OPINION
One of Jurgen Klopp’s priorities in the summer transfer window was to recruit an attacking midfielder who could provide a link between the middle of the park and the forwards.
The German thought he had found his man in Lyon’s Nabil Fekir, but The Telegraph reported that the move broke down due to medical concerns on Liverpool’s part.
However, Klopp can ensure he gets what he wants without revisiting the Fekir saga. A move for Barcelona flop Malcom would work just as well for the Reds.
Liverpool were linked by Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio with a move for the Brazilian this summer, but were eventually beaten to his signature by the Spanish champions, who The Guardian reported purchased him for £36.5million.
Now, Spanish publication Sport claims that the former Bordeaux man wants out of the Nou Camp, with Inter, Arsenal and Tottenham prepared to offer him an escape route.
The 21-year-old has played just 25 minutes of action in all competitions for Ernesto Valverde’s side this campaign, and his frustration is evidently leading him to seek a way out of Catalonia.
Instead of moving to Milan or North London, though, Klopp should be entreating the powers that be at Anfield to make a push for the player to call Merseyside home. He is a very similar in nature to Fekir and would assume the role that Klopp thought he had filled with the France international.
Malcom demonstrated his quality in France with a tremendous three year spell that saw him score 23 goals in 96 games for Ricardo Gomes’s team.
The creativity and goal threat he would bring to the Reds attack would be phenomenal, and he’d add a whole new dimension to the team moving forward.
The Fekir deal is surely dead in the water now, but Malcom is available as a high-class alternative. He would bring many of the same qualities as Fekir, as well as being hugely motivated to prove his talent after a disastrous spell in Spain.
The competition for his signature will clearly be fierce, but Klopp should be making the Brazilian his number one target heading into the January transfer window.
