Man United's perfect opportunity to sign £35m midfielder finally confirmed
One of Manchester United’s main midfield targets looks likely to be available in the transfer window - but would he bit the right fit for the Red Devils?
Manchester United’s search for a new holding midfielder – likely two – may well come to dominate discussion of the club’s transfer business this summer. With Casemiro leaving and Manuel Ugarte more or less unwanted, the Red Devils know that failing to find and sign the right replacements could set their progress back a considerable distance.
Casemiro’s role in Michael Carrick’s system, as an anchor in front of the defence whose positional rigidity gives Kobbie Mainoo more license to get closer to the attacking players to link up effectively, must be filled appropriately by the next man in. So would Wolves’ João Gomes, a player continually linked with a move to Old Trafford over the past year or so, fit the bill?
Manchester United could sign João Gomes at a knock-down price – will they make a move?
The list of midfielders with which Manchester United have been linked ahead of the summer transfer window is extremely long, and it is entirely impossible that all of the players who names have cropped up in the gossip columns are serious targets. Few of the midfielders mentioned have come up with the same regularity as João Gomes, however.
United reportedly investigated a move for Gomes both last summer and in January but a deal never materialised, perhaps because they have so far been unable to find a buyer for the lacklustre Ugarte. That patience, enforced or otherwise, has at least paid off – with Wolves’ relegation to the Championship now confirmed, the Brazilian is likely to be rather cheaper.
Wolves are widely expected to host a fire sale this summer, tearing down and rebuilding a squad which struggled to compete in the Premier League even after showing tentative signs of life under Rob Edwards. Gomes, being among the club’s most saleable assets, will surely leave Molineux for pastures new, and relegation will reduce his price tag.
Caught Offside recently reported that the 25-year-old has a gentlemen’s agreement with Wolves which would see them listen to offers in the €40-45m range this summer, suggesting that the starting price could be as low as £35m or so. For a player entering his prime years, with ten Brazil caps under his belt and a proven track record in the top flight, that’s a very reasonable price.
Given that United are likely to sign two midfielders, a left-back, and potentially a new forward, centre-back and goalkeeper, any opportunity to sign a high-end player for a lower-than-usual fee is likely to appeal. They will likely have competition, especially from La Liga, but will have every chance to get a deal over the line – a deal which will help the rest of the rebuild to go more smoothly from a financial perspective.
With so many midfielders seemingly on United’s radar, it’s challenging to discern how far up their list of priorities Gomes might be, but it would scarcely be a surprise if they did launch a bid. But is he the right kind of midfielder for the job?
Is João Gomes the type of midfielder that Manchester United need?
Assessing how well any prospective signing might fit into United’s system is challenging given that we don’t yet know whether Carrick will be offered the head coaching job on a full-time basis as yet. Should he lead them back into the Champions League, however, then it will be difficult to look past him.
Should Carrick remain in the post, then Gomes represents an interesting option – a good fit, with some qualities with the current incumbent Casemiro lacks, but not necessarily a perfect one-to-one match for the role he would likely be required to play.
Carrick’s decision to move away from the box-to-box pivot used by his predecessor Ruben Amorim has been among the best he has made since taking over. With Casemiro sitting in an anchoring role in front of the back line, limiting his forays forward, Mainoo has been given far more freedom to stay in more advanced areas with less ground to cover. It’s a tactical switch which has brought out the best in both players.
With Mainoo reportedly likely to pen a new contract at Old Trafford, finding a new midfielder who meshes with the youngster should be a priority – and assuming that whoever manages the club sticks to a two-man base in midfield, that means a player who can play a true holding role rather than one who looks to venture forward, leaving space in behind. Mainoo struggles in the deeper role necessitated by a double pivot, and he needs a colleague who won’t leave the space open very often.
That might negate one of Gomes’ strengths compared to his compatriot Casemiro, which is his ability and willingness to surge forward with the ball at his feet to spark counter-attacks – or, if he is given free rein to do so, create a defensive risk when played alongside Mainoo.
On the other hand, if he is willing to maintain greater positional discipline, then he is a highly effective shield for a defence in his own right. While playing for a poor team will naturally inflate defensive figures, Gomes averages the fourth most tackles per game in the Premier League and comfortably exceeds Casemiro’s numbers for turnovers and interceptions while having a similar success rate in dealing with one-on-one situations.
The issue is whether he can play with the kind of positional discipline required. Gomes has earned the nickname ‘The Pitbull’ for a reason – he likes to go looking for tackles and opportunities to break play down. He’s extremely good at it, but having a player who doesn’t hold his ground in midfield would demand more of Mainoo if the two played alongside each other.
Gomes could, of course, work just fine alongside a different defensive or box-to-box midfielder, and may be perfectly happy to modulate his game for Carrick’s system. Whether he represents good value (or simply a good signing full stop) will depend on both his ability to rein his aggressive positional instincts in, and who else United sign.
At £35m, the cost of taking a chance is scarcely excessive, and Gomes has the blend of experience and years left in the tank to suggest that he could be a bargain if he fits in well – while leaving the funds available for United to sign another midfielder, perhaps a natural anchoring player, who would create the space in midfield for Gomes to be himself. Manchester United fans may well find out whether signing him is the right move before too long.