The genius Everton signing who could transform midfield and become bargain of the summer transfer window

As Everton’s men said a heartfelt farewell to Goodison Park with victory over Southampton it was a bittersweet moment, tinged with the knowledge that the Toffees have rather let The Grand Old Lady down in recent years.

The final chapters of a 133-year history have been titled ‘relegation scraps’ rather than any push for trophies or European qualification, but Everton fans will hope those days are behind them with David Moyes’ successful second act in the dugout coinciding with the lucrative move to Bramley-Moore Dock.

And as Moyes prepares for life in the Hill Dickinson Stadium, he’s keen to loosen the purse strings and arrive at Everton’s new home with a higher-calibre cast of characters ready to challenge in the top half of the Premier League again. Striker Evan Ferguson is a target to sharpen an Everton attack that’s been the worst in the league outside of the three relegated clubs, but central midfield is just as important as Moyes seeks to exert more control over games.

And no free agent fits the bill more than Angel Gomes. The London-born midfielder could become one of the world’s best conductors and only needs to look at Iliman Ndiaye and Kevin O’Brien to see the effects of Moyes’ tutelage at Everton. He could be an even better midfield Toffee than Mikel Arteta nearly two decades ago.

Angel Gomes the key to unlocking Everton’s potential

Where did Everton rank in possession percentage over the course of the 2024/25 Premier League season? Well if you thought they must at least be above all three stinking promoted sides, you’d be dead wrong. Everton sit third from bottom in the possession table at a pitiful 40.6%, well below Leicester and Southampton and just 0.2% above the current kings of the counter-attack, Nottingham Forest.

They’re also losing Abdoulaye Doucoure and potentially Idrissa Gana Gueye this summer after selling Amadou Onana to Aston Villa last season, so midfield reinforcement is a must for Moyes. He’s keen to reunite with James Ward-Prowse and 17-year-old Sunderland starlet Chris Rigg is another target, but Gomes has the potential to have more of an impact than both of those.

Gomes is an extreme rarity as an English footballer - someone who can control a game single-handedly. Blessed with an acute situational awareness alongside the technical ability to find any of his teammates on the billiard table, Gomes possesses all the attributes England fans are used to hearing describe the opposition that’s just dealt them another painful exit from a major tournament.

His 87% pass completion ranks him in the top 3% of players in his position in Europe’s big five leagues, and he’s well within the top quartile of progressive passers among the continent’s big fishes too. Gomes can play anywhere in a midfield five but Everton may be best deploying him in a withdrawn role, pulling the strings with precision to maximise the Toffees’ effectiveness at getting up the field.

Can Everton beat Liverpool, Man United and Spurs to Gomes?

It’s been a funny old 12 months for Angel Gomes. The Manchester United academy graduate was anointed as the answer to England’s midfield problems the moment the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 dream ended, and Gomes duly made his international bow in September. Linked with a host of ‘super-clubs’ as his transfer value approached £30 million, the second half of Gomes’ season didn’t quite live up to the hype.

As Lille were arguably the biggest surprise package of the Champions League, qualifying in the top eight of the league phase and only missing out on the quarter-finals thanks to a second leg second half comeback by Borussia Dortmund, Gomes didn’t feature at all against the reigning runners-up.

Indeed, he went from playing 884 minutes in Ligue 1 and Europe this season up until New Year’s Day to a meagre 185 in 2025. And whereas only a calf injury, concussion and suspension could keep Gomes from the field at the start of the campaign he’s so often been an unused substitute or healthy scratch more recently.

Combined with his more diminutive build, that could be enough to ward off England’s European qualifiers from handing a bumper contract to the 24-year-old who is still somewhat unproven. And in the other direction, will Gomes prioritise minutes after being frozen (or at least chilled) out at Lille? Left out of Thomas Tuchel’s maiden England squad, he’s only got 12 more months to force his way back into contention in an ultra-competitive midfield battle ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

It’s not even like Liverpool, Manchester United and Spurs are pipelines to the national team right now. They combined for just five of Tuchel’s latest 25-player squad as Aston Villa and Crystal Palace each supplied more Lions while the Red Devils in particular have been kryptonite for the international careers of the likes of Jadon Sancho and Mason Mount.

Gomes hasn’t been on the scene too long but will be on the verge of turning 30 when his next opportunity to represent England on the biggest stage in world football arrives, and his comments to Sky Sports after his Three Lions debut show his how much his international career means to him:

“I can’t put it into words, just a local lad from Salford making my debut for England. For sure it’s not [a one off], I’m eager for more. It’s just the beginning and I’m hoping to really kick on and to show myself as much as possible.” That should be music to Moyes’ ears.

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