Atletico Madrid have opened talks with Wolves over a potential deal for Joao Gomes, who is also a target for Manchester United, with the Spanish giants are stepping up contingency plans as negotiations for Atalanta midfielder Ederson stall.
Diego Simeone’s side have already agreed personal terms with Ederson, who has turned down interest from several Premier League clubs in favour of a move to the Spanish capital.
The Brazilian remains Atletico’s priority target as they look to strengthen in midfield following their decision to move on from Conor Gallagher in January.
However, despite progress on the player side, a deal with Atalanta is proving difficult to finalise.
Sources indicate that the two clubs remain some distance apart in their valuation, while agent fees are also yet to be resolved, leaving the transfer at an impasse.
As a result, Atletico are actively exploring alternative options across Europe, and TEAMtalk can confirm that Wolves star Joao Gomes, who is being considered by Man Utd, has now firmly entered their thinking.
Initial contact has been made with Wolves as Atletico assess the feasibility of a deal, effectively signalling to Atalanta that they are prepared to walk away from negotiations for Ederson if progress is not made.
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Atletico, Man Utd keen on Wolves midfield boss
Gomes is widely expected to leave Molineux this summer, particularly with Wolves planning for life in the Championship.
The club are open to offloading a number of high earners, and the Brazilian midfielder is among their most valuable assets.
Wolves had initially hoped to command a fee in the region of £50million, but sources suggest a deal closer to £40million is now more realistic, with intermediaries confident an agreement can be reached at that level.
The 23-year-old is also attracting strong interest from the Premier League. We have previously revealed that Man Utd are monitoring Gomes closely as they look to bring in two new central midfielders this summer.
However, Atletico’s interest is concrete, and Gomes is understood to be open to the move to LaLiga. That said, his representatives are continuing to assess all available options, including those in England, where multiple clubs are keeping a close eye on his situation.
With Atletico maintaining pressure on Atalanta over Ederson while simultaneously advancing talks for Gomes, the coming weeks could prove decisive in determining which direction the Spanish side ultimately take in their midfield rebuild.
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