Manchester United began the new year in positive fashion with a comfortable 2-0 win over League One neighbours, Wigan Athletic, in the FA Cup on Monday evening, with Erik ten Hag's men setting up a Fourth Round meeting with Newport County or Eastleigh to boost their hopes of a long run in the competition.
While that most recent triumph proved a rather smooth outing against the lower league side – as was expected – there would still have been notable frustrations for the former Ajax boss, with the Red Devils' frontline once again failing to fire.
It ultimately took a long-range effort from full-back Diogo Dalot, as well as a late Bruno Fernandes penalty, for United to get the better of Sam Tickle in the hosts' goal, with it having been yet another day in which summer signing Rasmus Hojlund simply couldn't buy a goal.
The Danish hotshot spurned numerous chances – including prodding wide with the goal gaping – to ensure his domestic tally remains at just one goal this season, while on the flanks, neither Alejandro Garnacho nor Marcus Rashford got themselves on the scoresheet.
The pair now have just eight goals between them in all competitions in 2023/24, while absent teammate Antony, for instance, remarkably remains without a goal or assist in all competitions this season – despite having featured on 21 occasions.
With every passing week, the £86m addition looks even more like a waste of money, hence why Ten Hag may be looking to replace the "frustrating" talent – as described by club legend Gary Neville – with Borussia Dortmund's Donyell Malen.
Man Utd transfer news – Donyell Malen
According to a report from Football Transfers, the Red Devils are weighing up whether to make a loan-to-buy offer for the Netherlands international this month, with discussions having already been held within Old Trafford regarding that potential swoop.
The report indicates that United could use the fact that the 24-year-old is part of the SEG agency – alongside Ten Hag, Sofyan Amrabat and Hojlund – in order to strike a deal, albeit with Dortmund said to be more likely to sanction a 'straightforward' permanent sale instead.
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As the piece also notes, this interest in the £52m-rated talent comes at a time in which Jadon Sancho could potentially be heading in the other direction back to Germany, amid reports that the Englishman is in line to return to Westfalenstadion on a short-term loan.
Signing Malen – who can feature on the flanks or through the middle – could then allow Ten Hag to instantly replace Sancho in the squad, as well as ensure the Dutchman can acquire a a replacement for the floundering Antony, who has himself been tipped for a departure of late.
Donyell Malen's style of play
A deal for the right winger would be following the recent trend of signings under the Ten Hag regime, with Malen another who has plied his trade in the Eredivisie, having previously been on the books at PSV Eindhoven.
The 5 foot 11 speedster – who was also once part of the youth set-up at both Arsenal and Ajax – scored 55 goals and contributed 24 assists in just 116 games during his time in Holland, with such form subsequently leading to a move to Germany back in 2021.
That switch has proven fruitful for the 28-cap international as he now has 41 goal involvements to his name in just 96 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit, having typically operated on the right flank, or the opposite side, of late.
Interestingly, as far as United are concerned, the wideman's style of play has previously been likened to a former Old Trafford asset, with ex-Ajax youth coach Brian Tevreden describing him as being a "bit like Alexis Sanchez" in the past.
Such a comparison may perhaps have alarm bells ringing among those of a United persuasion, with Sanchez previously enduring a miserable and costly stint in Manchester, after also arriving in a January window back in 2018.
Having been handed the club's number seven shirt and a bumper £400k-per-week deal, the Chilean ultimately lasted just 18 months before being shipped out on loan, having provided just 14 goal involvements in that time.
At his best, however, Sanchez was a real menace during his time at Malen's former club, Arsenal, after scoring 80 goals and registering 45 assists in 166 games in all competitions, having been dubbed an "exceptional footballer" by ex-Gunners boss, Arsene Wenger.
For United's sake, they will be hoping that Malen emulates the impact that the now-veteran forward had at the Emirates rather than the Theatre of Dreams, with the Red Devils no doubt keen to avoid another costly January mistake.
How Donyell Malen compares to Antony
Even if that Sanchez comparison may work against Malen with regard to his chances of thriving at United, it is not too difficult to argue that he could represent a sizeable upgrade on the aforementioned Antony on the right flank.
It is worth repeating that a player who cost €100m still hasn't delivered a goal contribution this season, with it no surprise that the mercurial Brazilian is among those that the incoming Sir Jim Ratcliffe may be seeking to move on.
While Malen himself has not been prolific, he still boasts a tally of five goals in 15 league appearances this season – a figure that only Scott McTominay can match in the Premier League for Ten Hag's side.
The £99k-per-week marksman also significantly outperformed Antony at a time when they were both plying their trade in the Eredivisie for PSV and Ajax respectively, with the current United man having moved to Amsterdam in 2020.
That 2020/21 campaign did see Antony enjoy a productive debut season at the Johan Cruyff Arena with a haul of ten goals and ten assists in all competitions, yet Malen, by contrast, registered a mammoth 27 goals and ten assists in that same season – albeit while operating more centrally.
Malen
Antony
32
32
19
9
9
8
13
10
1.2
1.1
1.6
1.3
7.28
7.22
Of course, signing players from Dortmund – or with Dutch connections – has not gone particularly well for the Red Devils of late, as the cases of Sancho and Antony can attest to, yet Malen could be the player to potentially break the mould if a deal is to be agreed this month.
At the very least, he would serve as an extra body to pep up Ten Hag's attack, although more optimistically, the Sanchez-esque dynamo could be something of a difference-maker in a lifeless United frontline.