Barcelona have completed the signing of Malcom from Bordeaux, with the Liga giants having hijacked a proposed switch to Roma for the Brazilian forward.
The La Liga champions have struck a deal with the French side worth an initial €41 million, with an additional €1m potentially due in add-ons.
Malcom, 21, agreed a five-year deal at Camp Nou, with a release clause expected to be fixed at €400m.
Barca's move for Malcom came late on Monday, hours after Roma had announced that had reached an agreement with Bordeaux to sign the player.
Roma supporters even gathered at the airport in Italy's capital city to greet him later that night, but he never arrived. Instead, terms were being negotiated with Barca, who had gazumped Roma's bid, which was reported to have been in the region of €32m.
Fernando Garcia, Malcom's agent, met with the Catalan club to thrash out the final details as the contracts were quickly drawn up ahead of Tuesday's announcement. Malcom will undergo a medical in Barcelona on Wednesday ahead of his presentation before flying out to the United States to join up with his new teammates.
Barca face Tottenham in Los Angeles on Saturday in the International Champions Cup, when Malcom could make his debut for his new club. However, if he's not included in the squad for that game, he could, coincidentally, come into the reckoning for the Blaugrana's match against Roma in Dallas next week.
It would add even more intrigue to the fixture at the AT&T Stadium, given Barca will already have one eye on avenging last season's shock Champions League exit at the hands of the Serie A side.
Malcom first arrived in Europe in 2016, joining Bordeaux from Corinthians, where he won the Brazilian title, and made almost 100 appearances for the Ligue 1 club.
He can play through the middle but is primarily a winger and he scored 12 goals last season to help Bordeaux to a sixth-placed finish, drawing attention from a number of European sides.
Borussia Dortmund and several Premier League teams were linked, but it was Roma's sporting director Monchi who looked to have sealed a deal to sign the talented attacker.
However, Barca arrived at the last minute to steal Malcom away from Roma and Monchi, who has turned down the chance to head up transfer operations at Camp Nou on several occasions in the past.
shray_srivastava
469
So this just happened ? 🤣🤣
maddykaka22
300
Congrats to Barcelona!!hope they make the best out of him ... football is all about respect rather than rivalry !! So being arch rivals .. I say it’s a great signing .. & Perez should really make things happen ... we haven’t done anything for the past 4 yrs now ... high time to make a move !!!!
AmierAzamudin
285
last season they beat barca , and now barca beat them😂😂😂
softgid
256
Loan dembele to Arsenal plsss
Dr_Kubs
137
Actually, the headline should read: Barcelona get back at Roma!!!
PrantaNayan
107
Barcelona is becoming Brazilona 🐸
benchukky
104
transfer hijack of the season,😂😂🤣🤣 Barca just played a smart one on Roma hope they don't loan or sell him come next season😂😂😅
Cikbklmp
96
Barca got their no. 7!
mabat
91
this year must win champions lege cup+laliga.
Sambzl
84
Actually bordeaux played it sneaky they released the announcement before Roma did which forced them to do the same, but i guess u're just another plastic fan who don't check facts.. They did it also to unter and other clubs this guy is not worth not even close to 40M So enjoy the bench warmer and another flop signing
symas
54
Too many plastic fans are here, i think they think they have better ideas than a club and a coach and investors. More players means old players also get rest. Long term contract players can be benched as they young and grooming in new club. Every season have two times transfer window opens. So there are risk of players to leave. If they get chance on any good players they played accordingly. Some times players got injured for long time then these signs work at that time.
ismaalnasi
46
What a double standard! days ago Barkans were afraid Man Utd. could hijack their deal regarding Willian, despite the fact that it's Man Utd. that first bid for the player.