Joao Gomes Set for £38m Move to Aston Villa

Aston Villa is nearing the completion of a significant transfer deal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Joao Gomes for a total fee of £38m. The Brazil international has already departed from Wolves' pre-season training camp in Portugal and is scheduled to undergo a medical examination on Thursday to finalize the move. The structured agreement includes an initial payment of £34m, with an additional £4m tied to performance-related add-ons.

The move comes as Villa urgently seeks to bolster their midfield options following a series of setbacks and squad changes. The club recently offloaded Youri Tielemans to Manchester United in a deal worth £35m and faced a major blow when Amadou Onana sustained a serious knee injury while representing Belgium at the World Cup, which will keep him sidelined until next year. Villa is also reportedly close to securing Switzerland international Johan Manzambi from Freiburg for a club-record fee exceeding £50m.

For Joao Gomes, the transfer marks the end of his time at Molineux, where he had become a consistent presence in the squad. Despite the club finishing at the bottom of the Premier League last season, Gomes remained active, making 41 appearances across all competitions. Since arriving from Flamengo in 2023, the 23-year-old midfielder has accumulated 130 appearances and scored seven goals for the club.

While Aston Villa has moved decisively to secure his signature, they were not the only club interested in the Brazilian's services. Atletico Madrid had previously expressed strong interest in acquiring Gomes but were ultimately unable to finalize a deal with Wolves before Villa stepped in. This acquisition represents a key tactical adjustment for Villa as they prepare for the upcoming campaign with a significantly reshaped midfield.

The completion of this transfer, alongside the pending arrival of Manzambi, signals a major investment by Aston Villa's hierarchy to ensure the squad remains competitive despite their recent injury crises. As Gomes prepares to finalize his switch to Villa Park, both clubs will be looking to move forward quickly with their respective plans for the new season. The deal is expected to be officially confirmed following the successful completion of his medical on Thursday.