Arsenal: Nothing about this Malcom business is surprising

Arsenal are supposedly “rocked” by the £60m price tag that Barcelona have slapped on Malcom, but does anyone really believe that? You shouldn’t.

Arsenal are going to be in the market for a winger or two this summer, but naturally, they aren’t going to be able to fork out big bucks to secure any services. Meaning they will have to get crafty with their signings, barring a sudden infusion of cash that we know isn’t coming.

There have been plenty of names bantered about, with Nicolas Pepe probably looking like the most exciting, but some of the low-key names stand out as exciting as well, as Matteo Guendouzi was a low-key name too.

But of course, the links to big names are always going to linger – Yannick Carrasco and Malcom being the two most talked about. The former is looking for a way back from China and the latter is looking to make amends on a preemptive leap to Barcelona (honestly, why does no one learn?)

Malcom has only made four starts this year, with three of those coming in the Copa del Rey, and he’s scored three goals, but the biggest takeaway from his year in the Catalans is simply that there isn’t playing time for him.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

But now that he wants out, Barca feel he is worth far more than he has ever been worth before, despite the fact that he isn’t playing. £60m is the reported asking price, and according to the reports, Arsenal are shocked.

No one is shocked. Everything about what has happened to Malcom over the past couple years was horribly predictable. He had a breakout year at Bordeaux, followed the allure of Barcelona, realized he made the jump to soon and now that he wants out, the fact that he has a Barca journey multiples his value exponentially and he’s going to be stuck at the club because no one wants to pay that kind of money for someone who isn’t cutting it.

It’s no surprise that he’s expensive, disappointed and stuck. It’s no surprise that Arsenal won’t sign him. It’s the same thing that’s happened to Ousmane Dembele and it’s the same thing that will happen to the next guy to think he’s ready for Barcelona when in fact he isn’t.

Get out of here with that faux surprise. Nobody is surprised when the same thing happens time and time again.