Wolves defender Toti Gomes
Journalist Liam Keen has claimed that Wolverhampton Wanderers will not look to loan out Toti Gomes in the January transfer window.
The Lowdown: Limited minutes for Wolves
Gomes has only played seven Premier League matches this season, with three of those appearances from the start, averaging just 45 minutes per game for Julen Lopetegui’s side.
In 2020, Swiss outfit Grasshoppers took the player on loan for two years and Gomes featured 54 times in all competitions, scoring three goals.
The Portuguese defender signed a new contract in March of last year, with the deal seeing him through until 2027.
The Latest: No chance of a loan
During a Q&A section of the Express & Star’s Wolves podcast, Keen said he doesn’t believe that Gomes will be loaned out and could be an option for them should they play with a back five under Lopetegui in the second half of the season.
He stated: “I don’t think so. we’re talking about the number at centre-back – it’s going to be two for each position, left and right.
“And particularly if they do want to play a five, they’re going to want Toti around the building. Obviously, with Mosquera going on loan – it hasn’t happened yet, but he will be going out on loan.
“So I don’t expect that to happen. I keep championing Toti, I think he’s a very good player, I think he’s a natural defender. I’d like to see him get more opportunities, but we’ll wait and see.”
The Verdict: A future Wolves starter
We believe that Gomes has the potential to be a future star at Wolves and deserves some more Premier League opportunities.
Former Old Gold boss Bruno Lage has praised the player in the past, stating in a press conference in May last year (via The Express & Star) that he ‘works hard’ every day and added that every time he plays, he has a ‘good performance’.
Despite Keen’s claims, Wolves recently signed Craig Dawson from West Ham United, with the defender signing a two-and-a-half-year deal with the club.
However, the stats show that Gomes has arguably more impressive defensive stats than their new signing, averaging 1.29 tackles per game in the last year. Additionally, he makes 1.1 interceptions and 1.84 blocks on average from the last calendar year.
Meanwhile, Dawson has produced 0.89, 0.57 and 1.75 per game in those respective departments.
That said, he trumps the 24-year-old in shot-creating actions with 0.86 per 90 minutes, with Toti’s being 0.18 – so Dawson may offer more in attacking scenarios.
Depth is essential to any team and we’re not saying Dawson won’t be a good signing, but Toti certainly deserves a chance under Lopetegui.
He’s proven to be effective in the defensive third and he can only improve and develop his game, considering how old he is. Therefore, we think staying put would be the best solution.
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