OPINION
Tottenham risk missing a trick by allowing Everton to get ahead of them in the race to sign Malcom from Barcelona
According to Marca, the Toffees have opened proceedings by ‘submitting an inquiry’, and Spurs must make sure that they do not get left behind.
The 21-year-old has struggled to make an impact for the Catalan giants since his £37m million move from Bordeaux over the summer, playing just 97 minutes of league football, but is a serious talent who could flourish under Mauricio Pochettino.
The Brazilian has suggested that he wants to stay and fight for a place with the La Liga champions, and a January move seems ambitious, but if he continues to stutter in his progression then Barca will waste not time in offloading him, and Spurs must be ready to swoop.
Up until Everton’s approach an offer may have seemed pointless, but there is no harm in laying the groundwork for a move, even if it doesn’t come about for a while.
The winger is exactly the kind of player that Pochettino loves – agile, intelligent, pacy – and he would fit into Tottenham’s attacking behemoth with ease.
Given his youth he could still be moulded into a more well-rounded player, in the same way that Dele Alli or Son Heung-min have been, and a move to England could be exactly what’s needed to kickstart his promising career.