Malcom is already proving he's got the Barça DNA

When Ernesto Valverde was asked about Malcom in his first press conference on the US tour, he said this: "He's a player that the club thought could help the team."

The Brazilian was an unknown to the coach and the signing was a result of informed reports by the scouting department. They witnessed his progression and improvement at Bordeaux and felt he would be a strong addition to the squad.

However, very few times has Valverde appeared so happy with a new signing than with Malcom. That's because only after a handful of training sessions and two matches, neither of which he played 90 minutes in, the Brazilian has demonstrated his quality and massive potential.

great technically

The first thing which captured the coaching staff's attention was Malcolm's incredible technical ability. There's no question he's one of the most gifted in that department throughout the entire squad. He controls the movement of the ball, both to dribble and shoot, with his magical left foot.

Everything about Malcom has been a welcome surprise during preseason. He's adjusted and adapted quickly, as you'd expect from someone with Barça's DNA: he knows how to work with his teammates, creates space for himself and others, plus has great belief in his own ability to take risks for the benefit of the collective.

Malcom is a brave footballer who isn't afraid to take on his marker, or look to beat any player one on one. He also has another bonus for someone as brave as him: he can shoot. He knows how to hit the ball with power and is always looking to move into a better position to get an effort on target.

In Ligue 1 he scored 10 goals from outside of the area and offers something very few others can in this Barça team. If he continues to progress as well as he has, Malcom will start in the Spanish Super Cup against Sevilla. He's also rapid, strong and very approachable. They love him at Barcelona.