Al-Hilal's Brazilian winger Malcom de Oliveira has stirred up controversy over the past few hours. A widely circulated video shows him talking about reports of his departure from "the Boss", with his exit and move to the UAE's Al-Jazira now closer than ever.
His appearance comes alongside growing confirmation of an imminent switch to Al-Jazira. Malcom has reached an agreement to leave Al-Hilal, paving the way for the contracts to be signed and a new chapter with the newly promoted Roshn League club to begin.
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In the clip doing the rounds on X, the Brazilian spoke about the things that bother him most. "What bothers me most is ingratitude," he said, a remark that flung the door open to speculation about exactly who he had in mind.
Timing made it explosive. With his Al-Hilal journey nearing its end, a section of supporters tied his words to the way the club's management handled the negotiations over his departure.
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Malcom delivered outstanding performances in an Al-Hilal shirt and left a clear attacking mark. That is precisely why his exit in this manner has drawn such interest, given how important he was to "the Boss" over recent months.
With the move to "the Pride of Abu Dhabi" drawing near, Malcom's story at Al-Hilal looks to be reaching its final chapter. The club want to reshuffle their list of foreign players and free up room for new attacking deals, while the player readies himself for a different challenge in the Roshn League.
That word, "ingratitude", remains the most controversial part of his remarks. It carries an indirect message about how he feels heading into the closing phase with Al-Hilal, with the official announcement of his Al-Jazira switch now awaited. It could close one of the most exciting transfer stories of the current mercato.