It appears as if there could be a bidding war between North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal for the signature of Bordeaux forward Malcom, as both clubs were already linked with the player during the January window. However, he decided to stay put at Bordeaux after talks with President Stephane Martin.
“I wanted to leave, to tell you the truth,” Malcom was quoted by ESPN.
“It’s my dream to progress in my career. I spoke with the president, and he told me that he knew it was my dream but that he needed me. I told him he could count on me until the end [of the season].
“I will do everything to bring Bordeaux to the top six in Ligue 1. I will try to do everything because I like Bordeaux. I will give everything until the end to show that I stayed to help and do better.”
The 20-year-old, however, revealed in an interview ahead of the weekend’s game against Angers that he has not come across any piece of rumour in the press or social media.
“On Instagram, people put me in Arsenal, Tottenham or Bayern shirts. Even if it’s my dream, it makes me laugh. I play for Bordeaux. At the moment, that’s all I think about,” Malcom told in an interview with Sud-Ouest (h/t Sport Witness).
Malcom has been a shining light for Bordeaux this season and has helped the club climb up to 9th in the Ligue 1 standings.
The Brazilian joined Bordeaux from Corinthians in January 2016 at just 19 years of age. In his first full season in France, the nippy winger made an eye-catching 45 appearances in all competitions, scoring 9 goals and assisting a further 7 times.
The 21-year-old has a strong desire to play in the Champions League for a big club and there is every chance his dream would come true at the end of the season.
The report adds that Bordeaux don’t want to lose one of their prized assets but are aware of the high interest in Malcom. Therefore, they have valued the player at €50m.
Spurs, who signed Lucas Moura from PSG after missing out on Malcom in January, could double their efforts in the summer for the talented Bordeaux forward.