Joao Gomes has ‘desire’ for Liverpool transfer but Brazilian was Manchester United transfer target and could have been involved in summer swap deal

Liverpool and Manchester United are both monitoring Brazilian midfielder Joao Gomes.

However, this isn’t the first time the Red Devils have been interested in signing him, talkSPORT understands.

The all-action central midfielder has been playing in Brazilian club Flamengo’s first team since 2020, and reports suggest both Premier League clubs are interested in signing him this January.

But Man United have already thought about making a move for the 21-year-old, according to talkSPORT’s South American football expert Tim Vickery.

“It looked like they [United] might have been interested in him when Andreas Pereira was on loan from United at Flamengo,” he explained.

“In the end [Pereira] ended up going to Fulham. There was speculation that in exchange for that deal they might take Joao Gomes, but they didn’t.”

Pereira had spend last season out in Brazil on a year-long loan, with Flamengo paying £867,000 for the deal.

However, upon his return to England he was sold to newly-promoted Fulham for an undisclosed fee understood to be £10million plus add-ons, despite impressing United whilst out in Brazil.

Meanwhile, Gomes stayed in Brazil after making 52 appearances last term.

Just one player has made more tackles per 90 minutes than Gomes this season (4.5), according to WhoScored – attracting plenty of attention from other clubs.

However, although Manchester United had been interested before them, rivals Liverpool look to be the team most likely to secure his services given the star’s most recent Instagram post.

“Liverpool are a team I’d play for. I have the greatest desire to play,” he said, responding to the links to the Reds.

“Playing in the Champions League is my biggest dream and that of my family, my biggest dream in football.”

Jurgen Klopp’s side are likely to be targeting Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham in the long-term but recruiting Gomes may well be another step the Reds need to take to rebuild their injury-prone midfield.

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