According to RAC1 (via ESPN), Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has admitted that he never wanted to sign Malcom in the first place and apparently has no idea of how to utilise him, meaning a January move might make sense for the Brazilian forward.
This could be an opportunity for several top clubs across Europe to get hold of Malcom, who certainly possesses the quality.
We look at three reasons why Chelsea should go for Malcom next month as they aim to push the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool in the second half of the season.
#3 A dynamic attacker who can inject more pace to the attack
One of the things which come into mind when speaking of Malcom is his raw pace. Indeed, the Brazilian forward is one of the fastest players in the Barcelona setup while his dynamism and clever movements make him a useful attacker for any team in Europe.
Chelsea, in particular, could benefit from his pace as the Blues look to find an upgrade for Pedro. Although Malcom may not be tactically astute like the Spanish international who has played under several top class managers, his youthful exuberance certainly makes him a superior choice in terms of pace and movement in the final third.
Under Maurizio Sarri, Malcom’s pace could be useful to stretch defences as Chelsea like to keep the ball and have often come up against packed defences.
#2 A potential long-term replacement for Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard is arguably the best player in the Premier League at the moment and his departure could be a huge blow for Chelsea. However, in the form of Malcom, Chelsea could buy themselves a potential long-term replacement for the Belgian superstar.
Although Malcom is nowhere near the level of Hazard just yet, the Brazilian, more or less, resembles the Belgian in terms of his style in the final third.
Indeed, he likes to take on defenders, having averaged four dribbles per game with a success rate of 67%. And at his age, the 21-year-old will continue to improve as a winger, thus making him an ideal signing for Chelsea.
#3 The creative spark
Malcom is a dynamic winger but what sets him apart from his counterparts is his ability to create chances in the final third. He was one of Europe’s best attackers last season, creating as many as 87 chances for Bordeaux.
Like any other inverted winger, Malcom tends to cut inside in order to operate in a more central area of the pitch, where he often looks for a defence-splitting through-ball.
This could be a boon for Chelsea, who are currently in the market for a new creative midfielder who can share the burden with Hazard and co. in terms of providing the key passes in the final third and Malcom, in that regard, will be the perfect option.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored