According to Don Balon, Arsenal could withdraw their offer for Lucas Vazquez to move for Malcom instead.

Back at the start of July, it was claimed that Arsenal had ‘arrived’ to offer €32m for Lucas Vazquez. This claim came after Arsenal’s interest in the player had already been dismissed as merely a marketing ploy by the player’s people.

Arsenal have also been linked with Malcom for around two years now, long before he made his ill-fated decision to move to Barcelona last year. They’ve apparently told him they’ll be offering him around to a few clubs, one of whom is Arsenal. Because of this offer, Arsenal are reportedly considering cancelling their interest in a player nobody is really sure they were interested in the first place.

Still with me?

Don Balon, as we know, aren’t the most reliable of outlets to put it kindly. They were the main driving force behind the Karim-Benzema-to-Arsenal rumours for years. Still, this Malcom story won’t die down. Just two days ago it was reported by a more reputable outlet that Malcom’s agent told Barcleona he wanted to leave and that Arsenal were interested.

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

DB claim that Arsenal have offered €40m for Vazquez, some €16m more than the next largest offer for the player which, let’s face it, sounds even less like Arsenal. ‘More than generous’ is how the Spanish publication phrase it. More hilarious, is more like it.

So far in this window, Arsenal have offered €32m for Vazquez and had a €22.5m bid approved by the Arsenal board. Last summer we were reportedly told he’d cost €30m and we were prepared to pay €40m for him.

Barcelona, meanwhile, reportedly want €60m for Malcom.

Both players are viewed as Wilfried Zaha alternatives. We came up with a few others as well.