According to Sport, Tottenham Hotspur have identified Malcom as the ideal alternative to prime target Giovani Lo Celso. The Brazilian winger’s days at Barcelona are numbered as the Catalan giants continue their pursuit of Neymar during the remainder of the transfer window. That being said, Spurs could face significant competition for Malcom, with Arsenal, Inter Milan and Napoli all interested in his services.
But how does Malcom stack up against the Argentine? Let’s take a closer look at their player profile and see if the Barcelona star is really an excellent alternative to Lo Celso.
Style of play
There is a stark difference between the two players, mainly in the position they like to operate. Lo Celso is more of an attacking minded central midfielder while Malcom is an out and out winger.
However, there are similarities, as well. Malcom, in particular, is an inverted winger, which means he likes to move into central areas of the pitch despite starting in a wider role. His tendency to cut inside allows him to open both sides of the pitch. From there, he can deliver a host of key passes in and around the final third.
As for Lo Celso, he likes to act as the ball-carrier in the middle of the park. The Argentine is blessed with exquisite control over the ball that enables him to nestle through tight spaces. But much like Malcom, he too likes to thread in key passes from a central area of the pitch.
Stat comparison
Malcom endured an awful debut campaign in Barcelona. Hence, it would only be fair to consider his statistics from the successful 2017/18 campaign with Bordeaux.
Despite not being an out and out attacker, Lo Celso gives Malcom a run for his money when it comes to shots attempted on goal. The Argentine averaged two attempts per game last season with Real Betis, which is almost the same as Malcom’s tally of 2.1 shots per game during the 2017/18 season.
Malcom is a significantly better dribbler, having completed 2.7 successful dribbles per game with Bordeaux. However, the fact that Lo Celso had also completed two dribbles per game last season is quite commendable for a central midfielder.
Lastly, it is the chance creation that depicts the quality and productivity of any creative player. Real Betis star Lo Celso, in that regard, falls behind his 22-year-old counterpart by a considerable margin. He averaged 0.8 key passes per game last season compared to the 2.5 key passes per game the Brazilian managed during the 2017/18 campaign.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
How will Malcom fit into Spurs?
Should Tottenham’s pursuit of Lo Celso fail, Malcom will be a welcome addition to the team, even though he falls behind the Argentine in many aspects. The ex-Bordeaux star will provide much-needed competition for the injury-prone Erik Lamela. He could also solve Tottenham’s problem of lack of natural wingers as both Lucas Moura and Son Heung-Min have been utilised in a more central role by Mauricio Pochettino.
Therefore, the Lilywhites should continue keeping their tabs on this highly talented Brazilian winger as they aim to add more options to their attacking department next season.
