Tottenham Hotspur will go up against local rivals West Ham United in their pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes.
Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in acquiring the services of wantaway Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes in the summer, but will have to face competition from London rivals West Ham United, as per a report from the Mirror.
Gomes joined Barcelona in the summer of 2016, after a stellar campaign with Valencia in the 2015/16 season saw him attain star status. He was tipped to be the future of the Catalans’ midfield unit, but struggled to hit the ground running in his debut campaign with the Catalans, under then manager Luis Enrique.
With the change of regime in the last summer, Gomes was hoping to turn things around but there has been little improvement in his situation in Ernesto Valverde’s reign. The 24-year old has featured on 30 occasions for the Blaugrana, contributing with no goals and a solitary assist.
Tottenham have been monitoring the Portuguese international for quite some time now and were credited with a strong interest in him in the summer of 2017 as well as in the January transfer window . However, no move materialized as Barcelona decided to hold on to him for another season.
But the Catalans are now open to allowing the midfielder leave at the end of the ongoing season and are reportedly willing to listen to offers in the range of €30 million. The player too is understood to be keen on securing a move away from the club after recently admitting to be not happy with his current situation.
Tottenham are on the lookout to bolster their midfield options given Mousa Dembele’s tryst with injuries and a lack of a quality backup for the Belgian. Manager Mauricio Pochettino recognizes the need to have a stronger squad if his side are to mount a Premier League title challenge and leave a mark in Europe as well and sees signing Gomes as a step in that direction.
However, Tottenham will have to stave off competition from local rivals West Ham United who are also intent on signing the 24-year old. The Hammers have reportedly grown frustrated with their long-drawn pursuit of Gomes’ compatriot William Carvalho not bearing fruits and have made the Barcelona man as their prime target.
Despite his torrid spell in Barcelona, Gomes remains an immensely talented player who has what it takes to cut it at the biggest level. And given that he is still 24, his best years still lie ahead of him and he would prove a shrewd investment for any team.
Tottenham will have the edge over their local rivals in the chase for the Portuguese midfieder, given that they are very much certain to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. However, Gomes would not be a guaranteed starter with the Lilywhites week in week out, which could compel him to consider a move to East London, as he looks to resurrect his faltering career.
