Donyell Malen: ”My adventure at Arsenal definitely shaped me”
Aston Villa perhaps had the most spectacular winter transfer window. The Villans brought big names to Villa Park, including Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, and Donyell Malen. On the other hand, Jhon Duran left for Al Nassr, where he is set to form an attacking duo with Cristiano Ronaldo. For us at Life After Football, the transfer of Malen stood out in particular, as the speedster is someone we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past. It was the perfect moment for us to reflect on his moments in front of the cameras for Life After Football. At that time, the striker was playing for PSV Eindhoven and shared with us his experiences growing up at rival Ajax, his time in their youth academy, working with Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, and his relationship with former Ajax youth teammates Noa Lang (PSV), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), and Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United). The latter players are also well-known figures in England.
As a young boy, you end up at Ajax. How did you experience your youth, because it wasn’t exactly a ‘normal’ childhood, right?
Donyell Malen: “Indeed, I spent a lot of time in the car, but never with reluctance. A lot of training and being on the road was just my life, and I was used to it. In the end, I had a great childhood, and I’m proud of how everything turned out.”
In Ajax’s youth academy, you were part of a talented generation with players like Matthijs de Ligt, Justin Kluivert, and Noa Lang. How is your relationship with these guys?
“I still keep in touch with all of them. We talk regularly via FaceTime and WhatsApp. I also see them through the national team. We get along well, and naturally, the conversations are mostly about football. We’re always interested in each other.”
In 2015, you moved to Arsenal. Can you tell us how that happened?
“At that time, there wasn’t a concrete plan for me at Ajax. I had hoped for that because I really enjoyedbeing there. Still, I felt that moving abroad was the right step for me. There, I could develop myself even better. I had a good feeling about Arsenal, and I certainly don’t regret it. Making the move abroad at such a young age is exciting, but I also wanted to enjoy it. Meeting new people and gaining wonderful experiences. My London adventure at Arsenal definitely shaped me. I was exposed to a different culture and mentality.”
At a young age, you were already training with Arsenal’s first team. How did you experience working with the ‘big’ Arsène Wenger?
“Of course, it’s exciting to train with the first team, but I always went in with a lot of self-confidence. I just did my thing and didn’t overthink it. Yes, I was on the training field with big players, but the game stays the same. So I saw it as a great opportunity to train and learn.
What’s the biggest lesson you brought back from London to PSV?
“At Ajax, we basically did everything with the ball, and I scored almost every game. The opposition was much weaker there. In England, I encountered a different mentality, and the relationship between coach and player is much different. I also faced much tougher opposition in training and games. That was sometimes challenging. But what I really took away from those situations is that no matter how tough it seems, you always come out stronger.
