Manchester United’s reported interest in Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes would perfectly fit the transfer model that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has outlined for the club.
United have been transforming their footballing hierarchy since the Ineos group purchased their minority stake at the end of last year. The Reds have appointed Omar Berrada as CEO and are interested in appointing Newcastle United’s sporting director Dan Ashworth, who is currently on gardening leave.
It is a necessary overhaul for one of the world’s largest clubs after more than a decade of relative underachievement. While there has been plenty of fanfare around Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival at the club, it appears that fans will have to become accustomed to a different type of player arriving in the transfer market.
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A report from the Mirror has stated that United are ‘weighing up’ a move for Wolves’ defensive midfielder Joao Gomes. The 23-year-old was signed from Flamengo in January 2023 and is claimed to be valued at £40m by the West Midlands club. Gomes’ performances for Gary O’Neil’s side have earned him a call-up to the Brazil squad and he could make his senior debut against England on Saturday.
When asked about the possibility of signing Kylian Mbappe as a free agent, Ratcliffe gave a clear idea of United’s preferred recruitment strategy: “I would rather sign the next Mbappe rather than spend a fortune buying success,” he said. “It’s not that clever buying Mbappe. Anyone could figure that one out. More challenging is to find the next Mbappe or next Bellingham or next Roy Keane.”
The report adds that scouts from United have watched Gomes on several occasions this season. What Gomes’ performances have shown is that he's a young defensive midfielder with a promising profile and potential to be a pivotal player. He has recorded the third-most tackles in the Premier League, as well as scoring a match-winning brace against Tottenham Hotspur in February,
Nicknamed ‘The Pitbull’, his style is typified by his work rate and desire to win possession. For United, he would represent a perfect fit for United’s new approach to the transfer market and a stark contrast to a signing that the club made just two years ago.
Gomes’ rise to the Brazil squad has come at a time when Casemiro has regressed from his standout first season at Old Trafford. The 32-year-old was signed for £70m in 2022, viewed as a player who could immediately help catapult United into title contention, alongside his former Real Madrid teammates Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo. It was an expensive quick fix, done without long-term thinking, and one hasn't entirely paid off.
United have been plagued with issues in midfield throughout this season, with the emergence of Kobbie Mainoo helping to offset some of those concerns. The addition of Gomes could help Mainoo harness his more box-to-box and attack-minded tendencies while forming a long-term partnership in midfield.
Waiting for Gomes to further prove himself at Wolves would only allow his transfer value to increase. United’s reported interest in the midfielder could be one of the first hints of how Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants the Reds to operate in the transfer market.
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