Liverpool can finally gain revenge on Arsenal for signing Alexis Sanchez by acquiring the services of his successor, Donyell Malen. The Borussia Dortmund star has been in electric form so far this season, drawing him comparisons to the ex-Gunners star and catching the eye of several top clubs around Europe.
Jurgen Klopp orchestrated a major rebuild at Anfield over the summer, with the focus being on freshening up his midfield ranks. Ageing stars like Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner were allowed to leave the squad, creating space and funds for younger replacements.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo arrived as replacements, and the quartet have all settled in at Merseyside. Liverpool are now keen to divert their attention to other departments during the January transfer window.
According to BILD, the Reds are admirers of Malen and view him as the ideal candidate to provide an alternative option in the final third, despite the plethora of attacking talent already at the club.
Malen has scored four goals in 12 Bundesliga appearances, though that undersells his impact at the Signal Iduna Park. The Netherlands international’s versatility has provided manager Edin Terzic with plenty of flexibility by being able to play on both wings and through the middle as a No 9.
Liverpool are said to be keen to explore a move for Malen in the January transfer window, and signing the ex-PSV may be the ideal revenge to enact on Arsenal. The 24-year-old came through the academy in north London before opting to head to the Eredivisie due to his lack of opportunities at the Emirates Stadium.
Malen’s close control and pace has seen him compared with former Arsenal star Sanchez, and that could be the push that Liverpool need to pursue the forward aggressively. When it became clear that Sanchez did not have a future at Barcelona in 2014, the Reds registered an interest in acquiring the services of the Chilean playmaker and were desperate to secure his signature.
However, despite entertaining the pursuit by Liverpool, the now-Inter Milan star had his head turned by Arsenal and snubbed all other interest in favour of joining the Gunners. The Reds were forced to turn their attention to alternative targets Mario Balotelli, Divock Origi and Rickie Lambert. Thus, signing Malen would be the ideal way to get one up on Arsenal, especially if the forward can hit the ground running in the Premier League.
