Mikel Arteta changed everything, revolutionised the Emirates Stadium and rewrote the narrative, turned the culture on its head, for the better.
With great power comes great responsibility, or so the maxim goes. But it's true in Arsenal's case that they are no longer the exciting up-and-comers; despite falling short against Manchester City in successive Premier League title showdowns, the Gunners are one of Europe's elite.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
173 points across two top-flight campaigns would say as much, as would the club-record £105m signing of Declan Rice, the rise of William Saliba, who is shaping into one of Europe's finest defenders, and the ever-evolving brilliance of Bukayo Saka, who has been hailed as "one of the best players" in England by Wayne Rooney and rightly so.
Depth across a series of positions is still required, and one of the pressing concerns of the 2023/24 term was the lack of prolificness up front. One report suggests that that could be about to change.
Arsenal transfer news
According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are preparing to tussle with Liverpool for the signing of Donyell Malen, who has enjoyed a clinical season with Borussia Dortmund in Germany.
Donyell Malen for Borussia Dortmund.
A former Hale End member, Malen was sold to PSV Eindhoven when he was 18, turning down offers from Chelsea and Manchester United to complete the transfer.
Now 25, Malen has impressed for Dortmund over the past few years and is expected to extend his contract, but the Bundesliga team would still listen to offers of €40m (£34m), should they be put forth.
Sources believe that the Dutchman's preference, should he leave the Yellow Wall, is to return to his former stomping ground, hence why the north Londoners feel that they are leading the race.
Why Arsenal should re-sign Donyell Malen
Malen, who has 36 international caps (and nine goals) for the Netherlands, would add some invaluable depth to Arteta's thriving outfit, with his dynamic properties allowing him to flourish across the frontline, albeit more clinical when placed on the right wing, for he is two-footed.
Donyell Malen: Career Stats by Position
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Centre-forward
140
70
28
Left winger
83
18
14
Right winger
64
30
12
Attacking midfield
5
1
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
With rumours swirling around Reiss Nelson's future in north London, it does seem like signing Malen would be a wise move, especially since Saka started 45 matches for his club last season before featuring prominently for the Three Lions at Euro 2024 this summer.
Arsenal were fortuitous on the injury front last year but such imperious levels of fitness cannot be taken for granted each season, and Malen, who differs in style of play to that of Saka, would be a wonderful addition.
As per FBref, the 5 foot 10 talent ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and the top 3% for shots taken per 90. Moreover, 2014 World Cup Germany hero Mario Gotze has proclaimed him to be "extremely fast and very dangerous".
After all, last season, the dynamo scored 15 goals and supplied five further assists across 38 matches - and that's despite ten of such appearances coming from the bench.
Injuries have tugged at the £97k-per-week ace throughout his career but he would join a rich frontline filled with talent at Arsenal and could grow into his skin in a manner not dissimilar to that of Leandro Trossard, with the Belgian marksman considered a comparable player to Malen by FBref's statistical model.
Furthermore, so is Joao Felix, and as Aston Villa fight to sign the Portuguese ace, Arsenal could stay ahead of the curve by signing a similar player of, perhaps, more fitting quality.
Arteta's own Joao Felix
Felix is one of the highest-profile forwards on the continent, rising to fame after an exciting start to his professional career with Benfica and joining Atletico Madrid in a £113m deal in 2019, aged 19.
La Liga Journalist Jose Delgado claimed after Atleti's signing: "Since Ronaldo, we [Spain] have not had a player so exciting and young like him until now." However, such claims would not stand the test of time anymore.
joao-felix-barcelona
Like Malen, Felix performed deceptively well for Barcelona last season, ranking among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues for goals scored and the top 4% for shots taken per 90, with his silky-smooth dribbling and playmaking acumen also making him a 'dangerous' outlet.
Malen, too, isn't just a sharpshooter, averaging 1.6 dribbles per game in the German Bundesliga last season and 2.3 per outing with Oranje at the European Championship. He also created nine big chances for his peers in the league.
Dubbed "the football artist" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Felix would be a credit to Unai Emery's Villan project, and given that Arsenal have been reported - as relayed by Mundo Deportivo - to be among the outfits interested in striking a deal this summer, perhaps it's wise to move for a player of a similar profile in Malen.
Who knows, Dortmund's versatile attacking talent could prove to be the better pick; he's been more clinical across the duration of his career and his propensity for stirring up danger could give Arteta the edge in the pursuit of silverware and success of a higher level, with Kulig claiming that he is "simply unstoppable" when fit and firing.
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