Just like when every diligent little midfielder capable of executing a sliding tackle was labelled the second coming of Claude Makelele in the late 2000s, that ‘next N’Golo Kante’ moniker seems to get thrown around without a care in the world these days.
Sometimes, it does a player’s reputation more harm than good.
Due to those comparisons with arguably the greatest defensive midfielder of the 21st century, Claudio Gomes arrived at Manchester City amid lofty expectations in the summer of 2018 – and not just because Paris Saint-Germain were desperate to retain the services of a typhoon teenager who had spent the last five years turning heads behind the scenes in the French capital.
At the time, some had suggested Gomes would be crashing into an already star-studded City midfield before long.
Three years on, however, it is fair to say the France U20 international has not developed his game quite as quickly as some had predicted.
Gomes has made just three first-team appearances under Pep Guardiola and struggled to make an impression during a short-lived loan spell at PSV Eindhoven in 2019/20.
With Eurosport suggesting that new Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira is eyeing up a deal for Gomes, putting his connections at the Etihad Stadium to good use, there is a feeling that a loan move to Selhurst Park could do the youngster the world of good.
Vieira still has plenty of admirers at City after cutting his coaching teeth in the club’s academy. The Premier League champions see their former midfielder as a fine developer of young talent and allowing Gomes to join Palace on loan seems like one of those ‘low risk, high reward’ sort of deals.
Gomes could make a huge impression in South London before returning to City with his reputation enhanced, ready to fight for a place in a midfield set to lose Fernandinho in 2022 or to be sold for a big profit.
After just three games in three years, something has got to give for Gomes.
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