunion.

A look at Malen's goal return for PSV, who he joined little over a month after his Gunners bow in Sydney, gives a clear indication as to why he is attracting interest.

He has hit double figures in each of his three full campaigns with the first team, finding the net 23 times this season in all competitions.

At 22, Malen remains several years from his peak and he is beginning to make an impression for the Netherlands national side, where his versatility is also shining through - he has featured on the left flank for the Dutch in this international break and tends to line up centrally for PSV.

Of course, there is always the risk of falling into the Eredivisie trap which has seen the likes of Mateja Kezman, Alfonso Alves and, just across north London, Vincent Janssen fail to translate their prolific Dutch domestic form into Premier League goals.

Malen is unlikely to get the array of opportunities he currently enjoys for a high-flying PSV, for whom he averages 3.85 shots per 90 minutes this season.

Arsenal could do with a player of his intent, however. Don't forget, in mid-November, Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had taken fewer Premier League shots than Harry Maguire - and Malen would no doubt arrive with a point to prove.

If Arsenal's interest is serious, they will have to stump up a fair bit more than the £5.5m they sold him for in August 2017. £25m is the mooted start point for negotiations and Arsenal are not the only English side interested.

But here is an opportunity to add spark to Arsenal's too-often blunt attack with a player the club should arguably never have let go in the first place - allowing him the belated opportunity to live his dream and follow in Henry's footsteps.

Photo: BSR Agency/Getty Images

Popular posts from this blog

What have we learned from Arsenal's pre-season so far?

Image
  Arsenal – what have we learned from pre-season? By Jack Lacey-Hatton It only feels five minutes since Euro 2020, but incredibly we are just one week away from the new Premier League season starting. Arsenal will travel to newly promoted Brentford for a London derby in front of a noisy crowd next Friday night, not the easiest of starts to the new campaign. But what sort of shape are Mikel Arteta’s side in, going into what could be a defining season for the manager? We took a close look at what we have learnt from the pre-season period and what kind of shape the squad are in.   The new signings are ready to go It has been a mixed transfer window so far. Some fans would have expected more both leaving and arriving at the Emirates stadium over the summer. But positives can be taken - Ben White has arrived from Brighton for £50million, and highly-rated full back Nuno Tavares has come in from Benfica. Albert Sambi Lokonga completes the 2021 summer singings so far. Cruc...
Read more

Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves

Image
Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves By Jonny Bray It is hard to believe that Ruben Neves is still only 25-years-old.   It feels as if the Portuguese international has been tipped for big things for nearly a decade now.  With the midfielder out of contract in 2023, it appears his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers could be coming to an end.  Understandably, with a player like Neves on offer for a reduced price, clubs around Europe are queueing up to secure the international's signature.  So, after all this time, should Arsenal move for Ruben Neves now, or is it time for the Gunners to turn their attention to a new target?  What would he bring?  Arsenal do not have enough defensive midfielders.  Martin Ødegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka give Mikel Arteta plenty of midfield options going forward, but the Gunners have been found lacking when out of possession this season. Thomas Partey has been in and out of the side due to injuries, a fact that has not hel...
Read more

Where will Arsenal finish this season?

Image
Where will Arsenal finish this season? By Alec McQuarrie Arsenal have made steady improvement over the last few seasons under Mikel Arteta. After finishing 8th in his debut season, the Spaniard oversaw a five-point improvement in his first full campaign.  And last year an eight-point leap followed, which was unfortunately not enough to pip Tottenham to fourth place.  Cruelly, the 69 points accumulated would have been enough to seal Champions League qualification in the previous two seasons.  Looking at the trajectory over the Arteta era, it would be fair to assume a continued improvement this coming season.  After all, with five signings already secured this summer and Alexandre Lacazette the sole first-team player to depart, surely fourth place should be a bare minimum expectation.  Oleksandr Zinchenko offers much-needed cover at left-back and competition for central midfield.  Gabriel Jesus is a proven goalscorer and brings a tireless work-ethic to fulfil...
Read more