Napoli are reportedly ready to switch their attention to Barcelona ace Malcom if they fail in their pursuit of Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez.
Carlo Ancelotti is looking to bring in reinforcements this summer to bolster their chances of challenging Juventus for the Serie A title, while also trying to make a positive impression in Europe.
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Having flirted with the possibility of toppling the Turin giants, they have fallen short on a consistent basis in recent years, and so he’ll be desperate to try and bridge that gap this summer with new signings.
According to Calciomercato, the Partenopei could look towards Malcom to strengthen their attacking options, with the Brazilian proving during his stint at Bordeaux that he is certainly talented and can make the difference in the final third.
Unfortunately for him, his first year at the Nou Camp didn’t go to plan following on from his €41m switch last July, as noted by the Guardian.
The 22-year-old managed just four goals and two assists in 24 outings, playing a bit-part role under coach Ernesto Valverde, who also often left him out of his squad entirely due to fitness issues and competition for places.
As a result, doubts remained over the Brazilian’s future with the reigning La Liga champions, who could have the opportunity to offload him as per the report above, with the suggestion being that Napoli could be forced to consider alternatives to Rodriguez.
With the addition of Antoine Griezmann at Barcelona this summer, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to see how Malcom can force his way into Valverde’s plans moving forward, and so he will surely welcome the idea of a new challenge elsewhere to try and play a more prominent role too.
Nevertheless, there is no mention of a fee being agreed or personal terms as of yet, and so a switch to the San Paolo appears to be some distance away for now.
