Arsenal could be haunted by former player Arsene Wenger sold for just £540k

Arsenal are back in Premier League action in Saturday’s early kick-off as they travel to take on Aston Villa at Villa Park

Attentions turn to the Premier League clash against Aston Villa for Arsenal, but the game will see them come up against former player Donyell Malen, who will be hoping to come back to haunt them.

The Gunners travel to the Midlands to take on third-placed Villa at Villa Park in Saturday’s early kick-off. They know that a win will see them extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points ahead of the 3pm kick-offs.

Villa are in impressive form going into the game, they have won their last six games in all competitions, moving them up to third place in the table. Part of that success is because of the form of Malen who, in the last six games, has five goals and one assist.

In theory, the Dutchman could have been turning out for Arsenal. He spent two years at the Emirates Stadium between 2015 and 2017.

During that time, he played 21 times for the U18 team, scoring 11 goals, and played 24 times for the U21s, scoring seven goals. But he never made a first team appearance under Arsene Wenger.

Aged just 18, Malen completed a move away from the club in 2017, joining PSV Eindhoven for a fee of £540,000. A couple of years later, Malen explained why he decided to leave.

“That I was sent away from Arsenal is certainly not true,” he told De Telegraaf. “I still had a contract for a year and Arsenal even wanted to extend that.

“I don’t play football for the money. I never did that. Otherwise I would not have left England.”

Malen played 116 times for PSV, scoring 55 goals. He moved to Borussia Dortmund in 2021, scoring 39 times in 132 appearances for the German club.

He completed a move back to England with Villa back in January. In his 37 appearances for the club so far, he has scored ten times, a number he will be looking to add to against Arsenal.

It’s not only Malen who could come back to haunt Arsenal, with Villa managed by former Gunners boss Unai Emery. The Spaniard managed the club between July 2018 and November 2019 before being replaced by Mikel Arteta.

In his seven games against Arsenal since leaving the club, he has won three, drawn two and lost two. The latest meeting between Arsenal and Villa last season ended in a 2-2 draw.

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