Andre Gomes closes loan deal with Lille as Everton exit sealed
Andre Gomes has completed a loan transfer to Lille from Everton after Paulo Fonseca directly requested the move, according to Bruno Andrade.
Gomes was told he was free to leave the club earlier this month, and a move to Lille took shape on 1 September after he left Finch Farm early to seal the deal.
After undergoing a medical with the Ligue 1 club a deal has now been closed according to UOL Esporte journalist Andrade, with a season-long loan deal agreed.
“André Gomes closed in Lille,” he wrote on his personal Twitter account.
“It’s a request from Paulo Fonseca. Portuguese midfielder joins French football on loan from Everton.”
Better than nothing
Gomes leaving Everton was inevitable this season after the triple arrival of Idrissa Gueye, Amadou Onana and James Garner in midfield.
But the club would no doubt have been hoping to receive a transfer fee or at least get rid of him permanently to have his wages off the bill forever more.
A loan deal means they won’t be paying his full wages for the season, but there is still a possibility that he returns next summer if he struggles in France and then they’ll be stuck once again.
His current contract at Goodison Park is set to expire in 2024 so unless they have agreed a mandatory buy clause in the loan it seems as though this is a process that they will need to have to repeat next summer again.
For now though it’s just good to have him out of the door so that both parties can move on with their seasons, and we’ll deal with that bridge when we get to it.