According to reports from Marca, Everton are once again interested in signing Brazilian winger Malcom after losing out to Barcelona in the race for his signature during the summer. The former Bordeaux star has seriously struggled for game-time at the Nou Camp, albeit partly due to injury problems, and doesn’t appear to have the full backing of manager Ernesto Valverde.
Marca add that Malcom wants to wait until the end of the season until making a decision on his future, but what would the fallout be from the 21-year-old’s potential arrival at Goodison Park – whether it takes place in this transfer window or the next one?
Football FanCast consider the potential consequences of Everton signing a promising young player who Transfermarkt value at £36million…
Theo Walcott finally replaced
After a summer of exciting recruitment, Theo Walcott has quickly emerged as one of the real weak spots in Everton’s starting XI. Despite an abundance of experience at Premier League level and the Toffees currently playing a far more creative brand of football than they were after his arrival in January, the former Arsenal star has managed just three goals and two assists in the top flight this season, including just one goal involvement since the end of September.
Malcom is capable of playing anywhere along the front line, but the right wing slot is his preferred position – allowing him to come inside on his left foot – so a big money move for the Brazilian suggests Walcott’s days in the starting XI are well and truly numbered. Not that Everton fans will mind very much.
Ademola Lookman forces exit
Back in the summer, Marco Silva described Ademola Lookman as ‘the present and the future of the club’, but actions speak much louder than words and the former Charlton youngster has only been given one Premier League start this term, despite Walcott’s wayward form and summer arrival Bernard being an inconsistent performer at best.
Of course, the forward is still just 21 years of age and there’s no need to rush him into the first team, but Lookman showed his ambition to play regular football back in the summer when he expressed a willingness to join RB Leipzig permanently following a successful loan spell and news of the club’s interest in Malcom – a talent the same age as Lookman but accompanied by a much larger price-tag – is unlikely to go down well.
In fact, it could well be the final straw for the youngster, who always seems to show a glimpse of his quality in cameo berths but can never clinch a place in the starting XI.
Barcelona agree Richarlison exit
Marcel Brands has formed an interesting connection with Barcelona that’s certainly serving Everton well in the short-term, with Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes all earning plaudits since their summer arrivals from the Nou Camp, and that could give them the upper hand in securing Malcom’s signature ahead of rival suitors.
But you have to wonder what the La Liga club are looking to get out of this ongoing relationship aside from some decent money for their surplus-to-requirements personnel, and an eventual deal seeing Richarlison go the other way feels like their most logical long-term aim.
There have already been reports of the Catalans taking an interest in Everton’s star forward and in terms of his versatility, energy and flair he’d naturally suit their style of play. Perhaps it would come in the form of a direct swap deal involving Malcom, perhaps a separate transfer would take place a little later down the line, but Barcelona will no doubt be viewing their out-of-favour winger as a useful bargaining chip in eventually landing their man.
Check out Neymar’s controversial new haircut for 2019 and Xherdan Shaqiri as you’ve never seen him before in the video below…
