A striker is seemingly top of our transfer list this summer, with reinforcements needed in the forward areas. Arsenal fans man be pleased to hear we have signed a striker, although not so thrilled to hear that it’s 16-year-old Ajax starlet Donyell Malen.
The news was announced on Ajax’s official website, with the youngster set to join up with us after turning down a new and improved contract with the Dutch giants.
Malen is highly thought of in the Netherlands, and could potentially have been handed a first team opportunity at Ajax in Eredivisie this upcoming season.
Ajax youth coach Wim Jonk spoke extremely positively of the teen forward, and claimed it was a big loss for the club.
“Donyell is a great talent. It is extremely unfortunate that he is leaving Ajax,” he said.
They were clearly keen to keep Malen at the club, with Wonk telling Dutch publication Voetbal International of the offer they made him.
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“We have made Donyell an excellent offer and presented a clear plan for his development,” he is quoted as saying.
“If the player still makes the decision [to leave], that’s disappointing, because his potential is clear and he would be given opportunities with Ajax.
“We will continue with the guys who believe in the plan.”
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We should still be focusing on finding a new striker for the first team, but we can’t ignore the youth team. We need to continue building for the future, and Malen is a star who looks capable of really adding something to the academy.
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