Crystal Palace ‘serious’ about signing Wolves midfield boss as £60m price tag set to drop | OneFootball

Crystal Palace are one of three Premier League clubs showing serious interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Joao Gomes, TEAMtalk sources have confirmed.

The 25-year-old is expected to leave Molineux this summer after Wolves were officially relegated from the Premier League.

Having battled relegation for much of the campaign, the club’s fate is sealed, and they are preparing for life in the Championship. Wolves officials are braced for a busy transfer window and have come to terms with the likelihood that several key players will depart.

Gomes, a dynamic and combative presence in midfield, has been one of the few consistent performers for the side despite their struggles. His energy, passing range and ability to break up play have not gone unnoticed by top-flight scouts, even as results on the pitch deteriorated.

The club have set an initial asking price of approximately £60million for the Brazilian. However, sources close to the situation indicate that this valuation will drop sharply once the realities of relegation take hold.

With parachute payments providing only limited financial relief, Wolves are understood to be realistic about the market and are likely to accept offers in the region of £35 million to £40million to help balance the books and fund a rebuild.

For Palace, the move would represent a significant statement of intent as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of another demanding Premier League season. Manager Oliver Glasner is on his way out, but is known to value box-to-box midfielders who can contribute both defensively and in transition, and wanted Gomes in January.

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Battle ignites for leading Wolves star

The other two interested Premier League clubs have not been named, although it is well known Manchester United have scouted Gomes extensively.

The fact that multiple sides from the top flight remain keen underlines the player’s enduring appeal, there is also major interest around Europe.

Gomes also has 10 caps for Brazil and it remains to be seen whether he will be part of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the World Cup. If he is and has a good tournament, that will only increase the interest in his signature.

As the summer window nears, Wolves fans face the prospect of watching several of their best talents move on, while clubs such as Palace weigh up whether to strike early before prices potentially fluctuate further.

Relegation has once again highlighted the brutal fluctuations of English football – it means more than just dropping a division, it means losing your best players.