According to reports, North London side Tottenham Hotspur could line up a bid for Barcelona star Andre Gomes after the Catalan’s recent attempt to offload the Portuguese international failed. Both Premier League clubs, Spurs and West Ham United were offered to have the midfielder on loan in the summer but a deal couldn’t go through.
Tottenham had shown immediate interest in the player and were ready to get him as per the offer but Barca couldn’t find an immediate replacement and decided to retain him. However, Gomes will hardly expect regular chances under Ernesto Valverde after his latest attempt and should seek an immediate exit.
Tottenham are one short in the midfield as it seems Eric Lamela will take forever to return. The midfielder who cost £30 million from AS Roma back in 2013 had arrived at the back of huge expectations but injuries never really allowed him to flourish in England. He has been excluded from Spurs’ Champions League squad this season although he is close to returning to training and could come back in the second half of the season.
Lamela’s lack of fitness will be a big issue and Spurs would want to sell him as quickly as possible. In Fernando Llorente, Serge Aurier, Davinson Sanchez, Juan Foyth and Paulo Gazzaniga, Tottenham could only bolster their attack and defence this summer with a midfielder remaining a priority. And Gomes would definitely prefer Spurs over West Ham owing to his admiration for Mauricio Pochettino, who would be the perfect candidate to get the best out of him.
Despite buying him only last summer from La Liga side Valencia for a staggering £50 million, the Catalans have never really been happy with him. A loan deal for him would require a hefty fee and an expensive wage package that has seen Serie A defending champions, Juventus, interested as well. While getting him understandably will see the transfer fee to be somewhere near his buying price last summer, Gomes’ quality remains undeniable.
Before moving to Barcelona, he was touted by many as one of the best midfielders in Europe at such a young age. However, under Luis Enrique, the 24-year-old could make only 17 starts in La Liga last season, where he could score only thrice and assist twice in those games. And with the club in dire crisis, Valverde does not have the time to experiment or give him time to reach his full potential.
He has got that at the national level where he has earned 26 caps so far and is already an established member of the squad. At only 24, Gomes has chunks of experience as he already has under his belt 93 La Liga appearances and 16 Champions League games. He is a super star but is he the right man for Spurs?
