Arsenal Transfer Rumors 2018: Gunners Closing in on Bordeaux's Malcom as Alexis Sánchez Exit Looms
Malcom has been in excellent form for FC Girondins de Bordeaux this season, and now he has caught the attention of one of the "big six" in the Premier League.
According to Goal Brazil, Arsenal are on the verge of signing Brazilian forward Malcom for €50 million (around £44 million). The report says that the two clubs held talks last Thursday and they are looking to finalize the deal this week.
The Guardian's Ed Aarons would also report that the two sides have been meeting, and French football journalist Romain Collet-Gaudin tweeted that Malcom was with his agent to finalize the transfer to north London.
The Gunners seemed to have found a potential replacement for Alexis Sánchez, but Sky Sports' Spanish football expert Guillem Balagué was quick to note that Malcom's not a finished product by any means and it would take time for him to develop.
"He's so quick. He's left-footed, plays from the right-hand side but he lacks work, committment without the ball and a lot of things you have to work with him to develop," Balagué said during an appearance on Sky Sports' "Transfer Talk" podcast, via the Express.
"He's not the finished product. What they want to do if Alexis goes - or when Alexis goes - is to replace him with a guaranteed player that can start for Arsenal. That's the aim. They think they've got somebody and Malcom is certainly a possibility for the near future but not the one to replace Alexis," he added.
Meanwhile, a deal for Malcom would mean that Arsenal were finally going to allow Sánchez to leave.
The Chilean forward was left out of the squad in Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, and before the game, Gunners manager Arsène Wenger had admitted that Sánchez's future would be decided in the next 48 hours.
