I'll be honest, when I first saw the Joao Gomes rumours pop up again, I assumed it was just another name on a long list of midfield targets. But after digging into the reports coming out of Brazil and looking at how Ruben Amorim wants this Manchester United side to play, the links feel a lot more concrete. Trivela are now saying United are close to an agreement with Wolverhampton Wanderers for the 24-year-old midfielder, and that would be a pretty sharp piece of business heading into January.

From what I can gather, Ben Jacobs has reported that United want two new midfielders in 2026, and Gomes keeps coming up as one of the more realistic options. The club have also shortlisted a bunch of Premier League and European midfielders, which tells me they are not putting all their eggs in one basket. Some of the other names doing the rounds include:

• Elliot Anderson at Nottingham Forest

• Adam Wharton at Crystal Palace

• Carlos Baleba at Brighton and Hove Albion

• Conor Gallagher from La Liga

• Angelo Stiller from the Bundesliga

That is a pretty varied list, but none of those players feel as straightforward to get in January as Gomes. Anderson and Wharton would likely cost a fortune mid-season, Baleba is becoming a key man for Brighton, and Gallagher and Stiller are settled abroad. Gomes, on the other hand, is playing for a Wolves side rooted to the bottom of the table, and United may be able to take advantage of that situation.

What I like most about this potential deal is that Gomes already looks like the type of midfielder Amorim needs for his 3-4-3 system. Wolves' official website has described him as balancing wholehearted tenacity and commitment off the ball with composure and quality in possession. They have even nicknamed him 'pitbull', which honestly says a lot about his style. United already have some ageing legs in midfield, with Casemiro expected to leave in the summer when his contract expires, and Bruno Fernandes not getting any younger. Kobbie Mainoo, for all his talent, has not been starting regularly and is said to be seeking a loan move away in January to try to force his way back into Thomas Tuchel's England plans before the 2026 World Cup in North America.

That leaves a big gap for someone with Gomes' engine and bite. His energy off the ball would help United press better, while his quality on the ball means he can move the team forward quickly and feed the attackers. After racking up more than 100 appearances for Wolves, he also has Premier League experience, which seems to be a key factor for Amorim when it comes to recruitment. The summer signings of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, with Cunha arriving from Wolves, show that United are prioritising players who already know the league.

If the reports are true, Cunha could soon be joined at Carrington by his former Brazilian teammate from Molineux. That would be a nice little reunion, and you can see the logic from United's point of view. Let's be real, though, Wolves are in a relegation scrap, and new manager Rob Edwards has apparently been told by the club that they will not lose their best players in January. That is the kind of message every manager wants to hear, but with just two points from their first 12 Premier League matches this season, the situation at Molineux looks bleak. If a good offer arrives, I wouldn't be shocked if the club's stance changes, especially if Gomes pushes for the move.

For me, Gomes feels like a no-brainer for United. He fits the system, he has the right age profile at 24, he knows the Premier League, and he would add some much-needed energy to a midfield that has looked too easy to play through at times. The asking price will be the big question, and United will need to move carefully if they also want to bring in a second midfielder in 2026. But if they can get this one over the line in January, it would give Amorim a proper pitbull in the middle of the park, and that is something this United side has been crying out for.