According to a report by The Mirror, Arsenal boss Unai Emery is preparing a £30million deal to sign Andre Gomes from Barcelona this summer.
The Portuguese midfielder continues to face a severe shortage of game time at Camp Nou and at 24 years of age, it is important for him to play regularly. Hence, the prospect of moving to North London could seem like a tantalizing prospect for Gomes, who could prove to be a great midfield option for the Gunners.
One might argue that his performances at Barcelona have not been encouraging enough but it must be noted that Gomes was a true force to reckon with at Valencia. In fact, he was so good that the Catalans sat up and took notice of his displays.
Eventually, they chose to sign him on a permanent basis but unfortunately for the player, he has failed to make a lasting impact in a Barcelona jersey so far. The La Liga champions have some of the most talented midfielders vying for a starting spot and it is understandable as to why Gomes could not make it.
Although most of his appearances came off the bench, Gomes still managed to make a total of 31 appearances across competitions the last term. And to be fair, that is a decent number. There is absolutely no question about his talent or skills on the ball.
He is a central midfielder by trade and is equally proficient in both boxes. When required, he can defend but the player seems to have a penchant for surging forward to aid the attack. And Arsenal could truly utilize a player like him next season.
Over the course of the previous campaign, the Gunners lacked a creative outlet from the middle of the park. They do have room for a midfielder of Gomes’ calibre and given his skills and potential, he could work wonders for the Londoners with Emery at the helm.
Also, after failing to secure a spot for himself in Portugal’s squad for the ongoing World Cup, Gomes has a point to prove. Undoubtedly, he will be hungry for success and determined to prove his worth and Emery must harness his energy to benefit Arsenal.
Gomes failed to score any goals or provide assists in the previous term but he has a pass success rate of 90%. While his performances have taken a nosedive of sorts at Barcelona, he is capable of reviving his career with Arsenal.
In the right environment and under the right manager, any player can do well. And when it comes to a player as talented as Gomes, he might end up taking the Premier League by storm. Thus, the Gunners must shell out £30million to acquire his services this summer.
