Arsenal’s Hale End academy has produced some excellent talents in the past few years, and Borussia Dortmund star Donyell Malen is just one name currently lightning up European football after leaving north London.
The Dutch international spent two years with Arsenal after joining from Ajax in 2015. Yet despite impressing at youth level and looking like a player who could have broken into the first-team, Malen was sold to PSV in 2017, and the decision proved to be a disastrous one for Arsenal.
The now-22-year-old striker flourished upon his return to the Netherlands as Malen established himself as one of the best finishers in the country and a new leading man for the national team, with the youngster this summer winning a move to Dortmund.
Indeed, Arsenal have had many players depart the club before going on to flourish at senior level, such as Serge Gnabry and Jeff Reine-Adelaide. Yet with the club’s current striker problems, Malen’s success, in particular, stings.
Whilst Malen has taken some time to adjust to German football, the forward is now flourishing with Dortmund, with the striker last night scoring his fourth goal in the last five games for the Bundesliga giants in a dominating display.
Indeed, Dortmund headed into last night’s match against Besiktas with not much to play for, yet that didn’t stop Marco Rose’s side from dispatching the Turkish side with a thrilling 5-0 win, with Malen scoring the opener.
The west German side will drop down into the UEFA Europa League in the New Year, and with the future of Erling Haaland in the balance, Malen could well become Dortmund’s starting man up-front in 2022 should his attacking partner depart.
Arsenal fans rage as Malen lights up Europe with Dortmund
With Malen on the scoresheet in the Champions League for Dortmund, some Arsenal fans on social media are fuming that their former academy star is lighting up Europe whilst the Gunners have no continental football at all this season.
Here’s what some Arsenal fans had to say about Malen’s goal for Dortmund last night on Twitter…
https://twitter.com/boi_kieran/status/1468411331950915585
https://twitter.com/chief_afc/status/1468317006654889984
https://twitter.com/Sayid_ali06/status/1468322368770789378
https://twitter.com/AswarKlein/status/1468317502333726720
https://twitter.com/xFoxyGaming_/status/1468317277212884995
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