Barcelona are interested in signing Willian from Chelsea and are prepared to offer Malcom in exchange as part of any potential deal.
The Brazilian winger moved to the Camp Nou from Bordeaux during the summer transfer window for a €41 million fee – as per Goal – but he has so far failed to break into Ernesto Valverde’s first team plans.
The 21-year-old misfit has featured just twice for Barca during their first 11 La Liga matches this term and is being kept out of the team by Arthur, who also arrived at the club during the summer from Gremio in Brazil.
According to Metro Sport, Malcom has already expressed his desire to leave in January in search of regular playing time and Barca are willing to use him as leverage in a swap deal for a midfielder capable of adding more quality to their ranks.
That midfielder is Chelsea’s Willian, who according to the Daily Express, remains one of Barcelona’s top transfer targets in the new year, despite having already failed to secure the Brazilian’s services with two bids during the last window.
The Express states that the Spanish champions are ready to cut their losses with Malcom and send him off to Stamford Bridge if his fellow countryman is willing to move the other way, but Barca would still likely have to pay an additional fee to make sure the deal goes through.
Blues boss Maurizio Sarri has plenty of options in the middle of the park with the likes of Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to choose from, meaning losing Willian would only be a minor blow for his team going forward.
The 30-year-old star has enjoyed five successful years in London and won a whole host of major trophies, but he might fancy a new challenge in Spain with one of the biggest clubs in the world should they indeed come calling in 2019.
