Arsenal could be about to re-sign a former star, who's green-lit his own transfer back to north London
(Image credit: Getty Images)
A former Arsenal star has revealed his intention to return to the club ahead of a proposed summer move.
The Gunners are flying in the league right now, having won every Premier League game of 2024 convincingly, as the side peaks just at the right time. Arsenal have scored 25 goals in the last six fixtures, as Mikel Arteta has seen his side recover strongly from a wobble over New Year.
Despite this upturn, however, The Athletic'sDavid Ornstein claims that this summer could be a busy one in north London, with plenty of comings and goings.
Arsenal are playing well – and set for another big summer (Image credit: Getty Images)
One player has thrown his hat into the ring for a move to the Emirates Stadium is Donyell Malen of Borussia Dortmund, who for a little while played in the Gunners' Hale End academy – around the same time that Arteta was playing.
The Dutchman has been extensively linked with moves to Manchester United and Liverpool in recent months. Speaking recently to Voetbalzone in his native Netherlands, however, the forward has made his intentions clear over the ideal future path ahead of him post-Bundesliga.
“I think, because I played in England as a youth, it is a dream to play in the Premier League,” Malen said. “I think that is a beautiful dream.”
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Asked about moving back to Arsenal, Malen confirmed, “Yes I would [return]. I wanted Arsenal [as a teenager], my favourite club. I played there in my youth, I really wanted to break through there. Every now and then in a football career there are points at which you just have to make a decision.
“Yes, I was training with the first team, and I was 17, 18 at the time and I did make steps in the right direction, but I thought I had to just play professional football.
“I also saw my teammates playing professional football while I was still playing youth football and I knew [leaving] was the right thing to do.”
Donyell Malen wants to move back to N7 (Image credit: Getty Images)
A product of the famed Ajax academy Malen left Arsenal in 2018, heading to PSV first before Dortmund signed him three years later. A move to the Emirates may not yet be off the cards either, with Ornstein referencing that another option in attack is firmly in the crosshairs this summer.
The 25-year-old is valued at €25 million by Transfermarkt.
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
