Andre Gomes has been linked to both Chelsea and Manchester United already in this window. Sky Sports reported that Chelsea had a bid around £32m turned down for the Portuguese midfielder, and they are weighing up whether to make a renewed bid. The central midfield area appears to be a priority for Chelsea this summer, as they have also been heavily linked to Ngolo Kante and Ranja Nainggolan, two midfielders who differ in style to Gomes. The Valencia player is admired by many, including Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, and although the fee may seem high, the midfielder is tipped to have a huge future in the game.
Gomes would be a good addition as he is tactically flexible and can play a number of midfield roles. He can be deployed deep, as a regista, as his reading of the game is good, with the ability to make interceptions, while he is also strong in the tackle. He made three interceptions and won two tackles against Iceland in his opening game of Euro 2016, showing that he can contribute defensively. He probably has a better chance of winning the ball than I have of winning using my casino promo codes but hey who’s counting? He can also be used as a deep-lying playmaker, or even as an attacking midfielder behind the striker.
His passing is his standout attribute, averaging 81% completion rate for Valencia in the league this season. This is an impressive rate considering he looks to play defence-splitting passes and Valencia endured a poor season. Against Iceland, he made 53 passes and five of these were key passes. This shows how he can dominate a game, and influence the attacking play. Gomes has excellent close control and often plays his way out of perilous looking situations, while he has a change of pace that can leave his marker for dead. He is a very technical player, who can beat players and create chances for his team-mates with his impressive eye for a pass. Gomes can drift across the midfield line as he showed against Iceland with aplomb, making an excellent cross for the Nani goal.
Antonio Conte will be planning the tactical shape he will use at Chelsea, and he will look to get best out of the players already at the club. He has used a 4-2-4 formation before, and may be tempted to use this again, to try and get the best out of Willian and Eden Hazard. If he does so, Andre Gomes could be a good deep-lying playmaker in such a formation. He has the ability to play long over the top balls to team-mates, while he has the engine to get from box-to-box. If he does opt for such a formation, the signing of a midfield destroyer like Nainggolan or Kante will be made a priority. Cesc Fabregas could play next to a destroyer, but he lacks the energy that Gomes has.
Gomes is also much more flexible when it comes to the role he can play in the side and that will certainly appeal for Conte, who sees the tactical side of the game as the most important. He also has many sides to his game, both his dribbling and passing abilities being impressive. At the age of 22, Gomes is heading to the very top of the game, and could be an example of the new age of midfielder, alongside Koke and Renato Sanches. All three are wonderful technicians, dribbers and read the game well.
Chelsea have a slow midfield, with Nemanja Matic, John Obi Mikel and Fabregas all lacking pace and energy. The signing of Gomes could inject some young legs into the midfield, and he could grow with the club. He has received interest from Manchester United and Barcelona in the past, displaying the level of clubs that are watching the midfielder.
Chelsea don’t have Champions League football to compete with the very best and may struggle to attract the very best players. They may be better off trying to sign talented youngsters between the ages of 20-25 and allowing them to grow together as a side. Andre Gomes certainly fits that profile. Antonio Conte has displayed his qualities as a coach at the Euros, tactically outwitting other coaches and getting the best out of a limited Italy squad. If he is given the right players at Chelsea, he could mould them into a very good side, and compete with Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho. Andre Gomes is still raw, but he has a lot of talent, and would be a great addition to the squad.
