Manchester United host Spurs on Sunday, where they will hope to avoid their tenth Premier League defeat of the season.
The Red Devils are currently eighth in the table but have scored a dismal 22 goals in 20 matches to underline their wretched form in front of goal. Rasmus Hojlund, for instance, has only bagged once in the league during a mixed debut term on English shores.
With that in mind, Erik ten Hag must look to bolster his squad this January, focusing on his attack in particular.
Man Utd transfers latest – Donyell Malen
According to Football Transfers, Man United are interested in striking a deal with Donyell Malen this January.
The move would be a loan with an option to buy, yet Borussia Dortmund are keen to secure a permanent sale.
However, with the two clubs having a strong relationship, a deal could be struck in January for the attacker, who is estimated to be worth £52m.
It's thought that the United hierarchy have been in intense discussions about bringing the former Arsenal academy produce to Old Trafford.
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ByLuke Randall Why Donyell Malen could replace Jadon Sancho
With Jadon Sancho close to completing a loan move back to his former Bundesliga club, Ten Hag will be looking for a suitable replacement to improve his attack.
The arrival of the English winger will inevitably take up a spot in the Dortmund attack while leaving a void in United’s, which could be filled by Malen.
The Dutch star, labelled “wonderful” by scout Antonio Mango, has played 23 matches for his side this season across all competitions, becoming BVB’s joint-top scorer in the Bundesliga with five goals from 11 starts.
But what type of forward is he based on the statistics below from the last year across the top European leagues?
Goals
0.55
Top 2%
Assists
0.20
Top 42%
Shots total
3.96
Top 1%
Progressive carries
4.46
Top 21%
Successful take-ons
2.70
Top 15%
Touches (Att pen)
5.76
Top 13%
Carries into penalty area
2.11
Top 17%
As you can see, the 24-year-old is the definition of a goal-scoring winger who likes to shoot at any given opportunity, and it is obvious that he played as a striker during his 55-goal spell at PSV.
However, Malen has mainly played as a right winger this season, which is where he has registered all his goal contributions, meaning he's the perfect profile of player to replace Sancho.
That said, he is a versatile attacker who has the ability to play all across the attack, which is why his Ajax youth coach Brian Tevreden previously claimed he is “like Alexis Sanchez," who was known for thriving as a false nine and as a winger at Arsenal.
Furthermore, Malen is a fast, dynamic attacker who has excellent movement. The ex-Arsenal youth star is particularly effective on the break, where he can carry the ball forward and skip past opponents with his explosiveness. That certainly sounds like the aforementioned Sanchez.
The Netherlands international isn’t the most creative winger, as shown by his lowly assist stat, but he is direct, and he thrives in the penalty area, as displayed by his high touches in the box and carries into the penalty area.
The United squad has struggled in attack all season, which is highlighted by the fact that Scott McTominay is their top scorer in the Premier League with five goals. Malen would help fix that as he would provide goals from the right-hand side, unlike Antony, who has failed to register a goal contribution all season, therefore making the team less reliant on goals from the left and, in turn, less predictable.
Overall, signing Malen on loan is a deal that United must look to complete. With injuries impacting the squad and the underperformance of individuals, his addition could be vital in their push for European football next season. The 24-year-old is everything that the Red Devils are missing.