Aston Villa Secures Donyell Malen in Major January Signing
Aston Villa have signed Dutch forward Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund, making him the first signing of the January transfer window. The Villa Park club have paid between €26m and €30m for the Dutch forward, plus bonuses, to highlight their desire to strengthen their squad as they seek to establish consistent performance in the Premier League and European competitions.
This has left Unai Emery’s side with a question mark over the depth of his squad as they have had a mixed campaign this season. To fill this gap with players who can fit into different roles, head coach Unai Emery and sporting director Monchi have focused on Malen’s signing, which is why bringing in the Borussia Dortmund forward is seen as so useful.
The Dutch forward Donyell Malen has always been a player who looks like a great talent but has not been consistent in his performances. The promise he showed has often gone unfulfilled.
New Beginning for Malen
Malen was signed from PSV Eindhoven in 2021 to replace Jadon Sancho, with Dortmund paying €30m for his transfer back then. His ability was clear, but his performance was often poor, so he was never a success in the Bundesliga.
The disadvantage was that Malen was used by Dortmund in different attacking positions—right, left, and even as a central striker. The Dutchman, however, has always said that his best positions are on the left wing or as a central forward. This lack of a well-defined role led to his failures at the German club.
Malen arrives at Aston Villa with a clean slate and the opportunity to establish himself in a system designed for his strengths. This could provide the clarity Malen needs to shine in Villa’s attacking options due to Emery’s tactical structure and emphasis on player roles. He is a good addition to the team, thanks to his speed, technical ability, and goal-scoring instincts.
This transfer has also been a long time coming for Malen, who has always wanted to play in the Premier League. It is a fresh start and a chance to show everyone that the doubters were wrong. Emery, however, needs to make sure that Malen can finally find that consistency that has eluded him and help the team achieve what it wants to achieve for the rest of the season.
