Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Lille midfielder Angel Gomes on a free transfer this summer.
There is currently a host of speculation surrounding the 24-year-old’s future, as he is preparing to leave Lille when his contract expires at the end of June.
Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea are among the clubs to be credited with an interest in the playmaker, who has scored twice and registered one assist in 20 appearances at club level this term.
According to The Guardian, West Ham have offered Gomes a contract worth £100,000 a week, but the midfielder has rejected the chance to make the move to the London Stadium.
The report claims that Barcelona are also in the mix for the England international, with a switch to Camp Nou thought to be a serious possibility at the end of the campaign.
Barcelona ‘join the race’ for Lille attacker Gomes
Gomes allegedly wants more than £100,000 a week from a potential new club this summer, but it remains to be seen whether he would be willing to lower his demands in order to make the move to a team of Barcelona’s ilk.
The midfielder joined Man United at the age of six, progressing through the various youth levels at the club before going on to represent the first team on 10 occasions, including five appearances in the Premier League.
However, Gomes was allowed to leave the Red Devils on a free transfer in the summer of 2020, ultimately making the move to Lille on a five-year contract.
The Englishman has represented his current side on 134 occasions, scoring 10 goals and registering 19 assists, including two goals and one assist in eight appearances in the Champions League.
Where would Gomes fit in at Barcelona?
The majority of Gomes’ football for Lille has come as an attacking midfielder, and he could potentially be used as a number 10 by Barcelona, but there is serious competition in that area, with both Dani Olmo and Gavi options.
Gomes has also previously excelled as a deep-lying playmaker for England Under-21s, though, and he could be a option in one of the two midfield spots at Camp Nou considering Barcelona’s style of football.
That said, there is also intense competition in that area provided by Marc Casado, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Fermin Lopez, while Marc Bernal will be back from a serious knee injury next season.
Gomes is undoubtedly a talent, and it is not a surprise that he is not short of offers, but a switch to Barcelona is difficult to imagine at this stage of proceedings, with a return to the Premier League still thought to be the most likely outcome to the situation this summer.
