Aston Villa has officially acquired Netherlands forward Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund for a fee estimated at 21 million pounds ($25.6 million), as confirmed on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old player had a year and a half remaining on his contract with Dortmund when the transfer took place. Malen’s career began when he joined Arsenal’s youth academy from Ajax in 2015, but he returned to his homeland to play for PSV Eindhoven in 2017 without making any senior appearances with the Gunners. He has been with Borussia Dortmund since 2021.

This season has seen Malen’s opportunities on the field dwindling, primarily due to the rise of Jamie Gittens taking a starting position in the lineup. Despite having participated in last season’s Champions League final, where Dortmund was defeated 2-0 by Real Madrid, Malen managed to get only a brief appearance as a substitute, largely overshadowed by then-loanee Jadon Sancho’s significant contributions to the team.

Nevertheless, Malen continues to be included in the plans of Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman, boasting a total of 41 appearances for the national team throughout his career.