Gomes: Everyone at Everton has been amazing with me

Friday, 14 December, 2018 18comments  |  Jump to most recent

Updated Andre Gomes says that he feels more like himself at Everton and credits his new team mates with helping him settle into his new surroundings after a troubled spell at Barcelona.

The Portuguese is spending the season on loan at Goodison Park having failed to set the Nou Camp alight following a £29m move from Valencia in 2016, a move that everyone of a Blue persuasion hopes can be made permanent at the earliest opportunity.

Assuming the player himself is keen, that decision will rest with Barcelona and while Gomes isn't giving anything away, he says that is in a better place mentally at the moment.

"It was really difficult for me to take care of expectations [at Barça],” he told Sky Sports, “not only from the fans, but my expectations and seeing my parents suffering. It was complicated. I'm enjoying football again.

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"I can't say I'm playing my best football, because I don't want to put pressure or walls [on my potential]. I just want to get better physically, to give the best performances that I can.

"I wasn't unhappy in Barcelona, but I was feeling the struggle. Sometimes, I'm more negative than positive about myself. I'd be the first person to shout at myself, close the door and scream to myself that I didn't play good.

"Sometimes, you try not to care about the things you read on social media, and even if you do, someone might tell you. It's difficult because [Barcelona] is a massive club, and you have to be prepared.

"Somehow, perhaps I wasn't prepared for that side. I was just preparing to play football, go to the stadium and play, so maybe I wasn't prepared for that situation."

Silva owes much to the faith of his compatriot and manager, Marco Silva, whose knowledge of the player was key to Everton targeting him as a potential loan signing in August.

And the welcoming atmosphere at Finch Farm has made it possible for him to ease into the Toffees' first time and perform like he has been there for years.

“[The manager has] given me confidence to keep moving forward and to be happy,” Gomes explained.

"All the people here have been amazing with me, all the staff and my teammates.

"I know it's difficult sometimes to have a football player on loan and wondering how the first contact will be, but the boys here have been amazing with me.

Silva was asked about the media speculation that other clubs, Tottenham in particular, are eyeing Gomes for a potential transfer in the summer when his loan with the Blues ends.

Spurs were said to be close to signing Gomes last year before the deal fell through but Everton's manager appears unfazed:

“I understand maybe some clubs are linked with him, I don't know really. But nothing changes in our way, what's in our mind.

“When you have good players in your squad that means other clubs are looking to them as well. For me, it is a normal situation in football.

“At the right moment we have time to talk about the situation, and let's see what we can do to keep him or not.”

 

Reader Comments (18)

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Chris Donnelly
1 Posted 14/12/2018 at 05:59:53
André, you are a breath of fresh air to our club. It won't be any kind of awkward when you sign permanently for us.

Thank you and the best of luck.

Real professional and a real gentleman.

Mark Andersson
2 Posted 14/12/2018 at 06:18:49
I hope you didn't read TW if or when you have a bad game.

Let's hope he keeps improving and helps the team perform better than the last two games.

Dean Johnson
3 Posted 14/12/2018 at 06:26:48
Time to make up a song for him.
Ajay Gopal
4 Posted 14/12/2018 at 07:19:57
Already rumours today that Spurs are trying to sabotage his permanent signing to Everton by moving in for him. Being a sensible fella, I don't think he will risk what has been carefully built up at Everton to throw it all away at Spurs, where like Barca, he will face much tougher competition for starting places than with us.
Liam Reilly
5 Posted 14/12/2018 at 08:45:45
Tottenham will be one of many linked with him if he continues his good form. Sky and the usual rags will no doubt have him replacing Henderson, Pogba and God knows who, whilst speculation continues.

It'll be a difficult one to get over the line because the lad is quality and should be playing Champions League; something Everton is a long way off, judging from our last two performances.

Let's hope he can be persuaded to buy into a long-term plan, but there are a lot of obstacles.

John Pickles
6 Posted 14/12/2018 at 11:16:30
Right Marco, we know we want him, get the thumbs up from Andre and Barca, then tell the rest of the squad to make him look pants 'til January.
Jamie Crowley
7 Posted 14/12/2018 at 14:19:07
I've said this before, I'll be stunned if he doesn't sign for us.

He wants it. He can't say he wants it, but after his time at Barca he's found a home. When the player and team both want the move / each other, the financial details are usually hammered out.

