xGunners: Arsenal linked with Andre Gomes

Arsenal are interested in signing Andre Gomes this summer, according to sources from ESPN FC.

The Barcelona midfielder has been on a season long loan at Everton. The ESPN report says that Director of Football Raul Sanllehi is a big fan of his, initially helping sign the player at Barcelona from Valencia.

Gomes has been a regular player for Everton, making 26 appearances and logging 1961 minutes. He has played as part of a double pivot, next to the more defensive minded Idrissa Gueye.

His top line statistics are not all that impressive for a player who the reports say is an Aaron Ramsey replacement, with 1 goal and 1 assist and just 1 shot added per 90 minutes.

The more advanced statistics don’t exactly scream that this is a diamond in the rough either. He doesn’t put up huge defensive numbers (although to be fair, that is to be expected next to Gueye, who is one of the better defensive midfielders in the game) but his ball progression numbers aren’t very impressive either.

With a €30 million fee rumored, and Arsenal again constrained in the total transfer budget that they will have this summer, this really doesn’t seem like the type of move that would push Arsenal back into regular Champions League, football let alone one that would help build towards a title winning team.

Gomes is a good player, but doesn’t have superstar upside. A team signing him would pay full retail price to get him. If one of those two things were not true, a Gomes signing might make some sense, but since they’re both true, it would seem that he doesn’t really fit what Arsenal need right now, either roster-construction wise or on the pitch.