Malcom has spoken to Ernesto Valverde and asked to leave FC Barcelona in January, if his current situation doesn’t change, according to reports.

Mundo Deportivo report that Malcom still doesn’t enter into Valverde’s plans for the future. The winger is only likely to get games playing in the cup competitions, if at all. After becoming aware of this, the 21-year-old called a meeting with the Barcelona coach and told him that if he can’t play more, he wants to leave in the winter transfer window.

Malcom is happy in the city, and Valverde is reportedly pleased with his attitude in training. There are just too many players ahead of the Brazilian in the 54-year-old’s mind.

Mundo Deportivo add that Arsenal are among the clubs that have made contact to ask about Malcom’s availability. That fits with a previous report from Sport saying the same thing. The Gunners aren’t the only ones in for the winger though. Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur have also been heavily linked with a move in recent weeks.

What happens next will likely come down to how much time Malcom spends on the pitch over the next two months. If he finds a way into the team, I’m sure all these stories will disappear. He’s only just joined Barcelona after all. If he stays on the sidelines, perhaps both player and club will accept the move was a mistake, and let him move on. We’ll see.