UK Edition
Everton confident of signing Andre Gomes on a permanent basis after Tottenham drop their interest
Everton are hopeful of signing Andre Gomes on a permanent basis and have also offered Leighton Baines a one-year deal to extend his career at the club.
Gomes spent last season on loan at Everton from Barcelona but, crucially, there was no option to buy in the deal. It means Everton have to negotiate with Barcelona on a price for Gomes although that is not expected to be as high as the £30 million that has been previously mentioned.
Although there were suggestions that Gomes would prefer a move to a London club, he has turned down an offer to join West Ham United while Tottenham Hotspur have dropped their interest in the Portugal international.
If Everton sign the 25-year-old midfielder it will be a huge boost to head coach Marco Silva who brought him to the club last summer.
Silva admitted at the end of the season that Gomes had not made a decision on his future but he has now indicated he wants to stay on Merseyside.
Baines has lost his place in the team to Lucas Digne but he is admired by Silva who regards him as an important senior player in the squad. The left-back joined Everton from Wigan Athletic for £6m and, at 34, has been considering his future. Everton are hopeful he will stay,
Meanwhile, Everton are set to appoint the former Fulham striker Luis Boa Morte as Silva’s assistant. Boa Morte will replace Joao Pedro Sousa who has left Everton to become coach of Portuguese club Famalicao.
Sousa has been Silva’s long-term assistant but will be succeeded by Boa Morte who also played for Arsenal, Southampton and West Ham during a long career in the Premier League. He is currently assistant manager at the Israeli club Maccabi Haifa.
Silva worked with Boa Morte during his time at Sporting Lisbon in 2014-15. Boa Morte coached the club’s Under-19s and the pair have remained friends since then and are now set to be reunited at Goodison Park.