‘No’ - Joao Gomes has already made his transfer decision amid Wolves & Lyon stand-off

Joao Gomes has directly turned down an offer from Lyon owner John Textor as he wants to join Wolverhampton Wanderers instead, according to a fresh report in France. There has been a tug-of-war between the two clubs as the player had initially agreed to join Wolves but Lyon jumped in at the last minute.

Trying to hijack the transfer, the Ligue 1 outfit made an offer around €1 million greater than what Wanderers had originally proposed, according to Brazilian journalist Vene Casagrande. The latest twist in the saga is that the player himself has reportedly rejected Lyon’s approach with Wolves the more attractive option.

French outlet RMC Sport reports that “Textor failed to convince” Gomes after he spoke to the Brazilian at the start of the week. It is said that in a conversation between the pair, Gomes told Lyon directly that he was sticking with his choice to join up with Julen Lopetegui at Molineux.

In a deal worth around €17 million (£15 million), the 20-year-old is expected to join Wolves before the end of the January transfer window, even with the stand-off still active as things stand. Wanderers are unwilling to pay the extra cash to match Lyon’s offer as an agreement was already in place. After all - if the player wants the move, why risk spending more than necessary? That is the club’s perspective.

After making his debut for Flamengo in November 2020, aged 19, Gomes has played 119 times in all competitions. He has played 42 matches as a central midfielder, 35 as a defensive anchor, five at left wing and two in a more advanced position. In that period, Gomes has scored four goals and contributed three assists.