Fabrizio Romano shares Donyell Malen update after Liverpool links

Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on Donyell Malen after reports that Liverpool still want the player. Manchester United could inadvertently be the trigger here.

Fabrizio Romano reports that Donyell Malen could leave Borussia Dortmund as soon as this month. The Dutchman has been linked with a move away all season long after switching agents.

It's now very possible that he departs in January, with Romano calling it a 'concrete possibility'. However, it's a transfer that may wait until the summer.

One other deal affects it - Jadon Sancho to Dortmund. Should the Manchester United winger rejoin his old club, it could spark an exit for Malen this month. And Liverpool might be watching.

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Bild reported last month that Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are still big fans of Malen. They were originally linked with the player before he moved to Germany and that interest remains.

With good reason, too. Malen essentially averages a goal every other 90 minutes - Fbref has him at 0.55 non-penalty goals per 90. That's in the 99th percentile across Europe for attacking midfielders/wingers and only Jude Bellingham betters that over the last year.

Malen, then, is a natural goal threat and a player who will draw interest in 2024 if Dortmund are willing to sell him. It's just difficult to see how Liverpool get involved in that.

Yes, they may have interest but there are already so many top forwards at the club. Forwards who would all be above Malen in the pecking order and he'd be very unlikely to usurp them.

Dortmund would be selling him on the idea that it funds a move for Sancho, too, so we're not talking peanuts here. Overall, Liverpool should have other priorities when spending substantial amounts of cash right now.

If a big sale happens in the summer - and Malen remains with Dortmund - then it's one to revisit. This month, though, it's difficult to see.