Andre Gomes nearly quit Everton in summer transfer window, now set for key role as Sean Dyche shares admission
Everton midfielder Andre Gomes nearly quit in the summer but could now be set for a sensational turnaround at Goodison Park with Sean Dyche admitting his admiration for him in training.
FotoMac reported on 13 September that the midfielder was set to swap Goodison Park for the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in a £4.3million deal as Fenerbache looked to bolster their defensive midfield options ahead of their late Turkish transfer deadline.
However, Liverpool Echo journalist Joe Thomas, taking to his personal Twitter account on 15 September shared Dyche’s comments from his press conference admitting that he sees Gomes as a key part of his plans in a dramatic and unexpected u-turn.
Turkish news outlet Sporx reported on 14 September that Gomes’ potential move to Fenerbache had hit a roadblock with a deal hanging in the balance and that was further reiterated when Gomes was named in the club’s 25-man Premier League squad (13 September).
And now speaking ahead of Everton’s weekend Premier League clash against Luton Town, it seems as if Gomes could now be set for a critical role in the Toffees team after Dyche’s latest stance.
As quoted by the Liverpool Echo on Friday (29 September) he said: “He is back on the grass with us. He is short on game time, Andre. He has been training well with us. He has had some minor injuries but they came back-to-back, which sort of meant he was injured for around 10 days, then back for a week, then injured again.
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“It has been very frustrating for him and he really needs game time now because he is coming to the end of that training period to try and make sure his body is good and strong. But he is certainly a player I have really enjoyed watching in training. He has played a couple of games in between these injuries and we hope to get him fit soon.”
Just when it seemed like all Goodison Park hope had been lost for the 30-year-old Portuguese international, Dyche has now performed a dramatic u-turn on Gomes’ future after several reports over the summer reported that the former Burnley manager doesn’t see him as part of his plans.
Gomes does offer something different to any other player in the Toffees’ midfield when the former Barcelona man is fit and firing, possessing tremendous technical acumen in possession, wonderful vision and a creative weapon that Everton have desperately needed in the middle of the park since he fell away at the club after injury.
It’s been well over a year since Gomes last starred in front of the Everton fanbase with his last Premier League appearance coming against Crystal Palace on home turf in May 2022 [Transfermarkt], and that may well be continuing for the foreseeable future.
The 29-time Portuguese international enjoyed a loan spell at LOSC Lille which proved rather successful featuring in 26 Ligue 1 games, scoring three goals and registering two assists.
Such a spell has now proven a strong factor in Dyche’s fresh decision with Gomes certainly providing all the qualities necessary to boost Everton’s midfield options this season.
According to Opta-powered stats FBRef, over the past 365 days, Gomes ranks in the 95th percentile for progressive passes per 90 amongst midfielders in Europe’s top-five leagues, 92nd percentile for successful take-ons, 93rd percentile for pass completion percentage and 98th percentile for touches in the middle third highlighting how pivotal he could be to boost Dyche’s philosophy at Goodison Park.
A January exit is still possible for the 29-time Portuguese international but just when many Everton fans thought his career on Merseyside was drawing to an expected close, his story in Toffees colours hasn’t ended just yet.
He could yet prove the decisive factor in Everton finishing higher this season.
In other Everton news, Sean Dyche has remained tight-lipped on the rumours about Jarrad Branthwaite’s new contract
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