Liverpool may be hoping to exact a measure of revenge for their FA Cup defeat to Manchester United by beating them to the punch for a reported mutual transfer target.
In Christian Falk’s Fact Files for Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, the journalist outlined that Donyell Malen is of interest to both clubs (as well as Arsenal), with the 25-year-old potentially being the subject of a proposed swap move which’d see him come to Old Trafford and Jadon Sancho rejoining Borussia Dortmund permanently.
That is supposedly ‘plan B’, with the Bundesliga club eager to discuss another possible loan move for the England international, who’s currently back at Signal Iduna Park on a temporary basis.
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Falk wrote: “Jadon Sancho is getting better and better. Most recently he scored against Bremen and Eindhoven. The club looked up old data from the archives to compare Sancho’s stats from his first time at Dortmund. His training plan will then be adjusted.
“Sports director Sebastian Kehl is very happy with Sancho. That’s why he wants to talk to Manchester United in May. The goal: another loan.
“But there is also a plan B: Donyell Malen is currently playing in his best form since he joined Dortmund. Manchester United are interested in him. Dortmund would give him away. A swap deal would be possible. Good for Dortmund: Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC are also interested in the Dutchman.”
Malen has emerged as a possible summer transfer target for Liverpool in recent days, with Sky Germany reporter Patrick Berger claiming that the winger ‘wants to leave Dortmund’ and is ‘expected’ to move on during the off-season.
If the Bundesliga club simply negotiate another loan deal for Sancho, one which doesn’t entail a potential swap involving the Dutch winger, that could make it theoretically easier for the Reds to land the 25-year-old than if United were to sign him in exchange for the Englishman.
As Falk outlined, Malen has been enjoying a hot streak of late, with four goals in his last four league games (Transfermarkt), so it’s little wonder that he’s been attracting interest from some of the Premier League’s big hitters.
It remains to be seen just what positions and which players will take priority in the summer shopping list of Liverpool’s new sporting director Richard Hughes, with the identity of the new manager set to shape the plan of attack for the transfer window.
Nonetheless, if the Reds were to beat United to the punch for the Dortmund and Netherlands winger, it’d no doubt bring a wry smile to Merseyside faces.
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