Tottenham target Donyell Malen is 'a bit like Alexis Sanchez'

By Shamanth Jayaram

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Donyell Malen, who was once likened to Alexis Sanchez.

Spurs have a lot of quality in attack already with Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski, but it looks like Antonio Conte wants to bring in another attacker to make his side even stronger.

Dortmund’s 23-year-old forward Malen is apparently in their sights.

Tottenham target Donyell Malen is ‘a bit like Alexis Sanchez’

Rudy Galetti claimed on Twitter earlier this week that Malen is attracting interest from a number of clubs across Europe, including Tottenham, who are said to be interested in his services.

Malen, a 19-cap Dutch international, was on Arsenal’s books for two years.

He made 67 appearances for the Gunners Academy and scored 27 times. He was viewed as fine talent, but just two years later, he decided to leave North London for Eindhoven.

Before Malen even join Arsenal, he was a part of Ajax’s youth setup. When he played for the club’s under-14s there, his coach at the time, Brian Tevreden, likened him to another Gunners old-boy, Alexis Sanchez.

“It’s hard to describe him,” he told FourFourTwo. “If I have to compare him with a player in the Premier League, he seems a bit like Alexis Sanchez.”

Sanchez isn’t fondly remembered by Arsenal fans because of the way he left, but he was a magnificent player during his time at the Emirates. He scored 80 goals and provided 45 assists for the Gunners in 166 appearances, and helped them win two FA Cups.

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Malen was extremely prolific during his time in the Netherlands at PSV Eindhoven.

He scored 55 goals and provided 24 assists in 116 games during his time there, which is an incredible return considering how young he was. His fantastic performances earned him a move to Borussia Dortmund, but things haven’t quite gone to plan in Germany just yet.

In 55 appearances for Dortmund, Malen has scored just 10 times. He has managed just one goal in 17 appearances this season, and that came against third-tier German side 1860 Munich in the DFB Pokal.

Things just haven’t worked out for Malen at Borussia Dortmund, but he’s still a very talented player. A move to the Premier League, potentially to Tottenham, could change his fortunes.