Arsenal are the favourites to sign Bordeaux winger Malcom ahead of rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The Gunners have offered £40m for a player who they see as a replacement for Manchester United-bound Alexis Sanchez, according to The Independent, while Spurs were only prepared to pay £31m.
While missing out on the talented 20-year-old, who has seven goals and five assists in Ligue 1 this season, may frustrate Tottenham fans, who have already watched long-term target Ross Barkley move to Chelsea unchallenged this January, it could be a blessing in disguise.
Should Arsenal get Malcom through the door, that would likely end their interest in Crystal Palace wide-man Wilfried Zaha, who had been tipped as a Sanchez successor by The Sun back in November.
Zaha is another long-term Spurs target, with the Lilywhites having attempted to sign him in 2016, as Sky Sports details, and have tracked his improving performances ever since, according to The Sun.
The Ivory Coast international has been in sensational form this season, tormenting defenders to score four goals and supply two assists to almost single-handedly drag Palace away from relegation trouble.
Although Zaha’s numbers are no match for Malcom’s, the 25-year-old is a proven Premier League performer who could have an immediate impact at Spurs, rather than a gamble from a foreign division.
Spurs have previously recruited wingers from France but both Clinton N’Jie and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou have been big disappointments, so there is no guarantee that Malcom would be a success.
It seems that Arsenal are prepared to take that risk but if them signing the South American gives Spurs a free run at Zaha, then it should only be seen as good news for Mauricio Pochettino and company.
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