Everton News

Everton unwilling to meet €30m price tag, but announcement of transfer expected – report

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Momentum is ramping up in the race to sign FC Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes, with Sport and Mundo Deportivo both publishing stories on the midfielder’s future.

Mundo Deportivo are claiming the Portuguese ace has been included in the first group of players the La Liga champions are intent on selling this month, with the Catalan heavyweights pushing to offload any player Ernesto Valverde does not feel he can count on next season.

Sport, meanwhile, have gone one further and suggested Gomes’ departure from Barcelona will be confirmed in the coming days, with an announcement expected to be made later this week declaring the midfielder’s permanent transfer to either West Ham United or us.

Once again, it is stressed the Camp Nou outfit are holding out for €30million (£26.6m) and that Gomes must decide who he would prefer to join out of the Irons and us.

The 25-year-old has already reportedly indicated his desires to remain a Toffee, and Mundo share that sentiment in their article discussing his future, claiming the Barcelona outcast ‘regained his senses’ after his torrid spell in Catalunya.

However, they go on to add two things which prove less attractive reading.

First, they suggest Gomes would have preferred his life in the Premier League would continue at Arsenal, but the option never materialised.

Secondly, they add that West Ham are willing to offer more for his services than we, which they describe as a ‘pity’ as the London Stadium natives are allegedly prepared to meet Barca’s €30m valuation, or at least offer €25million (£22.2m).

What could swing the ball back in our court rather than the one in East London, though, is that we share a good relationship with Barcelona after luring Yerry Mina and Lucas Digne away last summer while taking Gomes on loan when they were also deemed surplus to requirements.

Not to forget, reports in the British press have indicated West Ham have already been actively searching for alternatives to Gomes, in case the midfielder rejected Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

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