Sir Jim Ratcliffe proclaimed this week that Manchester United need to make stars and buy them.
The billionaire explains that chasing Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham is part of his strategy and that he needs Manchester United to target promising players.
How far United will go with this is open to interpretation lately. Are United making this a core component of their strategy of young, untested players at very low prices, or is there unusual ground?
A case in point is the emerging links with Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes and The Mirror reports he is a new target for United.
Gomes is said to be paid around £40m, with Wolves buying him from Flamengo for £15m in January 2023. He has just over a year’s experience in the Premier League, which has been important.
Joao Gomes is only 21 years old, so so is the right age profile of the players Ineos is targeting. The dilemma is whether United look to Brazil and try to emulate Wolves’ £15 million move, and locate the next star, or pay. the bonus for his demonstrated ability in the Premier League.
The praise Gomes has earned suggests it was worth it. His price would skyrocket if he were to succeed at Old Trafford.
His teammate, Pablo Sarabia, recently told the Wolves manager: “He’s a wonderful player who is having a wonderful season and I think he has a wonderful future ahead of him. “
Matheus Cunha also congratulated him on Instagram after the win against Fulham: “Today you can’t even joke, you were absurd. “
Former Wolves star Dave Edwards explained in a video on X how his skill and determination helped Gomes stand out.
He said: “Gomes, every time he goes to compete for the ball, he will win it. He’s aggressive, tenacious, physical: betting against him would have been a nightmare.
“I think, in fact, in my whole life watching Wolves, he’s the most productive I’ve ever noticed when it comes to winning the ball back. “
That’s the highest compliment for a player who hasn’t been at Wolves for long, and those are characteristics Manchester United are for, with Casemiro taking a step back in his levels of functionality this season.
United In Focus spoke to Rogerio Amaral, editor-in-chief of the website Vamo Flamengo, which covers the club where Joao Gomes began his career. He praised Gomes and followed his progress.
He explained: “Gomes did very well at Flamengo, but he left Brazil as a player still developing. I watch Wolves games and I see that this evolution has continued in England.
“He’s a midfielder with a great future and he can still improve. I see him with the potential to play in the big six. He’s a player with a lot of personality.
“In my opinion, he doesn’t have as much defensive strength as Casemiro, but he has more quality when he attacks. “