Sean Dyche reveals what he privately told Andre Gomes at Everton amid Goodison exit speculation
Sean Dyche has revealed what he told Andre Gomes privately in the summer after he returned to Everton from his loan spell with Lille last season.
Speaking after the 2-1 defeat to Tottenham on Saturday (23 December, via Liverpool World), the Toffees boss said he “made it clear” to the 30-year-old, who has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park, that he wanted him to be part of his plans for this campaign and that the midfielder was on board with that.
After the Portuguese made his first appearance of the season on his return from injury against Spurs, where he scored the Blues’ only goal of the game, Dyche added that he is “very pleased” for the player after it’s been a “frustrating period” for him over the past few months.
“We’re very pleased for him,” said Dyche. “He’s had a very tough time of it. I made it clear when came back to us in pre-season that I wanted him to be part of us and what we do.
“He made it clear he wants to try to do that. Then he’s had a really frustrating period and I made it clear I wanted him to complete his rehab with 90 minutes.
“He agreed to do that, which he did and I’ve got to be honest, it was a bit too early and we were looking at which way we go about this but I thought he was excellent. The way he adapted to the game after the first 7-8 minutes was excellent.
“His adaptability in the game. He played higher up, he dropped in, some of his passing was excellent but there were so many today. The level of performance was absolutely excellent.”
Promising
It was an extremely promising performance from Gomes and one that probably surprised quite a lot of people as his career had looked as though it was only going one way.
But after fighting his way back to fitness following the injury he suffered in August, the midfielder has propelled himself into Dyche’s thoughts after getting on the scoresheet against Tottenham, having replaced the injured Idrissa Gueye on 24 minutes.
There is no doubt that he does possess plenty of quality, but the Toffees just haven’t seen that enough from him over the past few years, which is why he ended up out on loan with French club Lille last season.
It sounds, though, as if the Blues boss definitely sees the Portuguese as being part of his plans moving forward after what he said to him during pre-season.
There is competition for places in the midfield at Goodison Park, but if he continues to put in displays like the one we saw in North London, then it will be difficult to keep him out of the side.
In other Everton news, Mike Dean has weighed in on a controversial incident against Tottenham.