Aston Villa are set to complete the signing of a talented South American midfielder to fill the void in their midfield.
Aston Villa appear to be moving quickly to win the race for their transfer targets, even hijacking deals when necessary after losing key players within the space of a few days. Following the departures of Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne, and, more recently, Andres Garcia to Getafe, Villa have already secured two new names.
The first was Swiss youngster Johan Manzambi, who stole the spotlight. The next is Brazilian midfielder Joao Gomes. The latter is reportedly close to completing his move to Villa Park, as reported by Globo Esporte via Sport Witness.
“Villa have agreed a deal worth £38m for the 25-year-old, who has already been released by Wolves to undergo his medical before signing for Unai Emery’s side.”
Aston Villa have won the race to sign Gomes ahead of Liverpool, Manchester United, and Atletico Madrid. Villa’s offer is reportedly significantly better than those of their rivals, especially Los Rojiblancos, who had also been in advanced talks. That includes his expected salary and signing-on fee.
The Clarets and Blue also offer him the chance to play in the Champions League, as well as compete for another trophy in the UEFA Super Cup against PSG next month. Gomes could play more regularly and establish himself in the starting XI, considering Villa’s midfield crisis following the injuries to Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara, the departure of Tielemans, and the possible exit of Ross Barkley.
His move was also reportedly influenced by an unexpected disagreement involving his representatives, super-agent Jorge Mendes, and Bernardo Silva. The Manchester City star is also expected to move to Madrid this summer.
The Brazilian international, who has earned 10 caps, has been a key figure for Wolverhampton. He has made 180 appearances in all competitions, registering eight goals and six assists. However, he did not really make the cut in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for 2026 FIFA World Cup. In fact, the last time he was fielded in Selecao shirt was when Brazil was dismantled 4-1 by their archrival Argentina in the world cup qualifiers. It was still under the caretaker Dorival Junior.
Gomes can be deployed as a defensive midfielder, central midfielder, attacking midfielder, or even on the right wing when necessary. His versatility would certainly be a valuable asset for Unai Emery’s side.
Based on data from FotMob, the former Flamengo man recorded an xG of 1.28 and an xA of 2.08 last season. His pass completion rate was 85.6%, while his long-ball accuracy reached 54.2%. He also recorded a successful cross rate of 34.4%.
Gomes particularly excels in dribbling, with a success rate of 64.2%, while his duel success rate stood at 50.4%. His defensive contribution was undoubtedly his greatest strength, recording 388 defensive actions, including 107 tackles, 36 interceptions, and 45 clearances.
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