SOURCES: WOLVES DECIDE JOAO GOMES' MAN UTD SALE STATUS
Manchester United's pursuit of Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes is complicated as his contract lacks a release clause for a January move.
Joao Gomes of Wolverhampton Wanderers is still on Manchester United's list, but they can't just buy him out of his contract.
Man United wants the Wolves midfielder as part of Ruben Amorim's changes to the club, and some reports say a deal in January is getting close.
But the 24-year-old Brazilian won't get an easy way out of Molineux.
Joao Gomes Doesn't Have an Exit Clause in His Wolves Contract
He signed a new contract with Wolves seven months ago, and no exit clause would let him leave.
Last summer, Amorim and his team were ready to pay £62.5m for Cunha.
The deal went smoothly because the player was a Manchester United fan and wanted to play for them.
Cunha signed a new deal that promised a set fee for the season before he left.
But Gomes doesn't have that kind of agreement, so he's probably thinking about what to do.
Wolves haven't won a game this season and are at the bottom of the Premier League.
Manchester United is thinking about Joao Gomes of Wolves as they look for a new midfielder.
The club is likely to be relegated, and with four tough road games next month, things probably won't get better soon, even with new manager Rob Edwards.
They played better on Saturday, but the results didn't change much.
The 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace means they haven't won in 12 games, and the upcoming away games at Villa Park, Old Trafford, the Emirates, and Stamford Bridge don't look good for their chances of getting points.
So, Wolves and possibly United have a decision to make.
If Wolves are stuck at the bottom of the table, which seems likely (they're already nine points behind West Ham United in 17th place with a much worse goal difference), the club will have to decide what to do with their best players.
Wolves Owner Jeff Shi Faces Joao Gomes' Problem
Wolves chairman Jeff Shi will need to make up for any money lost if the team is relegated, and selling Gomes would help a lot.
But the big question is whether Shi and Wolves' owners, Fosun International, will give up or try to save face and fix the mistake of relegation by asking Gomes to stay.
If Gomes stays, he'll have a guaranteed spot on the team, even if they're struggling.
That would give him more security with a World Cup in the Americas next year.
The same goes for Gomes's midfield partner, Andre, who will also want to impress if he wants to move.
Gomes has to decide if staying at Molineux for the rest of the season, where he's sure to play, is worth the risk.
If he plays well in front of a global audience, his value will go up, possibly showing his talent to other interested teams.
Or, Wolves could try to sell him in January, which would leave the door open for him to move to Old Trafford.
FORWARD EVOLUTION: ANALYZING MBEUMO’S TRANSITION FROM A RIGHT-WINGER TO A CLINICAL CENTRAL STRIKER
Red Devil revival: Discover why Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville think Bryan Mbeumo is the best signing in the Premier League.
Jamie Carragher can’t say enough good things about Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United’s big signing under Ruben Amorim. In fact, Carragher called Mbeumo “one of the best” in the Premier League this season.
United splashed out over £200 million in Amorim’s last transfer window, bringing in Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and Senne Lammens. All four have made their mark, especially during the team’s recent hot streak under caretaker boss Michael Carrick, who stepped in after Amorim left last month.
Mbeumo and Cunha have quickly become real threats up front, and Sesko just can’t stop scoring, with six goals in seven games since Amorim’s exit. Lammens, meanwhile, has settled in as United’s new No. 1 after his £18 million move from Royal Antwerp. He looks like a smart bit of business.
The turnaround has been dramatic. United have picked up 16 points out of a possible 18 under Carrick, rocketing into the Champions League spots. This, from a team that finished way down in 15th last season.
Carragher, the Liverpool legend, has loved watching United’s revival, and he keeps coming back to Mbeumo as a standout. On Sky Sports, he said, “Bryan Mbeumo came in as almost a right-winger or a right-sided forward in Amorim’s system, and I was surprised to see him go through the middle. But for me, he’s been one of the best signings in the Premier League this season. He just fits Manchester United.”
He added, “Gary Neville always talks about what a United player should be, and honestly, Mbeumo looks the part. He’s got the power and pace to drive you up the pitch, and he’s clinical too. He’s been fantastic, whether he’s leading the line or out wide.”
Neville himself is a big fan, calling Mbeumo “a really solid signing.” He even suggested Arsenal and Chelsea missed a trick by not snapping him up. On the Stick to Football podcast, Neville said, “Looking at it now, Mbeumo probably would have been better for Chelsea and Arsenal than some of the players they signed. Joao Pedro’s been decent, but Mbeumo would have been a sensation for Arsenal. He’s just a good signing for United. I like him a lot.”
Ian Wright agrees and admitted he was “gutted” Mbeumo didn’t end up at Arsenal. “He always looks dangerous,” Wright said. “Absolutely, he would have made Arsenal stronger.”
United just edged out Everton 1-0 on Monday night and are gearing up to face Crystal Palace next. After the win, Carrick said, “We had to work for it. Credit to Everton; they made it tough and forced us to defend our box a lot. The way we dug in was top class. Keeping a clean sheet is fantastic. We know we can play better, but it’s satisfying to come away from home and get the win.”
GARY NEVILLE SPEAKS OUT: UNITED URGED TO FIND "TOP CLASS" MANAGER DESPITE CARRICK'S SUCCESS
Unbeaten but uncertain! Discover why Gary Neville wants Manchester United to find an elite manager despite Carrick's success.
Gary Neville thinks Manchester United needs to look for a new manager, even though Michael Carrick’s done a great job as interim head coach. Since Carrick took over, United haven’t lost in the Premier League. They’ve beaten City, Arsenal, Spurs, and Fulham, and only just drew with West Ham. You can see the team has turned a corner, and plenty of fans want Carrick to get the job full-time.
Still, Neville says United should go after the “best class of manager available.” He’s not ruling Carrick out, especially if the team grabs a Champions League spot, but he wants the club to aim high.
Before the Everton game on Monday, Neville told Sky Sports, “Manchester United have to go out and find another manager now, because you just don’t know how things will play out." When someone like Thomas Tuchel signs with England, it narrows United’s options. But that’s not a bad thing for Michael; his chances aren’t hurt at all. If he gets United into the Champions League, fans will be desperate for him to stay. I love Michael; I really do. But United needs to go for the top managers. They’ve already tried young, inexperienced options with the last two appointments. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was another ex-player, and it just didn’t work. So now, I think they need to play it safe and cut down on risk.”
Neville also shared that he spoke to the club a few weeks back to make his view clear. He told Sky Sports, “I’ve already said where I stand. I’m not going to repeat it every week, but I did speak to the club because journalists always ask them what’s going on. It’s a tough spot for them. There’s a huge push for Carrick, and the more he wins, the stronger that will get, especially if he gets close to Champions League football.
I asked the club where they stand and what they’re telling people. Honestly, their answer was solid. They said they’ve started the process of looking for a new manager, gathering data, reaching out to people, and just getting on with it. That’s what you need. You have to plan.
But they also told me they’re not going to rush. No matter what happens with results – win, lose, or draw – they’re waiting until the end of the season to make a decision. If Michael’s interested in the job at that point, and honestly, I can see him saying no, because he’s that sort of guy always putting the club first, well, then he can put his name forward. Or maybe he’ll decide he’s ready and wants to stay. Either way, they’re handling it the right way.”