Mundo Deportivo claims Roma sporting director Monchi’s failure to have Malcom sign a pre-contract allowed Barcelona to hijack the deal late on.
It appeared all but certain that the Brazilian winger would join the Giallorossi from Bordeaux, with a fee agreed and the French club even announcing the 21-year-old’s departure to the Italian capital.
However, an eleventh hour bid from the Catalan giants ended with Malcom dramatically deciding to move to Spain rather than the Stadio Olimpico.
Mundo Deportivo claims Roma sporting director Monchi’s failure to have Malcom sign a pre-contract allowed Barcelona to hijack the deal late on.
It appeared all but certain that the Brazilian winger would join the Giallorossi from Bordeaux, with a fee agreed and the French club even announcing the 21-year-old’s departure to the Italian capital.
However, an eleventh hour bid from the Catalan giants ended with Malcom dramatically deciding to move to Spain rather than the Stadio Olimpico.
The Roma hierarchy are furious at the unexpected late turn of events and are understood to be considering legal action over their perceived injustice.
However, Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo does not believe Barca did anything wrong in their late pursuit of the player.
According to the sports newspaper, the Blaugrana actually first registered their interest in the youngster more than two weeks ago at a meeting held with Malcom’s agent.
However, they did so on the understanding that Malcom was an alternative to their number one target, Chelsea’s Willian.
Once it transpired that Barca would not get their first choice, they returned to Bordeaux with an official offer – just as it appeared the deal with Roma was all but done.
At that point, the fact Malcom had not put pen-to-paper on any pre-contract or other agreement meant the opportunity still remained to reverse his decision.