Atletico Madrid U-turn hands Manchester United second shot at Joao Gomes

Manchester United’s search for a Casemiro replacement has taken a fresh turn, with Joao Gomes emerging as a viable alternative after Atletico Madrid abandoned their pursuit of the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder in favour of Sporting’s Morten Hjulmand.

United had been tracking the 25-year-old Brazilian before the summer window opened, but cooled their interest once Atletico appeared to be closing in on a deal. With that move now dead, Gomes finds himself contracted to Wolves until 2030 but with little prospect of remaining at Molineux, and reports suggest United are monitoring the situation once more.

The renewed interest comes as United’s primary midfield target, Atalanta’s Ederson, remains in limbo. Having agreed a £35m fee at the start of the summer, the deal was first delayed by the 27-year-old’s late World Cup call-up and has since been clouded by reports of a knee issue flagged during his medical. United have pushed back on suggestions the transfer has collapsed, insisting it remains alive, but the uncertainty has left the club’s midfield recruitment in an unsatisfactory state.

Gomes represents a different kind of proposition. Unlike Ederson, who would be adapting to the Premier League for the first time, Gomes already has established top-flight experience in England — a factor that fits the profile of an Ineos-era signing. The club’s recruitment language around recent arrivals has emphasised ‘plug and play’ readiness, and Gomes, who continued to perform consistently for Wolves despite the club’s difficult season, arguably meets that standard.

Matheus Cunha, who played alongside Gomes at Wolves and has since joined United, offered a notable endorsement of his former teammate in 2024. “Maybe Casemiro,” Cunha said when asked who Gomes reminded him of. “He is a bit older now, but I put Casemiro’s name there only to show where Joao Gomes could arrive. He is unbelievable on the pitch. I feel very secure. I feel like I can lose the ball when I have my midfielders behind me.”

Wolves are believed to value Gomes at around £50m — a fee that, while significant, would not require United to stretch their budget to the extremes of recent transfer windows. Whether the club ultimately complete the Ederson deal, pivot entirely to Gomes, or pursue both remains to be seen, but the Brazilian’s sudden availability has given United’s recruitment team an option they had largely written off for this window.