There is no hard evidence to state that Gomes wants to sign with us permanently. It's the gut feeling I have factoring in his previous, his happiness, our coach, our DOF, and our ambitions.

Joe O'Brien
8 Posted 14/12/2018 at 15:53:58
I'm with Jamie on this one. I think we'll get him in permanently. The media want him to sign for one of the Sky darlings obviously... the talk of Spurs looking to get him in, no chance. They might need him.,. but needing and buying are two totally different things. No way will Levi part with that amount of cash.

It's vital that we get the deal done; we should also be seriously looking on an upgrade on Gueye and Coleman in the summer. Coleman seems to have lost the attacking part of his game since that horrible injury... and Gueye just can't pass the ball. And obviously a striker asap... it'll be tough getting that position filled in the January window though.

Mike Gaynes
9 Posted 14/12/2018 at 16:11:02
I've predicted since Day 1 that we wouldn't have much trouble signing him permanently from Barca, which doesn't want him back. Delighted he feels confident and comfortable with us, and I don't think he'll give that up.

I've seen the Spurs rumour as well, but I'm skeptical of his fit there. Gomes's best skill is bringing the ball out of the back, but Spurs have multiple players already who can do that. They love midfielders who can score, and that's not in Gomes's game.

Mike Gaynes
10 Posted 14/12/2018 at 16:24:16
Joe #8, I still predict we'll see the best of Seamus again by February.

And it would be hard to "upgrade" on Gana unless you want to significantly change the team, because he is the only ballwinner in the side, and nobody in the world does that better than he does. There are only a few players who combine that ability with top quality attacking skills, and I don't think Bousquets or Kante are coming here. (I suppose we could splash £80 million on Casemiro.)

Jack Convery
11 Posted 14/12/2018 at 17:02:34
Oh, won't you stay... a little bit longer !
Joe O'Brien
12 Posted 14/12/2018 at 18:45:32
Mike@10 I more than anyone being Irish would love nothing more for you to be right, but I just think he's after losing tat bit of pace and attacking threat. I'm not saying he's finished by no means.. just that it's something we may have to look at. Seamus is 30.. so not the young flyer that we all have come to love.. just think we need to plan for the future..As for Gueye..I do think we need a ball winner who can play a pass.. that's not his strongest part of his game. I think we just need more than solely a ball winner.
Maybe Mike I'm just being greedy..
Dave Murphy
13 Posted 14/12/2018 at 20:46:50
The best player to grace the Goodison Park in decades.
Robert Leigh
14 Posted 14/12/2018 at 22:02:02
With you there Dave.

Struggling to think of many better than this man in the league - be interesting to see how he plays against City who will no doubt have noticed his form, given their lack of Fernanhinho cover I’d be worry our Andre might be tempted there.

Wayne Maher
15 Posted 14/12/2018 at 23:28:29
In decades? You're having a laugh.
Derek Knox
16 Posted 15/12/2018 at 00:58:02
Good article, Lyndon, which I just happened to spot after watching the Video interview with André at presumably Finch Farm. He came across as a very sincere and mature-minded individual. He said in a nutshell that he didn't realise signing for Barca had so many aspects to it beyond Football.

I would be very surprised if he didn't sign for us. When it comes down to the subject, let's face it, these guys are virtually all Millionaires already, so what do they want more money for? Some do, admittedly, but the impression I got from André is that he is happy at Everton, and I think he knows in the relatively short period he has been with us, he is loved by all, and that is reflected in his performances, which I would imagine will only get better.

Besides all the speculation linking him with Spurs, they are not renowned for paying over the odds for a player; they always seem to get the bargain basement deals and, to be fair, they have been quite successful.

Would he risk, if tempted to join another Club (Spurs), where I doubt if he knows anyone, there are no Portuguese there as far as I am aware. In addition, would he be guaranteed a regular position in their side?

Bill Gienapp
17 Posted 15/12/2018 at 01:29:59
Jamie (7) - I agree, my gut tells me that after the Barca debacle, Gomes is going to prioritize playing somewhere he feels comfortable, as opposed to chasing Champion's League football purely out of ego.

If he says he wants to move here permanently, I can't imagine a deal won't be struck... though Barca will be looking to maximize their profit and leverage our overwhelmingly undisguised interest, while Brands is too shrewd to simply capitulate to their demands. I suspect negotiations will be neither quick nor easy.

Ed Wallis
18 Posted 15/12/2018 at 20:56:27
Dave Murphy — I'm 100% with you on that one.

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