Borussia Dortmund identify Netherlands’ Euro 2020 star Donyell Malen as potential replacement for Jadon Sancho

Liverpool & Dortmund are interested in Holland striker Donyell Malen. PSV Eindhoven want £34m for the 22-year-old. Reports in Germany claim that the Reds are set to ‘open talks’ with Malen over a possible summer transfer, with Michael Edwards pushing for the transfer to be completed. The Reds are looking to match his asking price to bring the player at Anfield. Borussia Dortmund on the other hand, see Malen as a potential replacement for Jadon Sancho, who is very likely to move to Manchester United this transfer window.

According to Sky Sports Germany, talks have already begun for the Reds to bring the forward to Anfield this summer as Jurgen Klopp looks to mix things up in his front three.

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Borussia Dortmund’s interest in Donyell Malen

The 22-year-old has caught the attention of a number of clubs which includes the German side Borussia Dortmund as well. Jadon Sancho has been linked with Manchester United for a long time now and it looks like the transfer is surely happening this summer.

Die Schwarzgelbens are looking to replace Sancho with the Dutch striker. Donyell Malen is primarily a centre forward but can also play in the wing. The 22-year-old is a versatile player and can challenge the likes of Diogo Jota or Roberto Firmino in the forward.

The 22-year-old is currently a part of Frank De Boer’s Euro 2020 squad. He has appeared in all three games at Euro 2020 so far, starting once and coming off the bench twice, providing two assists in the competition as his team topped their group with three wins. The Dutch international had an outstanding season for Eindhoven where he scored 27 goals & 10 assists in 40 appearances for the club.

Donyell Malen arrived in Arsenal from Ajax academy in 2015. He played for the youth team between 2015-2017. He was sold for just £540k to PSV Eindhoven in 2017.

“It was going well in England, but I still wanted to leave Arsenal because I had the opportunity to sign for PSV. I took that chance,” he told Eindhoven’s Dagblad.

Andries Jonker was in charge of Arsenal’s youth setup in those days. In an interview he called Donyell Malen ‘too fat’ to fit into the squad.

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“I heard him say that I came in too fat. That surprised me,” Donyell Malen told Algemeen Dagblad.

“They had been working at Arsenal for two months when I came. Of course, you are not immediately on the same level. I was not yet in a good fit, but too fat? No.”

In an interview Jonker commented about Donyell Malen’s fitness issues: “That boy has had a remarkable time at Arsenal. When he came, he was seen as a great talent, but he turned out not to be fit at all and we had doubts as to whether he really went for it.”

Dutch manager Frank De Boer is full of praises for the youngster

Former Ajax manager Frank de Boer admitted that the club were less than pleased to lose Donyell Malen to Arsenal in 2015.

“He has a lot of talent,” de Boer said.

“I know him from his Ajax period. He actually was to be the successor to (Kasper) Dolberg. He then went to Arsenal and did not come back. He is really a good player, but is still a young talent”.

“He is certainly a nice boy. He played at Ajax in youth. We were a bit pissed off because he went to Arsenal. We saw him as a full-fledged Ajax player.”

PSV Eindhoven would accept anything around £34m for the young striker. His contract with the club runs till 2024. The Reds need to pay his release clause to bring him back in the Premier League. The Reds are looking to sell a number of players this season so the asking price won’t be a problem.

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