Last summer, Wolverhampton Wanderers cashed in. Julen Lopetegui succeeded in lifting Molineux from the depths of the Premier League to finish 13th, but financial issues saw the Spaniard take his leave before the dawn of the 2023/24 campaign.
Lopetegui might have felt disgruntled, disconcerted, even, but the plain truth was that funds were needed and thus the big-money names had reached the end of their Wolves careers, with Matheus Nunes, Ruben Neves and Nathan Collins among the largest sales.
Shrewdly-appointed Gary O’Neil has blended his sharp tactical mind with a personable demeanour to ensure that the Old Gold have shifted firmly away from the struggle to enjoy a confident position in the middle of the Premier League.
Now, Wolves are ensconced in a good position in regard to complying with financial fair play rules, and while there is no pressing need to sell, The Telegraph have revealed that Manchester City and Newcastle United are interested in Pedro Neto, who is worth £60m.
It would be a record fee, surpassing even last summer’s high-profile departures, but he’s not the only notable figure in O’Neil’s team to face the possibility of intense summer speculation.
Indeed, Joao Gomes is attracting interest from some big outfits, and the Brazilian sure would fetch a pretty penny.
Wolves signed Gomes from Brazilian club Flamengo for a £15m fee in January 2023. Lopetegui was desperate to bring the talented young player to the Midlands but faced late drama when Lyon canvassed a more attractive proposal, leading Flamengo to halt discussions with the Premier League suitors.
But, credit to Gomes, he liked the Molineux project and obstinately stated that he wanted to move to Wolves, with the Brasileiro Serie A team eventually relenting.
Described as an “accurate & tenacious tackler” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his performances in his homeland, where he made 117 appearances for Flamengo after graduating from their academy, the 23-year-old was considered the perfect burgeoning talent to succeed the recently departed Romain Saiss and Leander Dendoncker.
He made a steady start to life in England, starting seven Premier League matches throughout the second half of the 2022/23 season, but has since bloomed into one of the meanest anchoring midfielders in the business.
Gomes earned the moniker of “The Pitbull” in Brazil and it’s clear that such a nickname has been handed aptly. This season, O’Neil’s Wolves project has taken off impressively and pre-season predictions of an Old Gold relegation were well wide of the mark.
The 5 foot 9 Gomes was essential, completing 34 appearances in the Premier League this term, starting 32 times, and invariably putting in a shift.
| Joao Gomes PL Stats: 22/23 vs 23/24 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stat | 22/23 | 23/24 |
| Matches played | 11 | 34 |
| Matches started | 7 | 32 |
| Goals | 1 | 2 |
| Assists | 0 | 1 |
| Pass completion | 79% | 83% |
| Touches per game | 39.8 | 51.9 |
| Shots per game | 0.4 | 0.8 |
| Key passes per game | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| Tackles per game | 2.6 | 3.8 |
| Ball recoveries per game | 8.0 | 6.2 |
| Dribbles per game | 0.7 (53%) | 0.8 (53%) |
| Duels won per game | 5.5 (58%) | 6.2 (50%) |
| Stats via Sofascore | ||
The table above showcases his improved output throughout the 2023/24 season as opposed to his initial foray into Premier League football, though with the squad enjoying less possession under O’Neil compared to Lopetegui, he had more on his plate and thus was thrust into challenging situations with greater regularity.
To emphasise this point: as per FBref, the South American star ranks among the top 1% of central midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for tackles and the top 12% for blocks made per 90.
Such metrics really do showcase Gomes’ inborn aggression and crispness in key defensive moments, recycling possession and asserting his authority in the centre of the park to charge O’Neil’s swift, counter-attacking philosophy.
And, such metrics make interest from teams such as Arsenal and Manchester United all the more understandable.
Arsenal indeed have Gomes on their radar ahead of the transfer window, while the Red Devils have made the £30k-per-week ace a “concrete” target, according to Football Transfers.
O’Neil called Gomes a “super talent” when hailing his skill set and continued to state: “He’s been very impressive. At his age and with his lack of experience in Premier League football, it’s still something you have to work with him on and try to improve, but as a starting point with the qualities he has, he’s at a very, very good level.”
Given that, according to CIES Football Observatory’s player valuation model, Gomes is actually the most valuable player in Wolves’ squad at £43m, it’s clear that the club have well and truly hit the jackpot with a rise of £28m in relation to his £15m transfer fee.
Of course, Neto’s possible sale puts him at the top but this should not detract from Gomes’ meteoric ascent, now one of the Premier League’s finest, toughest-tackling stars.
He’s even surpassed the transfer value of Diogo Jota, both in mooted price tag and his projected market valuation by CIES, with Liverpool’s dynamic marksman currently marked with £34m tag.
| Diogo Jota Market Value vs Recent Wolves Sales | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player | Sale Price | Market Value |
| 1. | Nathan Collins | £23m | £43m |
| 2. | Diogo Jota | £41m | £34m |
| 2. | Matheus Nunes | £53m | £34m |
| 4. | Ruben Neves | £47m | £26m |
| 4. | Morgan Gibbs-White | £25m (rising to £42.5m | £26m |
| 6. | Conor Coady | £8.5m | £6m |
| 7. | Raul Jimenez | £5.5m | £4m |
| Sourced via CIES Football Observatory | |||
Nathan Collins is the most valuable of any of Wolves’ recent transfer sales, seeing a price hike of £20m, but, as stated earlier, the Brazil star’s £28m rise underscores just how incredible his impact has been in England.
But it’s still particularly interesting that he has risen above Jota, who has suffered his share of injury issues with Liverpool but has been hailed as a “deadly” forward by analyst Raj Chohan, ranking among the top 1% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90.
Gomes is on the up and while his continuing rise might leave Wolves struggling to keep hold of his signature in the long-term, there’s little question that they have already hit the jackpot on a star destined for the top.
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