Andre Gomes returned to squad after a long absence just prior to the lockdown (Getty Images)
When he first signed for Barcelona, Andre Gomes was expected to be a great addition and if his performances were anything to go by, then the Portuguese could have won the Ballon d’Or. But nothing went his way, and the 25-year-old struggled to make an impact for the Catalan giants, eventually revealing his struggles with mental health.
After falling out of favour under Ernesto Valverde at Barcelona this season, Andre Gomes joined Everton on a season-long loan and has been a revelation since then.
Andre Gomes, 25, is easily one of the Toffees’ best players and now with Tottenham losing Moussa Dembele, the Portuguese star is at the top of their shortlist according to the Telegraph. If there is anyone who can replace the Belgian midfielder, then Andre Gomes can easily be that player and any hopes of seeing the 25-year-old staying at Everton even after his loan spell appears to be slowly dissolving.
The Toffees are struggling in the Premier League, having won just three out of their last 12 games which includes defeats to Wolves, Southampton, Leicester City, Brighton, Tottenham and Manchester City.
This struggle has put the pressure on Marco Silva’s side, and as like many ambitious and talented footballers, Gomes wants to test himself at the highest level and finishing in either a Europa League or Champions League spot could be his aim.
Now given that Tottenham can offer the 25-year old that, there is no doubt that the midfielder would even think twice before joining the North London side. Things could get complicated with the transfer fee, and given that Gomes does have a release clause of around £90million, Barcelona were actually interested in offloading him on a bargain price last year before loaning him out.
While the release clause could prove to be a roadblock for Tottenham, there is a chance the North London side can negotiate a fee less than that.
If nothing else, Gomes going back to Barcelona makes no sense for either the player or the La Liga club and having signed Arthur Melo, Arturo Vidal and even Philippe Coutinho, there is clearly no room for the 25-year-old. This does allow Tottenham and even Everton to negotiate a deal, but the race will only heat up as we approach the end of this season.
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For Tottenham, they need another midfielder especially after Moussa Dembele’s and Christian Eriksen’s future up in the air. But more so they need a dictator, someone who’s talented enough to sit at the base of their midfield and control the game, which is what Andre Gomes specialises in.
There are few players in the world who can do it as well as Gomes does, and thus, the summer transfer window of 2019 ensures a battle for the Portuguese’s signature.
