Tottenham gain ground in race for Brazilian attacker

STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - APRIL 07: Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur shows appreciation to the fans following the Premier League match between Stoke City and Tottenham Hotspur at Bet365 Stadium on April 7, 2018 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - APRIL 07: Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur shows appreciation to the fans following the Premier League match between Stoke City and Tottenham Hotspur at Bet365 Stadium on April 7, 2018 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham expressed strong interest in signing Malcom back in January, and now Spurs are set to make another swoop for him this summer.

There’s under one month left in the summer transfer window, so it’s only natural that Daniel Levy starts to move Tottenham towards some signings. Fortunately for fans of the North London club, Spurs are making concrete progress towards an exciting Brazilian attacker.

Reports from France claim that Tottenham are, once again, set to engage Bordeaux in talks about bringing Malcom to England. The talented attacker has been a target of a variety of European clubs this summer, but Spurs seem to have the inside track.

Mauricio Pochettino told Malcom’s representatives he believed he could turn the fleet-footed Brazilian into one of the finest attackers in the world back in the winter. It’s highly unlikely anything has changed his opinion since then. Malcom wasn’t able to make the Brazil squad that bowed out during the Knockout Round of the World Cup, but that doesn’t mean he lacks quality.

He was a key player for Bordeaux all season long. The Ligue 1 club would like to hang on to him, but they realize he’s destined to play for a bigger club. That’s why Inter Milan, Chelsea and Spurs have all made inquiries regarding his availability this summer. Inter lack the financial resources to make a deal happen, and the Blues are only going to jump in the race if they lose Eden Hazard. At the time being, the odds favour the Belgian staying up at Stamford Bridge.

Curiously for Tottenham, Malcom’s arrival in England might signal a real lack of faith in one of his countryman. Lucas Moura arrived from PSG in a winter move, but failed to really make his presence felt in Pochettino’s lineup. The purpose of his acquisition was to add some pace to the Tottenham flank, that’s precisely what Malcom could do as well.

In fairness, Malcom has more potential than Lucas as a goal scorer. He also possesses the quality to play down the middle. He’s a much different player than Christian Eriksen, but he would give Pochettino’s attack another threat behind the striker.

Next: Tottenham must be patient with Wilmar Barrios

No deal is imminent between Tottenham and Bordeaux, but Spurs should be encouraged to know Levy and company are in active talks with the French club. He would be an excellent signing for Spurs if they can keep the transfer fee under £40 million.