Donyell Malen was let go by Arsenal in 2017. (GETTY Images)
According to a report by Sky Sports Germany (h/t Liverpool Echo), Liverpool are set to open talks with Donyell Malen. The PSV Eindhoven striker has impressed over the past few seasons and has now caught the eye of the Reds. A deal for him, according to The Athletic (h/t The Express) can cost somewhere around £25.6million.
The report goes on to mention that the Dutch side are open to offloading the 22-year-old in the summer. He was formerly at Arsenal, but he left their youth side to join PSV in the summer of 2017- a move the Gunners would now certainly be regretting. And here we look at why signing Donyell Malen makes a lot of sense for the 19-time English champions.
Liverpool scored their fair share of goals this season. However, you could not help but notice Roberto Firmino’s scoring stats. The Brazilian managed 9 goals in 48 games throughout the course of the campaign – a number that is pretty underwhelming for a striker. Hence, Klopp should look at providing some competition for Firmino up top.
While Firmino’s role in the Liverpool team extends beyond just scoring, goals are still vital for any team’s silverware chances and it is an added bonus if your striker is scoring at a good rate. Increased competition for starts can motivate players to do well and would give the manager different options if things are not going right.
Currently, it doesn’t seem like Liverpool possess that luxury. Divock Origi is the direct backup for Firmino, but Jurgen Klopp does not seem to trust him anymore. That is reflected in the fact that the Belgian only had 181 minutes of Premier League football this season.
Moreover, with the Mirror report that Origi is one of the 4 players that can exit the club in the summer. That certainly raises the question of depth up front. Diogo Jota, who was signed from Wolves last summer, is certainly one option. But the Portuguese international already has the task of competing for a spot on the flanks.
Jota’s competition should be with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah so that the team has ample a reliable option if either of them is unavailable. Moreover, Klopp has already shown his intention of playing Jota, Firmino, Salah, and Mane in one team. That means the Merseysiders are really in a pickle with regards to depth up top.
And Malen can be that man. Even his price tag seems reasonable and at his young age, he can develop even more and make the centre-forward position at Anfield his own in the years to come. For now, he would act as a vital backup for Firmino and can even act as a competitor for the Brazilian.
The youngster is also well aware of where the goal is. He managed 27 goals and 10 assists over the course of this Eredivisie season. Numbers and statistics aren’t the only things a team should consider when buying a player – but it can’t be denied that an in-form striker comes across as a more lucrative option than one who is struggling in front of goal.
