Arsenal 'closing in on £45m Malcom deal'

Arsenal are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Bordeaux winger Malcom for a fee in the region of £45m.

The Gunners are on the lookout for a replacement for Alexis Sanchez, who is on the verge of completing a £30m switch to Manchester United, while the future of Mesut Ozil also remains uncertain.

Malcom has emerged as one of European football's hottest prospects so far this season, with his form for Bordeaux drawing the attention of the likes of United and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, Globe Esporte reports that Arsenal have beaten their Premier League rivals to the 20-year-old's signature and are hopeful of completing the deal in the coming days.

Malcom's agents are expected in England over the next 48 hours to discuss personal terms, with Arsenal willing to offer the Brazilian a five-and-a-half-year deal at the Emirates Stadium.

Malcom, who has scored seven goals and laid on five more in 19 Ligue 1 appearances this season, could even make his Arsenal debut against Crystal Palace at the weekend if the deal is pushed through quickly enough.

The Gunners have also been linked with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan as they look to offset the impending loss of Sanchez.