Joao Gomes: Everything You Need to Know About Midfielder Tipped to Replace Casemiro

• Manchester United are reportedly plotting a move for Joao Gomes
• The midfielder has been impressive for Wolves in 2023/24
• United see him as an ideal replacement for the matured Casemiro

Manchester United reportedly weighing up a move for talented midfielder Joao Gomes.

The Red Devils are still looking for their strongest XI as they look to regain their competitive edge as far as title contention is concerned.

The signing of a holding midfielder is on the cards for Erik ten Hag’s side, especially with the uncertain future of Casemiro, who could leave the club in the summer.

According to The Mirror, United have identified Joao Gomes as an ideal replacement for the Brazilian, with the Wolves defender’s performances reportedly being monitored.

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is planning wholesome changes to United in the summer, and Gomes is among the first names linked to the club since the British billionaire came to the fray.

Who is Joao Gomes?

But who exactly is Joao Gomes? To answer this question we need to go to his native Brazil.

Having risen through the ranks at Flamengo, he featured a total of 117 times for the club before moving to England in the winter of 2023.

Wolves signed him for £12million from Flamengo, and he has integrated seamlessly at the Molineaux, notching three goals from midfield, according to Transfermarkt. Under Gary O’Neil, he is already closing in on clocking 1900 minutes of playing time. Only three Manchester United players have played more minutes than him this season (Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes and Andre Onana).

He is also no stranger to club success, having won the Brazilian league and domestic cup in 2020 and 2022 respectively.

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Playing style

He plays mostly at the heart of midfield, where his primary role is to protect the back four. Highlights of his playing style shows he is never afraid to make a tackle and is a tenacious ball-winner.

Gomes operates perfectly in a 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1 shape, and averages 3.5 tackles per 90 minutes this season, according to Manchester Evening News. Add his 5.5 ball recoveries per game and you have a midfielder with better numbers than Casemiro (3.3 tackles per90 and 4.9 recoveries per game).

Also, he can orchestrate attacks, and often gets involved when his team is on the offence. This would explain the goals he has gotten for his side so far.

Recently, Ratcliffe hinted at wanting to change United’s transfer approach, saying he would rather “sign the next Mbappe rather than spend a fortune buying success.”

With these sentiments in mind, Gomes could be the future of midfield at United, especially with a partnership alongside Kobbie Mainoo, who has already proven himself.

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6 Brazilians who made headlines for wrong reasons

Still on the topic of Brazilians, Sports Brief reported on some Brazilians who made headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Dani Alves headlines this list, as the former Barcelona star was recently found guilty of assaulting a woman in a bathroom in Spain.

Atletico Mineiro forward Hulk also made news in 2019, not for his football, but his romance with Camila Angelo, the niece of his wife.