Wolves' technical director Matt Jackson has described Joao Gomes as a "model professional" following his £35 million transfer to Aston Villa. The Brazilian midfielder has completed his move across the West Midlands, signing a long-term contract with Unai Emery's side.
Gomes Joins Villa's Spending Spree
Gomes' arrival follows the signing of Johan Manzambi for a club-record £52 million. Villa are also targeting Joao Palhinha on loan to provide cover for the injured Amadou Onana, who is expected to miss most, if not all, of next season after suffering an ACL injury.
Gomes' Impact at Wolves
Having joined Wolves from Flamengo in the summer of 2023, Gomes made 130 appearances in all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing six assists. Last season, the 25-year-old was voted the Players' Player of the Season and Community Player of the Season in recognition of both his performances on the pitch and his work alongside the Wolves Foundation.
Jackson's Praise
Technical director Matt Jackson said: “Joao deserves everything he gets from the game. He’s a model professional, a lovely young man and a great family man. He’s the type of professional that coaches love and players love, so he will go on to be the outstanding player that we know he is.”
Jackson added: “We’re obviously sorry to see him go, but we have to take responsible decisions for the football club, and then we build to be stronger collectively. It's a very natural part of football, the best run football clubs who don’t have unlimited resources have to work this way. The model is something that we have to adopt, and our fans have always been hugely understanding of that.”
Looking Ahead
Jackson also commented on the current state of the squad: “We've had two weeks of training and Cesar and his coaches are getting to know the players more and more, and the bond they’re building is a real positive. Of course, there's going to be changes before the end of the transfer window, absolutely, but we really like the shape that we're in at the moment.”
