Tottenham Hotspur are set to lose out to Arsenal for the signing of Malcom from Bordeaux despite offering £31million for the player, according to the Independent.
The sports site claim Arsene Wenger’s side have out-bid their bitter rivals and are close to sealing a deal for the in-form forward, 20, that will be completed this month.
The Independent report that Arsenal are set to pay £40million for the man they have identified as the replacement for exit-bound Alexis Sanchez.
It is said that Tottenham also tabled a bid for Malcom but were only willing to pay £31million for his signature.
The Brazilian 20-year-old was being offered to major clubs for as little as £16million last summer but that was before his reputation soared as a result of his impressive form this season, with seven goals and six assists in his 22 appearances across all competitions.
He arrived in France from Brazilian side Corinthians back in January 2016, and has a total 80 appearances under his belt for Bordeaux, netting 18 goals and chipping in with 14 assists.
Good move for Tottenham?
Perhaps. Malcom has been one of the star players in Ligue 1 this season, despite everyone lying in Paris Saint-Germain’s shadow. His impressive goal return is a fine effort for a side in a lowly 13th in the league. Would the Brazilian rising star immediately improve the Tottenham starting XI? Probably not, but he has the potential to become a serious player were he to get his feet under the table.
This Is Futbol rating 6/10
Likely to happen?
There appears little chance of Malcom now heading to Tottenham. They cannot compete with Arsenal in a cash race and the better-resourced north London club are set to blow their north London rivals out of the water for the Brazilian.
