Brazilian winger Malcom has completed a surprise move from Al Hilal to UAE Pro League side Al Jazira.
The 29-year-old revealed his switch on social media on Friday before any official announcement had been made by the 21-time Saudi Pro League champions.
Hours later, Al Hilal's official statement confirmed they had agreed to terminate Malcom's contract bringing an end to his successful three-year spell in Riyadh.
His arrival represents a major coup for the Abu Dhabi club who started their new campaign with a 2-0 win at Hatta last Sunday having finished last season in fourth place, 24 points shy of champions and double winners Al Ain.
Jazira are now managed by former Al Ain, Shabab Al Ahli and Sharjah coach Cosmin Olaroiu after the Romanian's brutal exit from the UAE national team job in May.
Malcom joined Al Hilal from Russian outfit Zenit St Petersburg in 2023 and would go on to make 139 appearances for the capital club, scoring 47 goals and assisting a further 41.
He helped Hilal win the SPL title in his first season – scoring 15 goals along the way – and would also lift the King's Cup twice as well as the Saudi Super Cup on two occasions.
Sao Paulo-born Malcom started his career at Brazilian side Corinthians before moving to Bordeaux in France where he would establish himself as a firm fan favourite, with his stunning long-range finish against Dijon earning him the Ligue 1 goal of the season award in 2017/18.
He spent three seasons with Bordeaux – scoring 23 and assisting 24 in 96 appearances – before his form caught the eye of Spanish giants Barcelona, then managed by Ernesto Valverde and whose squad included the attacking talents of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.
The Catalan club forked out €41 million for the right-winger who joined on a five-year deal but would spend just one season in Spain which would see him make 24 appearances across all competitions, as Barca claimed the La Liga title and reached the Uefa Champions League semi-finals.
Malcom would also score his first Champions League goal – against Inter Milan in the group stage – and came off the bench at half-time in Barca's Copa del Rey final defeat against Valencia. In the semi-final win over Real Madrid, Malcom scored his debut Clasico goal as Barca drew the first leg 1-1 at Camp Nou on the way to a 4-1 aggregate victory.
He would soon be on his travels again, this time heading to colder climbs in the Russian Premier League for €40m. It would be a trophy-laden spell with Zenit – when Malcom scored 42, supplying a further 24 in 109 games – that saw them win three league titles, one Russian cup and four Russian Super Cups before moving to the kingdom in a €60m deal.
Malcom had become the latest high-profile SPL arrival, joining Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Serbia midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves at Hilal. He would later be joined by countryman Neymar but his fellow forward endured a miserable, injury-ravaged spell in Riyadh.
Malcom's SPL career would end with a goal as he scored Hilal's second as they started the new season with a 4-2 win at home to Al Faisaly.
His two Brazil caps came in 2023, having first been called-up into the squad for the 2018 friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Argentina without playing in either. Malcom secured an Olympic gold medal in 2020 after scoring a brilliant extra-time winner for Brazil in the final against Spain in Tokyo.
Malcom made his senior debut coming off the bench to replace Rodrygo for the final eight minutes in the 4-1 friendly win over Guinea – Vinicius Junior scored the final goal from the spot after Malcom had been fouled in the box – before earning his only national team start as Brazil lost to 4-2 Senegal three days later.
