Arsenal and Liverpool are eyeing a Borussia Dortmund target as both clubs face mounting pressure. Following Arsenal’s disappointing defeat to Newcastle, their title hopes are dwindling, while Dortmund appears ready to part ways with the player.
Arsenal, Liverpool Target on Borussia Dortmund List
The quick-footed winger has had an up-and-down start to the season. Despite not always being in the starting lineup under new Dortmund head coach Nuri Sahin, Malen has still managed to score three goals, including the first goal in a thrilling Champions League match against Real Madrid.
Dortmund were defeated in that European match, despite being 2-0 up at halftime. Sahin’s team has faced similar disappointments in the league and is still searching for their first away win in the Bundesliga this season. In light of these struggles, the club’s management is reportedly preparing a “strike list” of five players to be sold, according to the German outlet Bild.
Malen is not alone on Sahin’s “naughty step,” with Dortmund’s top playmaker, Julian Brandt, club captain Emre Can, and the experienced pair of former Bayern Munich players Niklas Sule and Marcel Sabitzer also in the mix.
With no consistent striker available, Malen ended last season as Dortmund’s top scorer in the Bundesliga, netting 13 goals in 21 starts. He was frequently shifted between all three positions in a disorganized attacking setup. The Premier League took notice of his outstanding achievements with heavyweights Arsenal and Liverpool.
The Gunners first brought Malen from Ajax to Arsenal in 2015, though he had never played for the first team. The 25-year-old Dutch forward admitted earlier this year that returning to the Premier League would be “a beautiful dream” and named Arsenal as his ideal destination.
Bild reported that Malen was “mentally finished” with Dortmund last summer. Former manager Edin Terzic left the forward both legs of the Champions League semi-final on the bench against Paris Saint-Germain and gave him just a ten-minute appearance in the final, which Dortmund lost to Real Madrid.
No transfer went through as Malen quickly switched between several agencies during the off-season, but the situation could change now that Dortmund appears ready to part ways with him.
Arsenal Faces Title Pressure After Newcastle Defeat
In undoubtedly Arsenal’s worst performance of the season, their title hopes have hit a low not seen in years, raising ongoing doubts about how this team stacks up against past versions.
The absence of Martin Odegaard clearly impacts Arsenal, but watching their title rivals, like those without Kevin De Bruyne, continue to win consistently is a strong reminder. Even if the captain returns for next week’s match against Inter Milan, it might be too late to make a difference.
Both Liverpool and Man City have built a significant lead early on, and if there’s one lesson from the past two seasons, it’s how crucial every point is. For Arsenal to stay in the race, they’ll need to accumulate a lot of points and drop very few over the next 28 games.
But how did Arsenal end up in this position? How did they become so vulnerable and lacking in creativity?
Odegaard’s absence is one factor, but defensively, the team is a mere shadow of the side that recorded so many clean sheets. Could it be a mentality issue? Possibly.
The Arsenal players struggled to create anything significant until the final moments of the match. Keep in mind that this is a team that felt completely wronged by last season’s events but has shown little drive or energy to make up for those disappointments.
I couldn’t help but feel for the supporters who made the long trip to the northeast only to be poorly rewarded by the team’s performance. While there are other potential priorities beyond the league, the Gunners can’t afford to fall much further behind, or even a top-four finish could be at risk.
Arsenal have a Champions League match against Inter next week, which could propel them into the top eight of the competition. Their midweek victory over Preston also secured a spot in the quarter-finals, and they’ll aim to reach the semi-finals. Arteta now faces the challenge of addressing his team’s attitude, which is now under intense scrutiny.
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