According to Sky Sports, Tottenham Hotspur have ended their interest in signing Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes, and that has inadvertently handed Everton a huge boost in their attempt to sign him on a permanent basis.
The Portuguese international spent 2018-19 on loan at Goodison Park, impressing manager Marco Silva and the fans in the 29 appearances he made, prompting the club to move to secure his signature.
West Ham United also expressed interest after the 25-year-old seamlessly settled into life in the English top-flight in his first season, but the Hammers appear ready to also stop their pursuit.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side are looking to turn their attention towards Olympiakos midfielder Kostas Fortounis as Gomes could be too expensive for them, and Everton will now have to move quickly.
Barcelona are demanding between £25 million and £35 million for the former Valencia midfielder who has two years remaining on the contract he signed after joining in the summer of 2016.
Gomes, like Lucas Digne, has since proven he is able to excel in an environment where there is less pressure to deliver, and signing for the Toffees will be beneficial to both club and player.
Breaking into the top six remains the long-term goal at Everton, and signing players like the Portuguese will help push them closer to achieving their aim.
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