Deal close: Liverpool have now suffered massive blow in quest to sign £35m Premier League player

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Gomes is an impressive player, standing out for Wolves despite their relegation from the Premier League last season, with his brilliance not lost on Rob Edwards: “I think he’s a wonderful player and he’s shown real glimpses and a lot of good stuff since we arrived as well. But I think it’s been hard for him because in a team that has struggled at times or if you’ve not got the results, it can be challenging.

I understand it, but he really, really stepped up the other night and that’s the level that we want to see from him all of the time now.” Despite Liverpool seemingly being in the mix to sign Gomes, it now looks as though a move to Villa is all but done, according to a key claim from journalist John Townley on X: “Joao Gomes is leaving Wolves’ training camp in Portugal to finalise a move to AVFC worth around £35m. Things appear to have cooled regarding Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, but the former would be a particularly exciting option if a deal were struck.

If it isn’t the Palace man or Iraola’s former player Scott, another midfielder is a must, with Monaco’s Lamine Camara and Lille teenage star Ayyoub Bouaddi both exciting possibilities. He is also a main contributor for This Is Anfield, one of the world's biggest Reds-related sites, where he writes features and news, and covers matchday content.