Joao Gomes to Man Utd? 'Likely destination' and transfer stance revealed

Tom Weber

• 14 Feb 2026 16:00 CST
• 3 min read

News

Manchester United have received a big boost in their pursuit of Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes, but the Red Devils will not have a free run at the Brazil international.

The Old Trafford club are planning to sign two new midfielders this summer to replace Casemiro and potentially Manuel Ugarte. The former has already announced his departure, while the latter faces an uncertain future after failing to establish himself at Man Utd.

Numerous players have been linked with the Red Devils in recent months. It is well documented that Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba are their top targets, but more recently, the name of Joao Gomes has also been added to this list.

This should come as no surprise. Man Utd hold a long-standing interest in the 25-year-old, dating back to his first few months of Premier League football after joining Wolves from Flamengo in 2023.

With the Molineux club facing relegation from the Premier League, Gomes is certain to move on in the summer, and he will likely be significantly cheaper than Man Utd's other targets.

Gomes won't return to Brazil

Man Utd are not his only admirers, though. Napoli hold a well-established interest in the Brazil international, while the media in his home country recently claimed that Flamengo would be interested in bringing him back if available for a reasonable price.

Lucas Paqueta's emotional recent return to the Brazilian giants showed the kind of pull Flamengo has with former players. Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr also remains a vocal supporter of the Rio de Janeiro club.

However, according to journalist Julio Miguel Neto, there is nothing in the reports of a potential return to Flamengo. The player has no interest in heading back to Brazil at this stage of his career.

A move to a top European side is expected. Indeed, Neto writes that Napoli are Gomes' "likely destination," but also makes sure to mention that Man Utd have made "approaches" for him.

Flamengo have not made any contact with him at this stage, and head coach Filipe Luis recently said that the club are well-stocked in the midfield following the acquisition of Paqueta.

Gomes would be a nice fit for both Man Utd and Napoli, according to data analytics firm SciSports, which takes several factors, such as playing time and potential development opportunities, into account to calculate a Club Fit score.

Man Utd have a good rating of 77 out of 100, while Napoli and Atletico Madrid are not far behind with 75. His best option, though, according to SciSports, would be Juventus with a Club Fit score of 81.

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