Manchester United and Liverpool make contact for Joao Gomes

By Fatima Yusuf — 11 July 2026 — 3 min read

Midfield Transfer Pursuits

Manchester United and Liverpool have reportedly made contact regarding a potential move for Wolves‘ Brazilian midfielder Joao Gomes. This development follows the collapse of a proposed transfer for Gomes to Atletico Madrid. Gomes, who is 25, is said to be valued by Wolves at approximately £38m.

Manchester United‘s interest in Gomes comes after a deal for midfielder Ederson reportedly fell through. Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano had previously indicated that a deal for Ederson was complete, with Manchester United and Atalanta agreeing to a €45m fee. However, Romano later stated that the deal was off, with Manchester United informing Atalanta of the change in plans. Atalanta reportedly believes Ederson is fit and will welcome him back to their squad.

The Red Devils are looking to strengthen their midfield options, aiming to bring in at least two, and possibly three, new midfielders this summer. In addition to midfielders, Manchester United are also keen on signing a left-winger and a full-back as a minimum, with links also emerging to centre-backs and strikers. Midfield positions are currently a primary focus for the club, with Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos expected to sign after completing a medical.

Liverpool‘s interest in Joao Gomes predates his time with Wolves, though previous interest did not result in a move. The club is continuing its work in the transfer market as preparations for the upcoming season begin. Players are expected to return to the training centre this month.

Other Transfer Speculations

In other transfer news, Chelsea has initiated discussions with the representatives of Bologna‘s English winger Jonathan Rowe, who is 23. This comes as Argentina wide man Alejandro Garnacho, 22, is reportedly set to depart the club. Meanwhile, MLS side Sporting Kansas City is aiming to secure Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 34, on a free transfer following his departure from Liverpool.

Several English clubs, including Coventry City and West Ham, are monitoring Bodo/Glimt midfielder Patrick Berg, 24, after his performances for Norway at the World Cup. Everton is interested in signing Newcastle United‘s English winger Jacob Murphy, 31, who has one year remaining on his contract at St James’ Park.

Real Madrid has scheduled a meeting with Vinicius Jr to finalise a contract renewal, amidst reports that the club was considering selling the 25-year-old Brazil forward. Paris St-Germain has approached Spain and Barcelona forward Ferran Torres, 26, as a potential option if winger Bradley Barcola leaves this summer. Barcelona has also finalised an agreement with Borussia Dortmund to sign their Germany forward Karim Adeyemi, 24.

The agent of Roma attacking midfielder Matias Soule, 23, is in discussions with Sunderland and Fulham regarding a possible move for the Argentine player. Former Hull City loanee Oscar Zambrano, 22, an Ecuador midfielder, is expected to return to the club from Slovenian side Maribor after his previous spell in 2024 was cut short by a drugs ban. Nottingham Forest has contacted Fiorentina about a move for Brazilian right-back Dodo, 27. Additionally, Fulham has agreed to sign Celtic winger Erskine Rennie, 16, with the Scottish academy product expected to cost £100,000 in compensation.

The situation with Joao Gomes at Wolves developed after Atletico Madrid withdrew from a potential transfer. According to one report, Atletico Madrid‘s decision was influenced by agent Jorge Mendes‘s negotiations for Bernardo Silva, whose contract with Manchester City was expiring. Mendes reportedly opened negotiations for Silva to join Atletico Madrid, but then changed plans and secured a deal with Real Madrid, leading to Atletico abandoning the signing of Gomes. This sequence of events has placed Gomes back on the transfer market, attracting interest from both Manchester United and Liverpool as of mid-July.

Source: bbc.com