Everton midfielder Andre Gomes could leave the club on a permanent basis this summer with French club Lille interested the in Portuguese international.
The £22m midfielder spent last season on loan with the French side, who are willing to ‘try everything’ to recruit him permanently this summer.
That is according to Foot Mercato, who also claim that Lille are looking at potential alternatives, should a deal for Gomes fail to get off the ground.
The Portuguese midfielder had a stellar campaign at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy last season as Paulo Fonseca’s side finished in fifth place, claiming a spot in the Europa Conference League.
The 29-year-old made 26 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring three goals and providing a further two assists, though there was no option to make his loan move permanent.
Gomes return to Everton XI unlikely, so making money for reinvestment is ideal
Gomes returns to Everton on the fringes of a squad in a state of flux as Sean Dyche begins his summer rebuild following a disastrous couple of seasons.
The former Barcelona player has not been the same since the ankle injury sustained back in 2019 and cutting our losses on him would be ideal, as the club could use his transfer fee to reinvest this summer.
Indeed, Andre Gomes would be free to leave Goodison Park on a free transfer next summer, so Everton must try to recoup what they can from a signing that has not worked out at the club.
La Liga side Celta Vigo, now managed by Rafael Benitez, are also said to be interested in Gomes’ signature, which could be good news for the Blues should a bidding war ensue.
Once a classy and composed midfielder, it seems a sad end to Gomes’ time at Goodison, which once promised much but sadly delivered very little.