Aston Villa have opened talks with Borussia Dortmund to sign Donyell Malen.
Villa are keen to sign another versatile attacker and right-sided defender and want Malen.
According to Sky in Germany, Dortmund are demanding £16.6 million (€20 million) plus bonuses and are ready to sell the Dutch international, who is reportedly looking elsewhere given his lack of starts.
The Bundesliga side have rejected an initial offer from Villa of £13.3 million (€16 million) plus bonuses for the 25-year-old.
The Athletic reports that a bid of £15 million (€18 million) plus bonuses has been made and Sky in Germany believe this is the second offer.
Malen has scored five goals in 20 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund this season, netting a 3-1 Bundesliga win against Wolfsburg in their last match.
Malen scored 39 goals in 131 appearances for Dortmund in three and a half years with the German giants.
Malen joined from PSV Eindhoven in July 2021 for a fee of £26 million when he replaced Jadon Sancho following his move to Manchester United.
Malen is a former Arsenal academy player who spent two years at the north London club before being sold to PSV in the summer of 2017.
Ipswich interested in Philogene from Villa
Dharmesh Sheth of Sky Sports News:
Villa's potential move for Malen comes amid interest from Ipswich Town in Villa striker Jaden Philogene.
The Tractor Boys are monitoring the 22-year-old's situation.
Ipswich agreed a deal with Hull City to sign Philogene in the summer for Villa to activate a matching clause, after selling him to Hull in 2023.
The England U21 international has started four games in all competitions this season.
Ipswich wants to strengthen in a number of positions this month.
Aston Villa's January transfer window plans assessed
Aston Villa continue their work from the summer and are looking to strengthen in two areas they have been missing; an attacking midfielder who can also operate out wide and a versatile right-sided defender who is adept at both right-back and centre-back.
One defender they were keen on this summer was Lutsharel Geertruida from Feyenoord, due to doubts over Diego Carlos' future, but he moved to RB Leipzig. Matty Cash is currently the club's only recognized right-back.
In attacking positions they liked the likes of Giovani Lo Celso, Joao Felix and Matias Soule in the summer, but they all went elsewhere. Spanish media recently linked Alex Baena with a move for his former Villarreal manager Unai Emery.
Kortney Hause and Robin Olsen see their contracts expire on June 30, so they can speak to foreign clubs from January 1, although Hause is struggling with injury problems.
Several on-loan players, including Lewis Dobbin, Louie Barry and Tommi O'Reilly, could be recalled and loaned elsewhere.
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