Aston Villa forward Donyell Malen should be starting on the right wing for the Netherlands from here on out.
That’s according to Karim El Ahmadi and Bran Van Polen. They’ve been praising the Aston Villa forward on Voetbalpraat, via PSV Fans.
Malen appears to have convinced Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman after impressing for Aston Villa in recent weeks.
He played 90 minutes in both of the Netherlands’ fixtures during this international break. He was unable to get on the scoresheet in the 1-1 draw with Poland but scored in the 4-0 win over Lithuania.
It continued a good run of form for him in World Cup qualifying, with two goals and an assist against Malta and another goal against Finland already this year.
The right-wing spot is very much up for grabs for the Dutch. It’s a position they’ve long been looking to fill without any success. Koeman has tried various options, from Jeremie Frimpong to Xavi Simons.
Now Malen appears to have convinced Koeman of his worth. And both El Ahmadi and Van Polen are full of praise for the Aston Villa man.
“He thrives in space,” started the latter.
“He has such great qualities there, with his depth, his speed, and his one-on-one skills. But then you have to get him into those spaces, and that’s a bit harder to come by when you play on the inside. He really has something. He can score goals out of nowhere.”
“I do think he’s the best option,” added El Ahmadi.
“He sees other options working out less well. Frimpong and Dumfries together won’t work. And with Simons, it won’t work either.
“I think Malen on the inside is a real weapon. You also see Memphis getting the ball in a lot. Then others have to get into that space, and if anyone can do that, it’s Malen.”
