André Gomes wants permanent Everton deal after rejecting West Ham United
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Paul Joyce, Northern Football Correspondent
June 5 2019, 5:00pm, The Times
André Gomes has indicated he wants to join Everton on a permanent basis with the club also hopeful Leighton Baines will sign a new one-year contract.
Gomes spent last season on loan at Everton from Barcelona and his impressive performances attracted interest from around the Premier League.
However, the midfielder has rejected advances from
West Ham United, while
Tottenham Hotspur are also no longer in the running to sign him.
Marco Silva, the Everton manager, admitted at the end of the season that Gomes had not made a decision on his future, but it is understood that the 25-year-old has now intimated he sees his future on Merseyside. Everton will now have formal discussions with Barcelona for the player, who has previously been valued at £27 million.
The development is a boost for Silva, who expects Baines, 34, to take up the offer of an extended contract. Baines is a free agent this summer, but has been in talks with the club since the closing weeks of the season about remaining as back-up left back to Lucas Digne.
Everton’s offer of a short-term extension was not reciprocated to club captain Phil Jagielka, who has ended his 12-year stay at Goodison. Jagielka will not be the only departure with the club’s sporting director Marcel Brands seeking to trim a bloated squad. Everton’s need for striking reinforcements has intensified with Cenk Tosun to miss the start of the season with a knee injury sustained for Turkey against Greece last week.