Liverpool have reportedly made contact with Wolverhampton Wanderers for a possible move for midfielder João Gomes, and they are not alone in the chase. Manchester United have also reached out, setting up a mouth-watering clash where two of England’s biggest clubs battle for the same man this summer.
According to Brazilian news outlet Globo Esporte, both clubs have approached Wolves to discuss the cost of a potential deal for the 25 years old midfielder. The twist is that Gomes was almost at the verge of joining Atlético Madrid for around €45m (roughly £38m) before that move collapsed.
Reports suggest the Spanish club turned down the deal after a falling-out with Gomes’ agent, Jorge Mendes, over an unrelated transfer saga involving Bernardo Silva’s move to Real Madrid. Atlético have since turned their attention to Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand instead.
For United, their £35m deal for Atalanta’s Ederson reportedly fell off the radar after concerns emerged during his medical, forcing the Old Trafford chiefs to source alternatives. Gomes is cost-effective and Premier League proven, which ticks plenty of boxes for Michael Carrick’s side.
Liverpool’s midfield has looked shaky for a while now. Fans and pundits alike have pointed to the team being overrun in central areas last season, with question marks on both Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister playing a deeper midfield role.
Liverpool haven’t replaced Fabinho’s aggression and ball-winning technique from the midfield since his exit in 2023, and that’s the perfect role Gomes could fill at the club. The numbers back him up too, as Gomes ranks in the top 13% for possession won among midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the last 15 seasons, and in the top 12% for defensive actions.
This isn’t a sudden call to action by Liverpool, as the club has shown earlier interest in Gomes, dating back to his Flamengo days before he even arrived in England. Back in 2022, he made his feelings clear, saying Liverpool was a club he would play for and that reaching the Champions League was his and his family’s biggest dream in football.
Now, with his Atlético move in the mud and Wolves needing to sell after relegation, that dream could suddenly be back on the table.
No formal bid has been submitted by either club yet. Wolves’ asking price has reportedly dropped from an initial £60m valuation to somewhere in the £38m to £42m range following their relegation, and Gomes, who is under contract until 2030 and currently earns £105,000 a week, will likely want a salary increase wherever he ends up.
