Wolves are set to win the race for reported Liverpool target Joao Gomes.
That’s according to Brazilian outlet O Dia. They claim that the Premier League side have agreed a fee of around £15m with Flamengo for an immediate transfer.
Gomes has also reportedly already accepted personal terms with Wolves, meaning official documents can now be exchanged.
Liverpool were claimed to be in the running of the 21-year-old midfielder But it now looks as though their FA Cup rivals have beaten them to the punch.
Nunes sets Liverpool precedent?
This is pretty disappointing news really. Gomes looks like he has the makings of being a really strong central midfielder in the coming years.
Liverpool were said to be tracking the youngster during the Brazilian season last year and he’s already declared his dream of playing for the Reds one day.
Of course, that dream could still happen. In fact, perhaps Liverpool supporters should try to see this move as a positive one.
Having lost out to Wolves for Matheus Nunes last summer, the Reds look set to return for him in the near future. Their relationship with the Midlands club is said to be extremely positive owing to several deals done over the last few years.
So, perhaps if Matheus does end up at Anfield, he can set the precedent for Gomes to follow.
That will likely mean that Liverpool will end up paying a heck of a lot more than £15m for him, though. There has to be frustration that while in desperate need of midfield reinforcement, Jurgen Klopp won’t take a gamble on a player like this.
There’s no guarantee that Gomes will be a success at Molineux, but the low price-tag make it a risk worth taking.
Unfortunately, Liverpool don’t often attempt these types of risks anymore. There have been recent reports that the Reds didn’t firm up interest in signing Moises Caicedo direct from Ecuador. Now they’ll be forced to pay a huge fee for him from Brighton. They may have just made a similar mistake with Gomes here.
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