Why Everton should reignite their interest in Donyell Malen
Back in September 2019, a report from Calciomercato (h/t The Sun) had mentioned Everton as one of the potential suitors for PSV Eindhoven forward Donyell Malen. The former Arsenal prospect was also linked with a return to his former club but nothing came of those rumours and Malen continued to impress in the Eredivisie.
Profile
Donyell Malen spent eight years in the youth ranks of Ajax between 2007 and 2015 before joining Arsenal’s academy. He established himself as a prolific goalscorer for the Gunners at U-18 and U-23 levels while also proving his worth for the U-19s in the UEFA Youth League.
The Dutchman even took part in some pre-season fixtures for the North London outfit but was sold to PSV Eindhoven in 2017 after failing to make a single competitive appearance. Malen initially featured for PSV’s reserve side in the second-tier before making his first-team debut in the Eredivisie in 2018.
Despite largely featuring as a substitute during the 2018-19 campaign, Malen managed an impressive tally of 10 goals and 4 assists in the Eredivisie. He followed it up with an astonishing tally of 11 goals in 14 league outings in the Covid-curtailed campaign last term, while also netting thrice in four Europa League group stage appearances.
The 21-year-old has once again hit the ground running this term with 3 goals in 5 Eredivisie appearances, taking his overall tally for Eindhoven to 33 goals and 16 assists in 78 appearances across all competitions.
Having previously represented the Netherlands across various youth levels, Malen made his senior debut last year and has accumulated 5 caps for his nation so far.
Malen would add more depth to Everton’s attack
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has really come of age for Everton this season after finishing the 2019-20 Premier League campaign with an impressive tally of 14 goals. The England international has bagged 10 goals in 8 outings for the Toffees in all competitions so far, including two hat-tricks.
The 23-year-old’s prolific form in front of goal has been one of the key contributing factors behind Everton’s sensational start to the campaign, with Richarlison and new signing James Rodriguez also chipping in with some top-drawer displays to complement the Englishman.
Indeed, Everton’s hopes of challenging for a top-six finish will rest heavily on the exploits of their prolific front three. But they will need the other squad players to chip in as well, especially during the latter half of the campaign when the pressure starts mounting and injuries start to creep in due to fixture congestion.
That, however, remains a big cause of concern for Carlo Ancelotti. Everton loaned out the likes of Theo Walcott and Moise Kean in the summer to trim their squad, leaving Alex Iwobi and Bernard as the only feasible alternatives down the flanks. Sadly for Everton, neither player has managed to inspire much confidence over the past 12 months.
Everton also need a quality back-up to reduce the workload on Calvert-Lewin’s shoulders, with Cenk Tosun seemingly not in the manager’s plans. While Richarlison is capable of playing through the middle, the Toffees would be better off looking at another out-and-out striker.
To put things into perspective, Everton reigniting interest in Donyell Malen would solve depth issues in the forward line. Essentially a centre-forward by trade, Malen is also capable of playing as a wide attacker on either flank. Hence, the Dutchman’s versatility would greatly reduce the goalscoring burden on the likes of Rodriguez, Richarlison, and Calvert-Lewin.
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Verdict
Donyell Malen has come a long way over the past three seasons following his release from Arsenal. The Dutchman is now widely regarded as one of the best rising talents in the Eredivisie. He has already racked up some very impressive numbers in his homeland, whilst also making his mark for the Netherlands national team.
He isn’t the finished article just yet but working under a charismatic manager like Carlo Ancelotti will surely help him deliver on his enormous potential and take his game to the next level. All in all, Everton making a renewed attempt to sign the 21-year-old in January would hand a massive boost to their long-term plans moving forward.
