Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly finally closing in on the signing of Flamengo midfielder Joao Gomes.
Julen Lopetegui has wasted little time in making widespread changes to his first-team squad at Molineux, bringing in as many as five fresh faces.
Goalkeeper David Bentley, defender Craig Dawson, midfielder Mario Lemina, playmaker Pablo Sarabia and forward Matheus Cunha have all made the January switch to Molineux.
However, it is Wolves' pursuit of Gomes which has captured the attention of their supporters, particularly given the issues which have arisen since seemingly being close to signing the player earlier in the month.
Soon after reports emerged that the 21-year-old was ready to fly to England to finalise a move, Lyon enter the equation and trumped Wolves' bid.
© Reuters
That led to a conflict of interest, with Lyon wanting to accept Flamengo's bid but Gomes allegedly having his heart set on moving to Wolves.
The hashtag #FreeJoaoGomes has had a growing presence on social media, fans buying into the notion that only minor haggling was required to get a deal over the line.
Brazilian journalist Vene Casagrande, who has provided constant updates throughout the saga, now says that Flamengo have finally agreed to sell Gomes to Wolves.
There is now every expectation that Gomes will pen a long-term contract with the Premier League outfit before Tuesday's transfer deadline.
Fim da novela! O Flamengo acertou a venda de João Gomes ao Wolverhampton. O volante assinará o contrato válido por cinco anos com o time inglês. pic.twitter.com/LDJLnDYXqe
— Venê Casagrande (@venecasagrande) January 26, 2023
Before Lyon reportedly put forward a bid of €18m (£15.8m), Wolves were said to have agreed to pay €17m (£15m) over five instalments.
As it stands, it is unclear whether Flamengo have relented and settled for that fee, or whether Wolves have matched Lyon's offer.
Nevertheless, the West Midlands outfit are on the brink of signing a player who has made a total of 117 appearances for the Brazilian giants, scoring three goals.
During the 2022 season, Gomes featured in 12 of Flamengo's 13 matches in the Copa Libertadores as the club lifted the trophy for the third time in their history.
