At the end of the transfer window, Andre Gomes was strongly, and perhaps strangely, linked with Tottenham Hotspur.
West Ham were thrown in into the mix too, and whilst it was believable the Hammers would see stars when offered a Barcelona player on loan, it didn’t make quite as much sense for Tottenham.
The claims were pushed most in England, and could have been a last minute media punt. Spain’s media then picked it up, having spent the entire summer trying to find Gomes a destination.
The post deadline edition of Marca said Tottenham had been in negotiations ‘until the last hour yesterday’ to try and get Gomes, but that was all part of the Madrid leaning newspaper’s look at Barca transfer failure.
On Tuesday, Tottenham are once again mentioned. This time it’s Catalan newspaper Sport who name them on a shortlist of summer options linked with Gomes.
It’s explained the midfielder is now in a more difficult situation than he has been previously at Barcelona. A transfer fee of €55m (€35m plus €20m in bonuses, higher figures are available) has weighed on a player described as fragile, one who needs everything going his way to perform.
Gomes is unlikely to find the opportunity and lack of pressure he’s looking for, unless there’s a spate of Barcelona injuries.
A January move will be presented soon, but should Tottenham care? Frankly, no, not unless Gomes shows a whole new mental outlook and a strength on the pitch, otherwise he’d be eaten alive in the Premier League.
Still only 24 years of age, there’s time for Gomes to improve, mature, and grow as a person and then in his football. That may have been easier to do had he stayed at Valencia.
