Wolverhampton Wanderers are prepared to battle to hold onto Joao Gomes as head coach Vitor Pereira and influential figures are desperate to avoid a situation where they see the Molineux fan favourite head through the exit door in the same transfer window as Matheus Cunha, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Although Wolves showed a willingness to cash in when hefty offers were made for key men less than 12 months ago, with Pedro Neto completing a £54million switch to Chelsea a matter of weeks after then-captain Max Kilman joined West Ham United, they have been at risk of that being costly due to hovering above the Premier League's relegation zone.
Emmanuel Agbadou was Wanderers' most expensive acquisition when Pereira was given the opportunity to bolster the squad he inherited ahead of last month's winter deadline, thanks to a £16.6million agreement being reached with Reims, and there is determination to ensure they do not impact their future plans by offloading a host of regular starters in the summer.
Wanderers Show No Interest in Selling Gomes
West Midlands outfit not expecting midfielder's price tag to be met
Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Joao Gomes applauding the supporters
Wolves will fight to keep Gomes on board when the transfer window reopens, according to GMS sources, and influential figures behind the scenes remain sceptical over whether any interested parties would be prepared to lodge a bid which comes close to meeting their lucrative demands.
The Brazil international still has three years remaining on a contract which allows him to pocket £30,000-per-week, meaning the West Midlands outfit are in a strong negotiating position and under no pressure to sanction his departure if they succeed in staying clear of the Premier League's relegation zone.
GMS sources have been informed that Wolves have slapped a £50million price tag on Gomes due to his age, the length of time remaining on his deal and the level of top flight experience he has to offer, while there are no fears that he will agitate for a switch if an admirer comes calling in the coming months.
Joao Gomes' statistics for Wolverhampton Wanderers this season
The 24-year-old central midfielder has remained one of the first names on the team sheet since Pereira's mid-season appointment as the successor to Gary O'Neil, who described him as a 'super talent', highlighting Wanderers' desire to keep him among their options heading into the 2025/26 campaign.
Gomes is being linked to Premier League table-toppers Liverpool at a time when Tottenham Hotspur have also retained an interest dating back close to 12 months, GMS sources have learned, while he has also been admired by Manchester United as they go in search of replacements for Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.
Cunha Increasingly Likely to Depart Molineux
Suitors have opportunity to trigger talisman's release clause
Matheus Cunha in action for Wolverhampton Wanderers
GMS sources have been told that Wolves are not ready to sanction the departure of Gomes at a time when teammate Cunha is increasingly likely to head through the exit door, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest being linked with wanting to lure the latter away from Molineux when the next opportunity arises in the summer.
Although Wanderers' talisman penned a new four-and-a-half-year contract in February, the agreement includes a £62.5million release clause, meaning that any of his suitors will be able to leave his current employers helpless and open discussions over personal terms if they lodge an offer worth that figure.
The doubts over Cunha remaining at Wolves heading into next season are rising, GMS sources understand, and Pereira does not want to see two focal points of his squad being given the green-light to move onto pastures new as he prepares for his first full campaign in the Molineux hot-seat.
Vitor Pereira Related
Wolves Want to Sign £55m Forward who is 'Out of This World'
Wolves are eyeing a ‘staggering’ summer swoop for the 28-year-old forward.
Plans are being put in place to bring in reinforcements rather than solely concentrate on outgoings, and GMS sources recently revealed that the West Midlands outfit are looking to win the race to sign Koni De Winter from Serie A side Genoa as there is confidence that the central defender could quickly adapt to the rigours of Premier League action.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 19/03/2025
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