Donyell Malen ‘already fuming at Aston Villa’ as official announcement made
Unai Emery made several key signings during the winter transfer window as the Aston Villa squad experienced a shift.
Jhon Duran’s eye-watering move to Saudi Arabia was a major talking point at Villa Park, with the likes of Louie Barry and Emi Buendia leaving temporarily, but none of them was the biggest news.
The Villans added Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi to the ranks during the final week of the transfer window, joining Andres Garcia and Donyell Malen.
Having arrived on a £21million deal from Borussia Dortmund halfway through the window, the latter was the first of five first-team additions but he might already be frustrated with his situation.
Of course, Villa will be pushing to climb up the Premier League table, currently sitting in eighth after 24 matches, but it is the Champions League campaign that will truly infuriate the player.
Donyell Malen left out of Champions League squad
With Villa through to the knockout stages of the Champions League, Emery was able to make three changes to the squad from the new group stage format.
But a problem has emerged.
The Villans added five new faces to the team, but with only three changes able to be made in the Champions League, Garcia and Malen have been left out in favour of Rashford, Asensio and Disasi.
Considering the Dutchman’s exploits in the competition, boasting two goals and one assist in five appearances this term, he has every right to be angry with the current situation.
Unai Emery discusses difficult Aston Villa decision
Emery has already admitted that the conversation with Malen was “not easy [The Athletic], and while the player has accepted the decision, it will not be the result he wanted after leaving Dortmund.
The manager will need to hope his cut-throat decision will not backfire and already upset the new signing, just one month into his career at Villa Park.
Villa have a real chance of Champions League glory after automatically advancing to the next round, but Rashford or Asensio will have to step up after Malen was left out for the rest of the campaign.
Of course, the goal-hungry 26-year-old will be able to prove the manager wrong with his performances in the Premier League, but it could certainly go wrong for the English club if the player takes the news the wrong way.