{"id":50334,"date":"2026-07-18T09:44:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T13:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/18\/the-star-was-very-keen-to-sign-for-liverpool-but-ended-up-joining-aston-villa-instead\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T09:44:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T13:44:29","slug":"the-star-was-very-keen-to-sign-for-liverpool-but-ended-up-joining-aston-villa-instead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/18\/the-star-was-very-keen-to-sign-for-liverpool-but-ended-up-joining-aston-villa-instead\/","title":{"rendered":"The star was very keen to sign for Liverpool but ended up joining Aston Villa instead"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/18\/the-star-was-very-keen-to-sign-for-liverpool-but-ended-up-joining-aston-villa-instead\/#Joao_Gomez_wants_to_move_to_Liverpool_before_confirming_move_to_Aston_Villa\" >Joao Gomez wants to move to Liverpool before confirming move to Aston Villa<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/18\/the-star-was-very-keen-to-sign-for-liverpool-but-ended-up-joining-aston-villa-instead\/#Forget_Diomande_why_Iraola_is_leading_Liverpools_130m_winger_talks\" >Forget Diomande: why Iraola is leading Liverpool&#8217;s \u00a3130m winger talks<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Aston Villa are close to signing Wolves midfielder Joao Gomez, who is reportedly keen on a move to Liverpool.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>The Brazilian midfielder has quietly developed into one of the Premier League&#8217;s most reliable ball-winners and, at 25, is entering the best years of his career.<\/p>\n<p>    Since joining from Flamengo in January 2023, he has made 130 appearances for Wolves, scoring eight goals and providing six assists, despite playing as a defensive midfielder.<\/p>\n<p>He also came to England with a great pedigree. Gomez earned his first Brazilian cap in 2022 after winning the Copa Libertadores with Flamengo, establishing himself as one of his country&#8217;s best young midfielders.<\/p>\n<p>Adapting to the Premier League has never been easy, but he has quickly become one of Wolves&#8217; most reliable performers and consistently one of the top names on the team sheet.<\/p>\n<p>Could he have improved Liverpool? Probably, but only in certain roles.<\/p>\n<p>    Ryan Gravenbirch and Alexis Mac Allister have already shown quality on the ball, and Dominik Szoboszlai, who has just signed a new long-term contract, provides further energy going forward.<\/p>\n<p>Gomez would have added more aggression and ball-winning ability, giving Liverpool more protection in difficult away games and against Europe&#8217;s best opponents.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s exactly why Aston Villa&#8217;s move makes so much sense.<\/p>\n<p>    Gomez ticks all the boxes and while replacing a player like Youri Tielemans is never easy, the Brazilian brings a variety of strengths. He covers vast areas of the pitch, splitting up the attack and allowing his creative teammates greater freedom higher up the field.<\/p>\n<p>According to WhoScored, only Joao Parinha and Everton&#8217;s James Garner averaged more tackles per 90 than South American players in the Premier League last season, which tells you everything you need to know.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-container\">\n<table border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"1\" cellspacing=\"1\" style=\"\" align=\"\" summary=\"\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"col\">\n<p>Number of tackles per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">\n<p>total<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>1. Joao Parinha (Tottenham)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>3.3<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>2. James Garner (Everton)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>3.2<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><em><strong>3. Joao Gomez (Wolves)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>3.1<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>4. Kenny Tete (Fulham)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>3<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>5. Florentino (Burnley)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>2.9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<p>It&#8217;s no surprise that the next step was to take place at Villa Park rather than Anfield, but it wasn&#8217;t necessarily the player&#8217;s wish.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"joao-gomes-wanted-liverpool-transfer-before-finalising-aston-villa-move\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Joao_Gomez_wants_to_move_to_Liverpool_before_confirming_move_to_Aston_Villa\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Joao Gomez wants to move to Liverpool before confirming move to Aston Villa<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>According to Football Transfers, Liverpool were given the opportunity to sign Gomez but decided not to pursue a deal, instead making Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton their priority target.<\/p>\n<p>    This is despite the fact that Gomez himself was very keen to sign for Andoni Iraola&#8217;s team at the time.<\/p>\n<p>This decision prompted Villa to move quickly to agree a deal with Wolves worth around \u00a335m. Manager Fabrizio Romano has also confirmed Villa&#8217;s agreement and Gomez&#8217;s move is close to being completed.<\/p>\n<p>Liverpool&#8217;s recruitment team reportedly admire Gomez but ultimately believe Wharton is the better fit for the team&#8217;s long-term direction.<\/p>\n<p>For Villa, this will be an important undertaking following Tielemans&#8217; departure. Emery wanted a proven Premier League midfielder who could contribute immediately upon arrival, and Gomez fit that profile perfectly.<\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-vignette\">\n<div class=\"qz\">\n<div class=\"qz-content\">\n<div id=\"qend\">\n<p>you scored<\/p>\n<p>out of 20<\/p>\n<p>      <button class=\"e-replay\" onclick=\"startQuiz()\">\u21a9 Play again<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Liverpool supporters may wonder if the club have missed an opportunity, but Wharton would be a great addition if they can afford the \u00a3100m asking price.<\/p>\n<p>Whether it is the right decision will become clearer once Gomez begins life at Villa Park.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                              \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"forget-diomande-why-iraola-is-leading-liverpool-bid-to-sign-rayan\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<p>                        <\/p>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Forget_Diomande_why_Iraola_is_leading_Liverpools_130m_winger_talks\"><\/span>\n<p>\t\t\tForget Diomande: why Iraola is leading Liverpool&#8217;s \u00a3130m winger talks<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">Liverpool have yet to replace Mohamed Salah in the summer transfer window. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aston Villa are close to signing Wolves midfielder Joao Gomez, who is reportedly keen on a move to Liverpool. The Brazilian midfielder has quietly developed into one of the Premier League&#8217;s most reliable ball-winners and, at 25, is entering the best years of his career. Since joining from Flamengo in January 2023, he has made [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38464,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[390,2509,40,456,3975,132,43,86,633],"class_list":["post-50334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football","tag-aston","tag-ended","tag-football","tag-joining","tag-keen","tag-liverpool","tag-sign","tag-star","tag-villa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50334"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50334\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38464"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50334"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}