Manchester United 'eye' £40m Wolves star to replace former Real Madrid stalwart

Manchester United are plotting a £40million summer move for Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman Joao Gomes, according to reports.

The Brazilian arrived at Molineux just over a year ago for £15million and was eased into the first-team setup. However, since the summer, Gomes has become a key player for Gary O’Neil - leading to speculation about a possible exit.

The 23-year-old has filled the void left by Matheus Nunes and Ruben Neves, who jumped ship to join Manchester City and Al-Hilal. Gomes has formed a solid partnership with Mario Lemina, keeping Wolves in the hunt for European football when many feared the worst following O’Neil’s appointment.

But reports now suggest Wolves could receive another big-money offer for one of their midfield maestros. Metro claim Man United are weighing up a bid for Gomes as part of their rebuild under Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The Red Devils kept their powder dry - like most Premier League clubs - during the January transfer window. Ineos billionaire Ratcliffe has conducted a thorough audit at Old Trafford, appointing Omar Berrada as CEO from Man City while all but agreeing a deal to snatch sporting director Dan Ashworth from Newcastle United.

From a squad perspective, Man United need a revamp and signing players is a quick way for Ratcliffe to get supporters on side. The piece names Gomes as their ideal replacement for Casemiro, who has underperformed for Erik ten Hag this season.

The Red Devils are “contemplating” a £40million bid to sign the Wolves midfielder. Gomes has four years remaining on his contract at Molineux - putting the club in no desperate position to cash in.