Aston Villa complete £38m signing of Joao Gomes from Wolverhampton Wanderers 

The 25-year-old arrives at Villa Park after an impressive spell at Molineux, where he was named Wolves’ Player of the Year last season despite the club’s relegation from the Premier League.

Gomes left Wolves’ pre-season training camp in Portugal earlier this week to complete his medical and finalise the move, with Atletico Madrid also reported to have held an interest in the 25-year-old.

The midfielder becomes Villa’s second major midfield addition of the summer following the club-record arrival of Johan Manzambi from Freiburg, as Unai Emery continues to reshape his squad ahead of the new campaign.

Villa moved for Gomes after a number of midfield departures and injury setbacks. Amadou Onana is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious knee injury while on international duty with Belgium, while Youri Tielemans has joined Manchester United in a £35m deal. Morgan Rogers is also expected to depart after Chelsea agreed a £117 deal for the England international.

Gomes arrives at Villa Park with significant Premier League experience, having made 116 appearances in the competition since joining Wolves from Flamengo in 2023.

The midfielder enjoyed an impressive individual campaign last season despite Wolves’ relegation from the Premier League, making 41 appearances in all competitions and being named the club’s Player of the Year.

Wolves technical director Matt Jackson praised Gomes’ contribution to the club following the transfer.

“Joao deserves everything he gets from the game. He’s a model professional, a lovely young man and a great family man.

“He’s the type of professional coaches love and players love, so he will go on to be the outstanding player that we know he is.

“We’re obviously sorry to see him go, but we have to take responsible decisions for the football club, and then we build to be stronger collectively.

“It’s a very natural part of football – the best run football clubs who don’t have unlimited resources have to work this way.

“The model is something that we have to adopt, and our fans have always been hugely understanding of that.”

Gomes brings a combative presence to Villa’s midfield, with his defensive statistics highlighting his ability to win back possession and disrupt opposition attacks.

The Brazilian ranked third in the Premier League for tackles last season, making 107, while he was also among the division’s leading players for duel contested and duels won. He finished eighth for interceptions and recorded 194 possession recoveries.

His work rate without the ball was another standout feature, with Gomes among the league’s busiest pressers after making more than 1,800 attempts to close down opponents.

The midfielder was also trusted in possession, ranking sixth in the Premier League for passes received under pressure, underlining his composure when playing in tight spaces.

Villa will hope Gomes can provide immediate quality and stability in the centre of midfield as Emery builds a squad capable of competing across multiple competitions.

The Brazilian’s ability to regain possession and operate at high intensity fits the demands of Emery’s tactical approach, with Villa looking for players who can adapt quickly to the manager’s methods.

Gomes’ arrival also provides valuable Premier League experience as Villa enter a new chapter following last season’s Europa League success.

The midfielder’s aggressive style does come with a disciplinary risk, having committed 69 fouls last season, the highest total in the division. However, Villa will believe his ability to win the ball back and control the midfield outweighs those concerns.

After strengthening their squad with a major investment this summer, Villa will be hoping Gomes can become a key figure in their push for further success under Emery.