Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly set to target Barcelona outcast Malcom, who could be open to leaving Camp Nou in January
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Malcom will push for a move away from Barcelona in the January transfer window if his situation at Camp Nou does not improve. The Brazilian winger is the subject of interest from the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan.
Malcom only joined Barcelona this past summer following a fruitful 30-month spell at Bordeaux. The transfer was completed amid a lot of controversy, with the French outfit said to have agreed a deal with AS Roma before the Blaugrana swooped in at the eleventh hour.
It was believed that the move to Barcelona would help skyrocket Malcom into becoming a world class player that he has been projected to become in recent years. But, what has followed is a anti-climax of sorts. The 21-year-old has only managed to rack up 105 minutes of action so far this season, and his situation has piqued the interest of Arsenal and Tottenham.
The interest from Arsenal makes a great deal of sense. Unai Emery does not have a single natural winger in his squad, with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck usually being deployed in the wide areas.
To that end, Arsenal have been linked with a number of wingers in recent weeks, with Malcom being the latest target, who could be an ideal foil to the abilities of Mesut Ozil, Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. But, the Gunners are not alone in pursuit of the Barcelona outcast, with North London rivals Tottenham providing stiff competition.
Tottenham do have Lucas Moura and Son Heung-min as candidates to man either flank, with Christian Eriksen also capable of playing out wide. But, Malcom is a player whose qualities could add a new dimension to Spurs’ attack, should he join from Barcelona.
But, persuading Barcelona to part ways with the player permanently could be a tall order for Arsenal and Tottenham, in case they still see his future at Camp Nou. A loan deal is an alternative for the North Londoners, although it remains to be seen if the two parties would be open to such a short-term deal.
For now, a move entirely depends on Malcom’s progress in the next couple of months. If he is unable to rack up minutes on a regular basis, he could well end up moving to either Arsenal or Tottenham. But, it remains to be seen if that move is permanent or temporary.
