The Brazilian winger who navigated a high-stakes transfer battle for Barcelona
In short: From the youth ranks of Corinthians to the elite stages of Europe, Malcom's career is a journey of massive transfer fees and unexpected turns. His path included a controversial pursuit by Barcelona that nearly sparked legal action from Italian giants Roma, before he became a dominant force in the Russian Premier League.
Born in São Paulo, Malcom Filipe Silva de Oliveira began his professional journey at Corinthians, where he made his debut in March 2014. After winning the 2015 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, his rapid ascent led him to Bordeaux in January 2016. During his three seasons in France, he became a fan favourite, scoring 23 goals in 96 appearances and winning the Trophées UNFP Goal of the Season for a long-range strike against Dijon in 2017.
His move to FC Barcelona in 2018 was marked by significant tension. The Spanish club secured him for an initial fee of €41 million, a move that nearly resulted in legal action from Roma, who had been waiting for him at the airport. Due to regulations regarding players without European Union passports, Malcom was excluded from Barcelona's 2018 Supercopa de España winning squad, though he later scored in the UEFA Champions League against Inter Milan.
Malcom eventually found sustained success in Russia with Zenit Saint Petersburg, joining them in August 2019 for €40 million. He helped the club win the Russian Premier League in each of his four seasons there. His 2022–23 campaign was particularly prolific; he scored 23 goals, earning him the titles of Russian Premier League top scorer, player of the season, and forward of the season. Following this, he moved to Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League in 2023, before joining Al Jazira in the UAE Pro League in 2026.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Malcom (footballer)
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