Everton midfielder Andre Gomes faces an uncertain future at the Premier League outfit with Benfica keen to take him back to Portugal, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
Is there a more frustrating footballer in Rafa Benitez’s squad than Andre Gomes?
There’s no doubting the ability and potential of a man Barcelona once paid £35 million for.
When fit and firing, the 27-year-old playmaker is a joy to watch, a swaggering, driving force of a midfielder who can turn defence into attack in a split second with one of those trademark bursts of acceleration or an inch-perfect diagonal.
Throughout much of his Everton career, however, Gomes has drifted through games without threatening to get out of second gear.
And while goalscoring isn’t his forte, it would be reasonable to expect more than one goal in 81 games from a man who considers himself an attacking midfielder.
Would Andre Gomes quit Everton for Benfica?
The Echo reports Gomes has impressed in pre-season, catching the eye of Rafa Benitez who replaced Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park.
But with Everton looking to reduce a crippling wage bill before the end of the summer, a big-money bid from Benfica could twist their arm.
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Gomes started his career at the Estadio da Luz, rising through the ranks at the Lisbon giants before joining Nuno Espirito Santo’s Valencia in 2014.
And it was Jorge Jesus, who returned for a second spell at Benfica last year, who handed Gomes his senior debut in that iconic red shirt.
“Jorge Jesus is a coach with a very strong personality but one who tries to get the most out of each player,” Gomes told Record last year.
“I like him because he teaches you a lot, as long as you are willing to learn. I am very grateful to him, as well as to everyone at Benfica.”
Returning for a second spell in the Portuguese capital would be one way to repay that debt.
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