Barcelona's Malcom Transfer May Relieve Chelsea Fears

Despite winning La Liga at a canter last season, there remains a sizable majority at the Camp Nou who believe that Barcelona are yet to adequately replace Neymar since his departure to PSG. The Brazilian superstar, renowned for his ability to get fans off their seats with his immense technical skill, is also one of the most marketable players in the world, forming a devastating forward line alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez during his time at the club.

His departure left the Blaugrana with a major hole to fill, and their risky decision to fill it with a reported £97m move for French youngster Ousmane Dembele is yet to pay dividends. In a first season marred by injury, the former Rennes and Dortmund star failed to live up to the immense expectations demanded by his exorbitant fee, leading Barcelona to seek further reinforcements in wide positions for the coming season.

One name that has been linked with a move to Barcelona is that of Willian, the Brazilian star currently plying his trade at Chelsea. The Blues were already facing a potential exodus of top talent after failing to qualify for the Champions League, and reports of a £65m bid for Willian from the Spanish Champions added to the uneasiness around Stamford Bridge.

Barcelona's transfer policy may not be among the most coherent in the game, a far cry from the teams built under the management of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, but the rationale behind this transfer seemed fairly clear. At 29 years of age, the Brazilian winger is in the prime of his career, and could serve as a stop-gap, allowing time for Dembele to grow into his role at the Camp Nou and fulfil his clearly impressive potential.

However, it appears now that Barcelona have changed course again, opting to sign Bordeaux's rising starlet Malcom for a £36m fee. The 21-year-old primarily operates down the right flank, as does his countryman Willian, thus rendering a transfer for the Chelsea man unnecessary.

The Blues' fight to hold on to their top players for next season is set to continue, but it could be made just a little less daunting now that Willian is supposedly off Barcelona's transfer radar. With just over two weeks remaining until the start of the Premier League season, this news could come as a welcome respite for a Chelsea side scrambling to be ready for what could be a defining campaign.