Malcom Abdulai Ares Djaló[a] (born 12 October 2001) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Real Zaragoza, on loan from Athletic Bilbao.

Malcom Adu Ares[a]
Ares in 2022
Personal information
Full name Malcom Abdulai Ares Djaló
Date of birth (2001-10-12) 12 October 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Bilbao, Spain
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
Zaragoza
(on loan from Athletic Bilbao)
Number 20
Youth career
Danok Bat
Indautxu
Santutxu
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Santutxu 24 (0)
2021–2022 Basconia 15 (2)
2021–2023 Bilbao Athletic 48 (10)
2022– Athletic Bilbao 21 (0)
2024–Zaragoza (loan) 9 (0)
International career
2024– Basque Country[2] 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 March 2024

Career

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Born in Bilbao, Biscay to a Basque father and mother originally from Guinea-Bissau[5][b] (his cousin Álvaro Djaló is also a footballer)[7] Ares began his career locally with SD Deusto, Danok Bat CF, SD Indautxu and Santutxu FC,[4] where his talent drew the attention of Athletic Bilbao.[6][3] Having played one season at senior level with Santutxu he joined the Lions in the summer of 2021, aged 19, and was initially assigned to their farm team, CD Basconia of the Tercera División RFEF (fifth tier).

Ares's good form, as well as a need for reinforcements in the squad of the club's reserve team, Bilbao Athletic – struggling to survive in the 2021–22 Primera División RFEF – saw him promoted mid-season,[8] and he continued to perform impressively at the higher (third) level while helping the team avoid relegation.[6][5]

In the summer 2022 pre-season, Ares was one of the youth players chosen for training and assessment as part of the Athletic senior squad (along with fellow forward Luis Bilbao and goalkeeper Álex Padilla).[9][10] He was listed among the substitutes by coach Ernesto Valverde for the opening day of the 2022–23 La Liga campaign, and made his top division debut as a late replacement for Iñaki Williams in the closing minutes of the fixture against RCD Mallorca at San Mamés, which ended goalless.[11][12] He was a regular with the reserves that season as they suffered relegation from the third tier, and made eight more appearances from the bench towards the end of the campaign for the first team – however, he was only on the winning side once as results eluded Athletic: they lost in the Copa del Rey semi-finals to rivals Osasuna and finished behind the same opposition in 8th position in La Liga, just out of the European places.[13]

On 14 December 2023, Ares extended his contract with Athletic Bilbao until 30 June 2027.[14] The following 30 August, he was loaned to Segunda División side Real Zaragoza for the season.[15]

Career statistics

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As of match played 24 August 2024[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Copa del Rey Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Santutxu 2020–21 Tercera División 24 0 24 0
Basconia 2021–22 Tercera RFEF 15 2 15 2
Bilbao Athletic 2021–22 Primera RFEF 19 6 19 6
2022–23 Primera Federación 28 4 28 4
2023–24 Segunda Federación 1 0 1 0
Total 48 10 48 10
Athletic Bilbao 2022–23 La Liga 8 0 1 0 9 0
2023–24 La Liga 12 0 5 2 17 2
2024–25 La Liga 1 0 0 0 1 0
Total 21 0 6 2 0 0 27 2
Career total 108 12 6 2 0 0 114 14

Honours

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b He has been referred to as Adu Ares, Adu Malcom,[3] Malcom Adu,[1] Malcom Ares and Malcom Djalo.[4]
  2. ^ Stated as Guinea in some sources.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Malcom Adu at Soccerway
  2. ^ "Djaló conquista San Mamés y Bielsa la lía" [Djaló conquers San Mamés and Bielsa the mess] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 23 March 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Adu Malcom, extremo del Santutxu, apunta al Basconia" [Adu Malcom, Santutxu winger, targeted by Basconia]. El Correo (in Spanish). 14 May 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b "El Santutxu vence 3-1 en su estadio frente al Anaitasuna FT" [Santutxu win 3-1 at their stadium against Anaitasuna FT]. Sport (in Spanish). 11 April 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Varios equipos de Segunda se interesan por la cesión de Malcom" [Several Segunda teams are interested in the loan of Malcom]. El Correo (in Spanish). 25 May 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "Malcom Adu Ares, un electroshock en Lezama" [Malcom Adu Ares, an electric shock in Lezama]. El Desmarque (in Spanish). 28 April 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Álvaro Djalo, el primo de Adu Ares, del Begoña a la primera división de Portugal" [Álvaro Djalo, the cousin of Adu Ares, from Begoña to the Portuguese first division]. El Correo (in Spanish). 16 September 2022.
  8. ^ "El día soñado por Malcom, del Santutxu a debutar en el Bilbao Athletic" [The day dreamed of by Malcom, from Santutxu to debut at Bilbao Athletic]. El Correo (in Spanish). 30 November 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  9. ^ "La ilusión de tres cachorros" [The dream of three pups]. Athletic Bilbao (in Spanish). 19 July 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  10. ^ "El futuro que viene: Alex Padilla, Luis Bilbao y Malcom Adu Ares" [The future to come: Alex Padilla, Luis Bilbao and Malcom Adu Ares]. Deia (in Spanish). 23 July 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Muniain bendice el debut de Adu" [Muniain blesses Adu's debut] (in Spanish). Marca. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  12. ^ "La mejor noticia: Malcom Adu Ares debuta con el Athletic en partido oficial" [The best news: Malcom Adu Ares debuts with Athletic in an official match]. El Desmarque (in Spanish). 15 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Adu Ares no puede evitar otra derrota del filial" [Adu Ares cannot prevent another defeat for the subsidiary] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  14. ^ "Adu Ares signs new deal through to 2027". Athletic Club. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  15. ^ "Adu Ares loaned to Real Zaragoza". Athletic Bilbao. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  16. ^ Real, Mario Reinoso del (7 April 2024). "Athletic 1-1 (4-2) Mallorca, en directo: final de Copa del Rey 2024 | Celebración del Athletic, campeón de Copa". Diario AS.
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