Donyell Malen has a simple message for Aston Villa's players in the Champions League: Dream big, it happened to me, it can happen here.
Unai Emery made a trade by releasing Jaden Philogene to Ipswich Town and replacing him for a similar fee of £21 million with a Dutch international with plenty of experience and proven pedigree. Although he will not be eligible for Wednesday's match against Monaco at the Louis II Stadium, the 26-year-old could play in the knockout stages.
And he told Emery's players that his experience in Germany with the black and yellow last year proves that anything is possible. He said: “Last year we had Newcastle, Milan and Paris St Germain in the group stages – people immediately said: 'They're out.'
“But we got a lot of points, got through it and then got a decent draw. I played against PSV Eindhoven, my old team, which was a big match for me personally. Then we faced Atletico Madrid – one of the biggest games of the season.
“That's why I got injured. But when we won, we started saying, 'We can do this,' and we reached the final. We knew it would be Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain.
“In the final it was Madrid. It was a special day and we played well, but that wasn't meant to be.” One of the big pluses for Emery is Malen's versatility.
He can play anywhere in the front line, can come in from the wing or play through the middle. It turns out to be a smart example of entrepreneurship. “I'm direct and fast,” he said. “I have played in several positions up front.
“As number 9 I played both left and right. I feel comfortable with all this. No matter where I am asked to play, I will be there.”
Malen was previously involved in English football. He was part of Arsenal's academy system after training at Ajax. “The system at Ajax is big,” he said. “I learned different things, a lot of tactical work, dribbling, it just helped me prepare for men's football.
“It's definitely given me a taste of English football, but it's youth football so it's a bit different. I wanted to return. When I was at Arsenal I went to a lot of games when I was 16 and 17. I've seen a lot of Premier League games.”
And Malen believes he will get extra help in his quest to become one of the stars in the Premier League. The words are tattooed on his arm: 'I just didn't stop', referring to his grandfather Jooprei.
When asked about the meaning, Malen replied: “He has always supported me. When I was eight years old, I joined another amateur club. It was a 30 minute drive, but he drove me every day.
“Unfortunately, when I went to Ajax, he passed away and he never saw me play for a professional club. But I have a lot of good memories of him. He may not have seen me in person, but I know he saw a lot.
Comments