Malcom's Agent Denies Inter Milan Talks, Hints at Barcelona Stay This Summer
March 28, 2019
Barcelona forward Malcom has not been in touch with Inter Milan regarding a summer move, according to his agent.
Per Sport, having tried and failed to bring him in on loan in January, Inter are reportedly set to pursue him again at the end of the season.
However, his agent, Leonardo Cornacini, told Calciomercato.it (h/t Sport):
"We respect Inter a lot and we have a good relationship with [sporting director] Ausilio, but for now there's been no contact with them.
"Malcom's an interesting option for any European club, even though he has a long contract with Barca and is adapting well. We are convinced next season he will do much better."
Cornacini's comments would suggest Malcom is expecting to remain at the Camp Nou over the summer, but his situation there looks bleak at present.
Since he arrived for an initial €41 million (£36.5 million) from Bordeaux last year, he has made only 15 appearances and spent a total of just 534 minutes on the pitch.
It's a surprise he has played so little, having been so exciting in Ligue 1 last season:
The 22-year-old has managed to score three times during his brief time on the pitch.
Two of his goals have been significant; one salvaged a 1-1 draw with Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League group stage, the other rescued a draw by the same scoreline against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals:
He has played just five minutes of football since then, despite Barca playing nine matches in that time.
With Luis Suarez now 32 and Lionel Messi often dropping deeper to act as a playmaker for the side, Malcom is one of their only sources of pace in the final third aside from Ousmane Dembele.
Squawka's Muhammad Butt is hoping to see Malcom earn some game time while the Frenchman recovers from a muscle strain:
Barca are 10 points clear of Atletico Madrid in La Liga, so it would make sense to call on Malcom in the final 10 matches of the season while the likes of Dembele focus on the Champions League.
That seems unlikely given how little time he's been handed by manager Ernesto Valverde, though, and if his situation does not improve, there's little sense in him remaining at the club much longer.