Everton have confirmed the signing of Andre Gomes from Barcelona for a fee in the region of £22 million.
Gomes, 25, spent a year on loan with the Toffees during the 2018/19 campaign and has made the switch permanent - signing a five-year deal with the club. He becomes Everton’s second signing of the summer behind the free agent addition of Jonas Lossl.
The Portuguese midfielder, who had a torrid time with the Catalan club, was immediately made an important transfer target by Blues boss Marco Silva during his loan spell. While there may have been some interest from Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, Gomes’ desire to only move to Everton forced Barcelona’s hand in negotiations and allowed the Blues to swoop for a bargain price.
Speaking to EvertonTV about the move, the midfielder said: “I know the club made a massive effort to sign me and I'm very happy and thankful to them. I said during the year that I felt part of a family and that is the most important thing to me.
“I always got massive support since day one. I'm really, really happy to have this badge on me right now and I want to give all the fans my best because I think they deserve the best of each player. I'm happy to be here and I want to improve to give them joy.”
Gomes speaks on big ambitions
While Gomes’ loan spell was undoubtedly a successful one personally, Everton slipped up during a difficult winter period and ultimately cost themselves a chance at a cup win or European place.
However, the midfielder has already pointed towards his ambition to turn that around and help bring success to the Goodison Park faithful.
“Last year was a really good experience for me,” he added. “I just wanted to feel part of something special and I found it here. It was good for me in that moment and right now, after signing for Everton, it's even better. I think the ambition from the Club is not only for me, I think it's for all the players and the fans. We are all excited about that."
The midfielder continued: “I hope in the seasons to come we can enjoy more good football and win trophies. That's what we all want.”
Silva hails importance of Gomes acquisition
While not a renown goalscorer, Gomes’ presence was immediately felt in the Blues side after recovering from a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the early part of the season.
He made an instant impact, giving Everton a player in the heart of midfield that could control games and dictate the pace. As an important player for Marco Silva’s side, the Portuguese boss was desperate to get his compatriot tied down to a permanent move.
The Everton boss stated: “Andre was a really important player for us last season and I think we were really able to help him, too. It was a good decision to bring Andre to the Club and we made it one of our priorities to get him back.
“What Andre learned about the Club, our fans and our vision convinced him that this is where he wants to play his football and I know he shares the big ambitions that we have going forward.”