Bordeaux winger Malcom has admitted he wanted to leave the club in January, but promised he would stay until the end of the season.

Malcom was reportedly a target for Arsenal during the January transfer window, but stories of his imminent arrival at the club were misplaced.

In the end, despite him reportedly also being close to a move to Tottenham, the Brazilian stayed at Bordeaux in order to help them climb the table and distance themselves from the relegation zone.

Bordeaux took a tough stance on his potential sale, saying numerous times that he’d be going nowhere.

One reason they could take that position was the 20-year-old telling them he would stay out o a sense of loyalty or duty.

“I wanted to leave, to tell the truth,” he told L’Equipe.

“It’s my dream to progress my career. I spoke with the president and he told he knew it was my dream, but he needed me. 

“I told him he could count on me until the end.

“I’ll do my best to get Bordeaux into the top six in Ligue 1.”

Malcom has been Bordeaux’s best player this season with eight goals and five assists in 22 appearances.

The winger was thought to be a replacement for Alexis Sanchez before he joined Manchester United in exchange for Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Arsenal, however, pulled out of any deal after determining that the player was too inexperienced for the price tag Bordeaux were demanding.

It’s possible that Arsenal will reignite their interest in the summer, when Bordeaux may be more agreeable to letting him go. However, Maurico Pochettino is said to have turned the player’s head towards the more shady parts of north London.

Bordeaux have climbed to eighth in Ligue 1 after winning their last three games.

They’re now seven points off the relegation zone.

A good end to the season could strengthen their negotiating position come the summer transfer window.