Why Andre Gomes would be the perfect replacement for Wilshere at Arsenal

Arsenal boss Unai Emery is looking to sign Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes to bolster his midfield options. The Portuguese international has failed to establish himself at the Camp Nou and he would benefit by moving to a different club. To that end, joining Arsenal will allow him to reignite his career.

With Jack Wilshere leaving the Emirates for free, the Gunners must procure a creative midfielder. Gomes, who currently earns wages in the region of £80,000-a-week, can fill that void with adroitness.

Let us scout the midfielder and further analyze as to why he could be the perfect replacement for Wilshere in North London.

Talent-spotting Andre Gomes

Andre Gomes’ greatest strength is his ability to read the game and remain an extra second ahead of other players. He can receive the ball in the midfield and dribble past people to open up spaces for the team. The 24-year-old also has the propensity to fabricate key passes towards goal.

The Portuguese can play across several positions in the midfield but he thrives as a No.8. He registered a pass success rate of 89.2% last season and often uses his height to threat from set-pieces.

Gomes also has the required physique to shrug off challenges in the heart of the midfield, enabling him to protect the ball better. His eye for key passes and making late runs in the box is quite impressive as well.

The 24-year-old possesses a good amount of confidence to move the ball around with precision. He presses with great intensity and that allows him to dominate the middle-third of the pitch.

The only downside is that he tries too hard at times. More often than not, Gomes will attempt a fancy long-range shot or a difficult through ball. If it pays off, then well and good. But when it doesn’t, the team can get exposed defensively on the counter-attack. However, that is something that can be improved.

Read More: Do it Emery – Arsenal must go all out for this midfield powerhouse with £35m release clause

Why he would be perfect for Arsenal

Hence, it is clear that Wilshere and Gomes are quite similar. And the Portuguese midfielder certainly has what it takes to shine at Arsenal and replace Wilshere. Furthermore, Gomes could flourish under Emery’s guidance and the manager must make an attempt to sign him.