Spurs missed out on Barca flop Andre Gomes in the summer but will reportedly try again in January.
It would be a little unfair to judge Andre Gomes based solely upon his disappointing debut campaign at Barcelona. While the £31 million midfielder (ESPN) struggled to influence games at the Camp Nou and failed to emerge from the shadow of Andres Iniesta, it is easy to forget that he was one of La Liga’s most exciting players at Valencia.
A powerful and dynamic athlete, Gomes packed a rocket of a shot and a fearsome stride that was not too dissimilar to Yaya Toure at his rampaging peak. At Barca, however, where technique and subtlety are prioritised over energy and power, the 24-year-old never looked a natural fit.
Reported suitors Tottenham Hotspur, however, appear far more suited to coaxing the best out of this enigma of a midfielder, especially with manager Mauricio Pochettino putting together a high-octane attacking side complete with a devastating counter attacking threat.
The Mail reported that Spurs were close to landing Gomes in the summer only for Barca to pull the plug as they were unable to find a replacement. Yet, Sport claims that Spurs will not accept defeat just yet and will make another move in January.
Furthermore, with Gomes featuring for just 13 minutes of Barca’s first four La Liga games under Ernesto Valverde, Sport say the Euro 2016 winning talent wants more regular game time in order to secure a place in Portugal’s squad for next summer’s World Cup.
However, if this is the reason for Gomes being tempted by a move to North London, it may be a flawed plan. After all, Gomes lacks the skill or vision of Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, not to mention the pace of Heung-Min Son, meaning Pochettino would be unlikely to start him in an advanced role.
And he would be far from a guaranteed starter in a deep midfield position with Mousa Dembele, Victor Wanyama, Moussa Sissoko, Eric Dier and Harry Winks all vying for a place.
Gomes should think very carefully, then, about his next move.
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