Liverpool were reminded of why they should be tempted to fork out £52million for Borussia Dortmund star Donyell Malen on Wednesday night. The forward shone against Newcastle earlier this week, showcasing that he could thrive in the Premier League.
The Reds are expected to be in the market for another forward in the January transfer window, with the club looking to bolster their options out wide. With Mohamed Salah still a top target for Saudi Arabian sides, having a successor on the right is viewed as a necessary piece of pre-planning.
Several forwards have been linked with a move to Anfield over the past few months as a result, with Malen frequently mentioned as a name on the shortlist. The ex-Arsenal academy star has shone at the Signal Iduna Park this season, scoring three goals in his last eight Bundesliga appearances.
Malen can play anywhere across the frontline, and his versatility is expected to be one of his most attractive attributes to Klopp given that the German boss is often keen to have a fluid attack that allows for rotation. A fee in the region of £52m has been speculated as enough to test the resolve of Dortmund for the 24-year-old, and he may have justified such a fee on Wednesday night.
Malen shone against Newcastle in his side’s 1-0 win at St James’ Park, proving a nightmare for Eddie Howe’s defence to deal with. The Netherlands international’s pace and energy on the counter-attack prompted the Magpies to have to defend deeper, fearful that the No 21 would be able to race in behind.
Although, on paper, Malen started out on the left wing, the forward drifted across the attack frequently and proved to be a real handful for Kieran Trippier to deal with – reluctant to follow his man inside and open up space for left-back Ramy Bensebaini.
