Everton are still expected to pip West Ham United to Andre Gomes.
According to the Daily Star, Barcelona are expecting midfielder Andre Gomes to sign for Everton – not Premier League rivals West Ham United.
Gomes, 25, struggled to make a real impact at Barcelona following his 2016 move from Valencia, and he decided to move out on loan to Everton last summer.
Compatriot Marco Silva swooped to take the Portuguese international midfielder to Goodison Park, and the move really paid off for Gomes.
He played a key role under Silva and restored his reputation to its former standing, with clubs now queueing up to sign the midfielder this summer.
The Daily Star note that West Ham have increased their bid for Gomes to £20million, in the hope that they can sneak in and beat Everton to a permanent deal.
However, the report notes that Barcelona expect Gomes to join Everton on a permanent basis, rather than move down to East London and sign for West Ham.
That may be a blow for Manuel Pellegrini, but West Ham were always fighting a real battle given how much Gomes impressed at Everton, and he was always likely to prefer staying at Goodison Park under Silva.
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