Fabrizio Romano gave the famous “Here we go”: João Gomes, formerly of Wolverhampton Wanderers, is the new Aston Villa player. It always felt inevitable that he would leave, especially after Wolves were relegated, and honestly, this move makes perfect sense.
Aston Villa are reshaping their midfield. Tielemans has already departed, while Manzambi has arrived. But to me, João Gomes’ signing is clearly about replacing Amadou Onana, whose World Cup injury is expected to keep him out for virtually the entire season.
That is how I see it. After all, Aston Villa had the financial strength to sign someone with a profile much closer to Tielemans if that had been their priority.
That is also where the problem lies. If Unai Emery sticks with the same tactical approach, there is currently nobody in the squad who offers the same qualities and influence that Tielemans brought in midfield. They may return to the market, but as things stand, that player simply is not there.
Some might argue that Lindelöf could fill that role in midfield, but this is 2026. Honestly, Lindelöf should not even be a consistent option at centre-back, let alone in midfield.
Conclusion
João Gomes leaving Wolves always felt inevitable, and Aston Villa is an excellent destination. In his first season, he should have plenty of opportunities, especially with Onana sidelined through injury.
He has the talent, and he is now working under a manager like Unai Emery, who rarely wastes players with this kind of profile.