Transfer Rumor: Unai Emery wants André Gomes

Arsenal and Unai Emery are interested in Barcelona reserve André Gomes according to Gianluca di Marzio of Sky Sport (link in Italian). The 24-year-old Portuguese midfielder has struggled to find a place with the Catalan giants after joining the club from Valencia in 2016. He failed to score in 35 appearances this past season and only registered two assists.

This move doesn’t really make sense. Gomes is an attack-minded player who plays across the midfield. That’s not really a position of need for Arsenal. Indeed, Unai Emery may struggle to find playing time for all his attacking options as it stands.

The reported €40M transfer fee that Barcelona are seeking is also problematic, especially for a club that has a somewhat limited transfer budget. It’s one thing to pay a discounted price for an out-of-favor player, but Barcelona are looking for more than they paid Valencia for a guy whose stock has decreased in value.

That said, Gomes was a promising prospect just two years ago. Perhaps Unai Emery thinks that a change of scenery and a new coach will unlock his potential. While I’m not sure it would be the best move, the current brain trust probably knows at least a slight bit more about transfers than I do. I defer to their judgment.