The headlines, at Everton, have been dominated over the last few days by reports suggesting a big-name midfielder could be on his way out of Goodison Park, having fallen some way short of lofty expectations on the blue half of Merseyside.
Dele Alli, as confirmed by manager Frank Lampard (Daily Mail), is on the verge of leaving the Toffees; joining Besiktas’ rescue home for forgotten footballers.
But what about Andre Gomes? Absent from Everton’s first three Premier League games with injury, the former Barcelona benchwarmer faces a struggle to get back into Lampard’s XI once he returns to full fitness.
Especially with talks underway between Everton and Manchester United over a £14 million deal for James Garner (The Athletic). The Toffees are also hoping to bring in Ajax’s Mohamed Kudus or PSG’s former Goodison Park favourite Idrissa Gana Gueye before next week’s transfer deadline.
Amadou Onana has already arrived in a £35 million deal from Lille.
Andre Gomes out, James Garner in at Everton?
In fact, there’s a feeling that, if Gomes hadn’t found himself back on the treatment table, he’d have gone already.
Sky Sports reporter Alan Myers said back in July that the one-time Benfica youngster was available for transfer, even if Everton’s desire to make around £15 million from the 29-year-old’s sale felt ambitious in the extreme.
His latest in a long line of fitness problems, however, complicates matters. Benfica brought in Argentine international Enzo Fernandez from River Plate instead. Another of Gomes’ former clubs – Valencia – are looking at younger options; such as Barcelona’s Nico Gonzalez and Vitoria Guimaraes’ Andre Almeida.
But if Gomes wants to play when he returns, maybe he should take a leaf out of Alli’s playbook. Casting his net that little bit wider in search of a new club willing to offer him a starring role.
Because, with Garner now on Everton’s radar, Andre Gomes is starting to feel like something of an odd-one out.
A player approaching his peak should be playing week-in, week-out. But if Garner or Kudus/Gueye arrive alongside Onana, Gomes will find himself further than ever down Everton’s pecking order.
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