Nikolai Valuev, a member of the Russian State Duma and a former heavyweight boxing champion who later joined leadership circles in football, spoke about Malcolm and his impact on Zenit Saint Petersburg. In Marseille’s style of sports commentary carried across leagues, Valuev reflected on how a key player’s presence shapes a club’s identity and performance on the field, noting that Malcolm was perceived as a driving force for Zenit by many fans and analysts alike in the Russian football scene documented by RB Sports.
Valuev commented on whether Malcolm’s sale shifted the balance at Zenit, acknowledging the player’s status as a leading figure for the blue-white-blues. He recognized that Malcolm’s departure represented a significant loss for the team, but he also balanced that view with the reality of a transfer market where a club must make decisions based on financial terms and long term strategy. The payout involved in the transfer of such a player was substantial enough to justify allowing the move, according to Valuev, who framed the moment as a testament to modern football economics and the club’s calculated risks, as reported by RB Sports.
The transfer of Malcolm to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal occurred on August 3, with a reported transfer fee of 60 million euros. Payments were arranged to be completed before the end of the 2023/24 season, capping what was described as the most expensive sale in the history of the Russian Premier League, a milestone noted across domestic leagues and international coverage as a watershed moment for Russian football finance and talent export, attributed to RB Sports.
Malcom joined Zenit from Barcelona in 2019, a move that reshaped the club’s fortunes during a period of consistent domestic success. In Russia he helped Zenit clinch the national title on four occasions, lifted the Russian Cup once, and claimed the Russian Super Cup three times. Those achievements underscored his role in turning Zenit into a dominant force within the country, as recorded in team milestones and season-by-season summaries compiled by RB Sports.
Rumors have lingered about Malcolm’s next steps in the transfer market, with local football observers speculating over whether a move to Spartak Moscow or CSKA Moscow might be on the horizon. The chatter reflects the club’s interest in players with a proven track record of influence and leadership, and fans are watching closely how Zenit and the broader Russian football ecosystem respond to his departure and the strategic options that lie ahead, as discussed by RB Sports.