Atletico Madrid open talks with Wolves for Joao Gomes as the Ederson move stalls
Atletico Madrid have opened formal talks with Wolverhampton Wanderers over a summer move for Joao Gomes, with the Spanish side switching their midfield search to the Brazilian after their pursuit of Atalanta's Ederson hit a wall.
Why Atleti pivoted
Personal terms had reportedly been agreed with Ederson, but Atalanta's asking price of around €45 million and a refusal to budge on structure have left the Spanish side looking elsewhere. Gomes is the elsewhere. Wolves are said to value the 25-year-old at around £40 million, a figure that suits Atleti more than the Bergamo deal ever looked like doing.
The timing also helps. Wolves were confirmed as the first club relegated from the 2025-26 Premier League on April 20, when West Ham's draw at Crystal Palace mathematically ended their stay in the top flight. With three wins and only 17 points from 33 games, the Molineux side are bracing for a summer of departures, and Gomes is at the front of the queue.
A queue that is getting longer
This is not a clean run for Atleti either. Manchester United have been tracking Gomes for months, viewing him as a possible long-term Casemiro successor, and Liverpool have been credited with interest as well. The Brazilian is understood to be open to a move to LaLiga, but with multiple Premier League clubs still in the picture, the price could yet drift back up if a bidding scrap develops.
For Atleti, the brief is straightforward. Diego Simeone wants legs and bite in midfield, and Gomes, a Brazil international who joined Wolves from Flamengo for around €18.7 million in January 2023, fits the profile. Whether they get the deal across the line before United, Liverpool, or anyone else jumps in is the question Madrid will be asking through May.
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