Liverpool are reportedly in contact with 22-year-old Dutch international Donyell Malen’s agent Mino Raiola over a move this summer.
According to Dutch journalist Marco Timmer, whose comments for Voetball International have been relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool seem to have stepped up their efforts to sign Donyell Malen. Borussia Dortmund are also interested in signing the 22-year-old Dutch international from PSV Eindhoven in the summer transfer window.
Donyell Malen spent his formative years at Ajax and Arsenal before he went on to finish his footballing education at PSV Eindhoven. The young forward made his debut for the Dutch giants midway through the 2017/18 season and has since gone on to become a mainstay for the club.
To date, the 22-year-old has made 116 appearances for PSV while accumulating a tally of 55 goals and 24 assists. At the same time, he has also become a full-fledged Dutch international and is coming off a stellar 2020/21 campaign. And heading into the summer transfer window, his future at the Philips Stadion is as uncertain as it has ever been. Such a situation has alerted Liverpool.
Liverpool’s interest in Malen does not come as a surprise, following what was a difficult 2020/21 campaign for the club. While a lot of their struggles were down to the absence of defensive colossus Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah often had a lot to do in the final third, with Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane blowing hot and cold all through the season.
Last summer’s attacking arrival Diogo Jota did make a big impression in his maiden campaign at Anfield, but was also sidelined for long periods due to a couple of injuries. Therefore, in order to avoid a repeat of last season, it is prudent for Liverpool to bolster their attack with Malen a viable target. And recent reports had suggested that the Reds had plans to begin talks with the 22-year-old Dutch international.
Those rumours have now been corroborated by Marco Timmer, who told Voetball International, “He (Roger Schmidt) doesn’t really expect Malen and Dumfries back. I have spoken to some people within PSV who indicate there has been nobody concrete yet, not for Madueke. Not for Ihattaren, not for Dumfries, not for Malen yesterday.”
“Yes, of course, there are negotiations going on, and with that, it can also be counted on the negotiations that in this case, Mino Raiola is conducting with Dortmund or Liverpool, for example, for Malen and Inter and Everton for Dumfries, so he has been given that space. They are allowed to talk to other clubs, and then, at some point, it can go fast.”
As Timmer suggested, Denzel Dumfries has been heavily linked with Everton, with fellow Dutch international Malen on the transfer wishlist of cross-town rivals Liverpool. However, the Merseyside club face stiff competition from Borussia Dortmund in pursuit of the 22-year-old.
Malen is being eyed by Dortmund as a long-term replacement for Jadon Sancho, who has recently joined Manchester United. What now remains to be seen is if Liverpool can make swift progress in talks with Malen to get ahead of Dortmund or if they end up facing defeat in his pursuit.