Wolves are currently locked in a battle to sign one of Europe’s hottest talents – and Carlos Carvalhal is a huge fan of the player.
Wanderers fans are really hoping for a productive summer.
Currently, there is a lot of anger after the club decided to raise season ticket prices, and many just want some good news.
The club signing some exciting new players this summer would go some way to helping some people feel a bit better about where Wolves are going.
One player to have been linked in recent weeks is Rodrigo Gomes. Wolves are facing strong competition at the moment from Atletico Madrid, but are still in the hunt.
If Carlos Carvalhal’s verdict is anything to go by, then Wolves really need to snap him up…
Carlos Carvalhal raves over reported Wolves target Rodrigo Gomes
Last week, it was reported that Wolves had lost ground in the race for Gomes, with Atletico looking likely to sign him. Esto Es Atleti suggest that Wanderers are still fighting though.
But there have been new suggestions that Wanderers are not giving up on the talented 20-year-old, who is potentially a very good fit for the system that Wolves have been playing.
Gomes played mostly as a right wing-back last term while on loan for Estoril, scoring nine goals and making eight assists in 36 appearances.
Carlos Carvalhal used to coach Gomes at Braga, and he feels he is a serious prospect. He told AS: “He’s a much more mature footballer now. He’s a great footballer and he has a lot of room for improvement. (Diego) Simeone would love him. I see Lino and he’s done fantastic. I don’t know if Gomes is going to be a Lino, but he could be a similar profile.
“For a 5-3-2 he’s perfect. On the right he may have it easier, but he could even play on the left. He’s young, but he has the ability to play for Atletico. I feel like he fits into the plan and that he can have a great process and make the coach fall in love.”
“He’s the kind of player that coaches like. He works, fights and puts the team first. In addition, with his finishing characteristics, speed and versatility, he is a threat to the opponent’s goal. If I have him in front of me, I know I have to take precautions, but then it depends on the freedom you give him, of course.”
Gomes feels like a great fit for Wolves
Carvalhal certainly seems to rate Gomes very highly and he does seem like he would be a good fit for Wolves.
If O’Neil intends to stick with a wing-backs system, then Gomes would be a decent signing. Although naturally a winger, he spent pretty much the whole of 2023/24 playing right wing-back for Estoril, showing that he has defensive qualities too.
We know how much O’Neil loves Nelson Semedo though, so it could be that Gomes would be deployed further forward.
That said, Semedo is 30 now and Matt Doherty is 32 – so Wolves do need to be thinking about securing a long-term option to play as a right wing-back.