Donyell Malen sends new Aston Villa team-mates inspired Champions League message

Aston Villa completed the signing of guardant Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund for £21million little than 8 months aft helium helped the German nine scope the Champions League final

Donyell Malen has a elemental connection for Aston Villa’s players successful the Champions League : Dream large - it happened to me, it tin hap here.

Unai Emery traded up by releasing Jaden Philogene to Ipswich Town and replacing him for a comparable £21m interest with a Dutch planetary boasting bags of acquisition and proven pedigree. Although helium is not eligible for Wednesday's clash against Monaco astatine the Louis II Stadium, the 26-year-old tin play successful the knockout stages.

And helium told Emery’s players that his acquisition successful Germany with the achromatic and yellows past twelvemonth proves thing is possible. He said: “Last year, successful the radical signifier we had Newcastle, Milan and Paris St Germain - radical said close away: ‘They’re out.’

“But we picked up a batch of points, made it done and past got a decent draw. I played against PSV Eindhoven - my aged squad - which was a large crippled for me, personally. Then we faced Atletico Madrid - 1 of the biggest games of the season.

“I was injured for that. But erstwhile we won, we started saying: ‘We tin bash this,’ and we reached the final. We knew it was going to beryllium Real Madrid, Manchester City oregon Paris St Germain.

“In the last it was Madrid. It was a peculiar time and we played well, but it wasn’t to be." One of the large positive points for Emery is Malen’s versatility.

He tin play anyplace crossed the frontline, tin travel successful from either flank oregon play done the middle. It appears to beryllium an astute portion of business. "I’m direct, quick,” helium said, “I person played aggregate positions up front.

“I person played arsenic a No.9 and connected the near and right. I consciousness comfy successful each of these. It doesn’t substance wherever I americium asked to play, I volition beryllium there.”

Malen has been progressive successful English shot before. He was portion of Arsenal ’s academy strategy aft being schooled astatine Ajax. “The strategy astatine Ajax is simply a large one,” helium said, “ I learned antithetic things, a batch of tactical work, dribbling, it conscionable helped maine hole for men’s football.

“It decidedly gave maine a sensation for English shot but it is academy football, truthful it is simply a spot different. I wanted to return. When I was astatine Arsenal, I went to a batch of games erstwhile I was 16 and 17. I’ve watched a batch of Premier League matches.”

And Malen believes helium has further assistance successful his quest to crook into 1 of the prima turns successful the Premier League. Upon his limb is tattoed the words: ‘I conscionable didn’t quit’ successful notation to his grandfather, Jooprei.

Asked astir the significance, Malen replied: “He ever supported me. When I was 8 years aged I went to a antithetic amateur club. It was 30 minutes distant but helium drove maine each day.

“When I went to Ajax helium sadly passed distant and helium ne'er saw maine play for a nonrecreational club. But I person a batch of bully memories of him. He mightiness not person seen maine successful idiosyncratic but I cognize helium has seen a lot.”

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