Barcelona made their fourth signing of the summer last week after they signed a £41.7million deal with Valencia for Portugal midfielder Andre Gomes. There were reports of him moving to Juventus as a replacement for Paul Pogba and even Real Madrid interested in his services, however, the Champions League winners claim to have pulled out of the race at the eleventh hour.
Andre Gomes was part of the Portuguese team that recently won the European Championship in France. He didn’t an outstanding last season with Valencia playing 30 games and managing just three goals. Although he was one of the forces behind Valencia’s push for the fourth spot in the 2014/15 Spanish Liga, an achievement which earned a UEFA Champions League return.
A transfer fee of £42m might sound a little exorbitant but given the current climate, where Higuain moved to Juventus from Napoli for over £70m and Paul Pogba on the verge of moving to Manchester United, it seems like Barcelona have secured one of Europe’s most promising midfield talents at a very comfortable price. He might find his opportunities limited in the first season given the presence of midfield trio of Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic.
Gomes is a powerhouse of a midfielder capable of running up and down the pitch all game. He is excellent at picking passes up front and unlocking defenses with a single touch. Although he is capable of playing as a midfielder, he is better suited patrolling the central midfield region. Gomes is an extremely talents midfielder, who has his peak years ahead of him. He will need to prove himself better than Rakitic or wait for his chance when Iniesta is being rested. He could come in as a substitute for either of the front two wingers but that won’t be his preferred position.
At 6 feet 1 inch, Gomes is a threat in the air, but thrives with the ball on the floor, using his superb technique and dribbling ability to glide past opponents. Signing him at this stage will give Gomes a couple of years to settle in before he takes the mantle from either of the two ageing Spanish midfielders. He will add quality to the Barca squad which lacked out of ideas once the substitutions were made. At 22 Gomes is a perfect signing for the future.