COP or DROP: Malcom x Barcelona

Item: Malcom Filipe Silva de Oliveira

Brand: FC Barcelona

Made in: Brazil

Release date: 26/2/1997

Price: €45M

This is the fourth episode of our new series called 'COP or DROP', the first that talks about a talent that we'll not see in Serie A, but in a foreign league. But it's about someone who was just about to land in Italy, if it were not that a last-minute market turning has changed the direction of his future destination, leaving the whole AS Roma world stunned. Apart from this detail, a classic example of sliding doors, we wondered what Malcom's real value and its potential, if indeed it's an investment that Roma will regret in the future, and in the meantime how it can settle in a highly professional squad competitive like Barcelona without being considered superfluous.

Best Case Scenario: Douglas Costa

Let's be clear, Malcom is a player who had nothing to do with the technical level of Bordeaux, the team that brought him to Europe in 2016 for a few million and that this summer did not make any resistance to sell it to the best bidder. It seemed destined to Everton, then to Inter, then to Roma, at the end it was blown by Barcelona, all top clubs that have seen and reviewed his games in his two years of Ligue 1: in his baggage there are tremendous sprints, risky dribbling but above all a great left-handed, with whom he was able to hold the opponent's net several times with huge shots from outside the area. His low center of balance and the tendency to always start from the right out to center and often try the triangle with the teammates can help us to imagine for him a future for Douglas Costa, but only if the Verdeoro born in 1997 will be able to confirm his skills in a league more competitive than the French one.

Worst Case Scenario: Gerson

The great abundance in the Barça offensive department (there, on the right side of the attacking trio, the place is reserved for Leo Messi and is not discussed) and his lack of tactical flexibility could force the Brazilian youngster to pass most of his first season seeing his teammates from the bench. And then let's not forget the 'heaviness' of wearing the Blaugrana shirt: for these reasons who knows if beyond the first performance in the pre-season tour (one goal against Roma and there were no doubts!) will follow others. Shortly, despite a good curriculum, the doubts about its efficiency are at least legitimate.

Expected: Angel Di Maria

Twenty goals and thirteen assists in eighty games of the French league are a pretty good booty for a player who has not at all served months of adaptation to European football. With such a personality, it's likely that he will not need it even in other experiences. This is why (and we are very sorry for our Romanist friends) we are convinced that Malcom will be able to amaze everyone with its enormous talent and intensity. And after the Barcelona will also be able to conquer the Seleçao, as well as other talents born all in 1997: Gabriel Jesus, Richarlison, David Neres, Lucas Paquetà and his friend Guilherme Arana.

Curiosities

If we rely on the numbers, Malcom last year was rated by Opta stats as the third best under 21 player above the European leagues and this is worth a lot, since he played in a mediocre team like Bordeaux, without great performers at his side. And then oh well, we have to clarify about the origin of his name: his father choose this name, but without L, in honor of Malcolm X.