Joao Gomes' £38m switch from Wolves to Aston Villa sparks West Midlands rivalry

Brazil international midfielder Joao Gomes has completed a £38 million transfer from Wolves to Aston Villa, ending his three‑and‑a‑half‑year, 130‑appearance spell at the West Midlands club. The 25‑year‑old, capped ten times by Brazil, joins Villa ahead of pre‑season after Wolves’ relegation and a February goal in a 2‑0 win over the Villans.

Gomes arrived at Wolves from Brazilian side Flamengo in 2023 and has amassed 130 appearances for the club over three and a half seasons. The midfielder, 25, has earned ten caps for Brazil during that period.

Wolves technical director Matt Jackson said: “Joao deserves everything he gets from the game. He’s the type of professional that coaches love and players love, so he will go on to be the outstanding player that we know he is.”

The transfer comes as Wolves descend to the Championship after relegation, a season in which Gomes featured 35 times. His departure marks the end of a West Midlands divide for the player.

Gomes’ only goal for Wolves last term came against his new club, netting in a surprise 2‑0 victory at Molineux in February. The strike highlighted his ability to influence high‑profile matches.

Villa’s midfield reshuffle follows the exit of Youri Tielemans to Manchester United and the looming £117 million move of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea. Gomes is expected to fill the void left by those departures.

He was omitted from Brazil’s World Cup squad, which exited in the round of 16 after a loss to Norway, giving him a break before joining Villa’s pre‑season preparations.

Aston Villa will open pre‑season with a friendly against Walsall on Tuesday, then face Champions League winners Paris Saint‑Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on 12 August, before travelling to Brighton for their first Premier League fixture on 23 August.