Everton are reportedly hoping to bring Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes in before the transfer deadline.
The Echo reports that Marco Silva is determined to strengthen his midfield options before Thursday’s deadline and has now got his eye on the Portuguese, who arrived at the Nou Camp two years ago for a fee believed to be around £31.5 million.
It has been a difficult spell for Gomes with the Catalan giants. He struggled to establish himself in the side last season and ended up making just 16 league appearances for Barca. And it appears that he may be about to move on at the last minute.
The Echo reports that Everton and Barcelona are in talks over a potential move for the former Valencia ace, and those discussions are focused on the idea of Gomes heading to Goodison Park on loan – presumably for the entire season.
It is probably a very good piece of business from the Toffees to get a loan deal across the line rather than a permanent move. The midfielder has the quality and the time to rebuild his career somewhat – though there is definitely no shame in struggling for game-time at Barcelona – but it may be a gamble to part with a large sum to get him in on a permanent basis.
A loan move appears to make perfect sense for all parties as Everton could have a special talent in their ranks, Gomes gets the opportunity to prove himself again and Barcelona see one of their fringe players get the chance to put themselves in the shop window. It remains to be seen however, if talks prove successful.
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