The 25-year-old Netherlands international moves to the Premier League club for a reported fee of €23m (£19m) plus €3m (£2.5m) in add-ons.

Neither the fee involved nor Malen’s contract duration was confirmed by Villa.

Former Arsenal youth player Malen scored 13 goals for Dortmund in the Bundesliga last season and helped them reach the Champions League final.

He has a similar challenge at Villa Park, with Unai Emery’s side in contention to reach the latter stages of the Champions League.

Malen has nine goals in 41 senior caps for the Netherlands and played at Euro 2024.

He joins a Villa side who sat eighth in the Premier League heading into the midweek round of fixtures, four points off the Champions League qualification places.

It remains to be confirmed whether he will go straight into the Villa squad for their Premier League fixture against Everton on Wednesday, 15 January at 19.30 GMT.

Malen’s arrival means Villa forward Jaden Philogene is close to joining Premier League rivals Ipswich Town.

Emery said of Malen and Philogene at his pre-match media conference ahead of facing Everton: “Of course, it’s a change. A clear change. One player leaving, one player joining us.”