Troy Deeney says Wolverhampton Wanderers will struggle to keep Joe Gomes if he maintains his superb form at the start of the Premier League season, praising the midfielder for ‘covering every blade of grass’ in their 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The stalemate at Molineux saw Wolves remain without a win in the Premier League after 10 games, but Deeney found many positives in Gomes’ display, after he netted their second goal in the 72nd minute.
The Brazilian finished well from Goncalo Guedes’ low cross to give his side a 2-1 lead, before an unmarked Marc Guehi levelled the scores once again, breaking Wolves’ hearts at home.
Deeney, writing for the BBC, named Gomes in his Team of the Week, and praised his impressive displays under Gary O’Neil, predicting that Wolves will rely on his contributions to avoid relegation this season:
“He covered every blade of grass as Wolves earned a point against Crystal Palace – and has been doing that for a number of weeks.
“Wolves are going to need him to continue doing it to get them out of a relegation battle. If he keeps playing like this they will struggle to keep him. A very good footballer.”
Gomes was linked with a move away from Molineux this summer, with reports claiming Tottenham were among the clubs interested in acquiring him.
After the departures of Max Kilman and Pedro Neto, Wolves have had to find new leaders on the pitch this season, and Gomes is making a strong case for the role.
The ‘going to the top’ 23-year-old has been O’Neil’s most trusted player this season, amassing 843 minutes across 10 appearances – more than any other Wolves player and closely followed by Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Gomes, who has almost four years left on his current deal, is contracted to Wolves until June 2028, with an option for a further season, meaning the Molineux outfit would be in a strong negotiating position if top clubs come calling.
Joao Gomes’ Wolves Stats (2024/25 Premier League) | |
Games | 10 |
Goals | 1 |
Shot-creating actions | 16 |
Progressive carries per 90 | 1.94 |
Tackles per 90 | 3.76 |
Minutes played | 837 |
Statistics courtesy of Fbref and Transfermarkt. Correct as of 0 5 -1 1 -24.