Champions League holders Real Madrid are close to completing a €50 million deal for highly rated Portuguese midfielder Andre Gomes.
Ever since the 2015/16 season drew to a close, Valencia’s Andre Gomes has been heavily talked about in the media, with several sources linking him to a move away from the Mestalla. Top European clubs such as Barcelona, Manchester United, Chelsea and Juventus were all keeping tabs on the Portuguese starlet, but Marca understands that Real Madrid have come out on top, and are very close to signing Gomes for a sum reported to be in the region of €50-65 million.
Los Che had been hoping to hold out for a transfer fee of around €65 million, but Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane hopes to tie up the midfielder for a sum close to €50m up front with €5-10 million in performance related extras.
A signing like Gomes would certainly benefit Zidane’s squad, which looked a bit shaky in the La Liga last season. The Portuguese had an impressive season at Valencia, scoring 3 goals and providing as many assists. His link-up play with Paco Alcacer was impervious, as the duo worked in tandem to get the desired results for the Spanish side.
André Gomes: Only Ignacio Camacho (43) committed more fouls in La Liga in 2016 than Gomes (42) pic.twitter.com/j8bbqJ1IMc
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) May 31, 2016
As good as he is going forward, he is equally frail when defensive duties come into play. Known to be a brash tackler, Gomes received 10 yellow cards last season. According to WhoScored, the midfielder committed 2 fouls per game on an average – a stat that wouldn’t please the Madrid boss. Despite being a tidy passer, his finishing abilities often come under the cosh, as a number of goal-scoring attempts that come his way went begging. Still, given his relatively young age of 22, there is scope for improvement.
Would Andre Gomes fit in at the Bernabeu?
Predominantly a central midfielder, the Valencia player can operate on either side of the field. For a team that gives priority to midfield superiority, a signing such as Gomes seems to be a bit baffling. When compared to Madrid’s current crop of midfielders, the Portuguese’s stats do not make for good reading.
Los Blancos’ top four midfielders – Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Isco and James Rodriguez – have all averaged a pass accuracy of above 85 per cent, while Gomes only shows an 81 per cent success rate. He has also created fewer chances per 90 minutes, and also provided the least assists among the lot. With regard to tackles won, the 22-year old failed to average even one tackle per game. He’s also been the most booked among the four.
Also given a steep asking rate of €50 million, Gomes may turn out to be just another big-money signing who failed to live up to his billing at Real Madrid. It’s a mountain to climb for the Portuguese youngster, as he would look to make his critics eat their words once he takes centre stage for the Galacticos.
