Liverpool reports over Joao Gomes ‘a lot of lies’ but club chief opens door to summer transfer | OneFootball

Reports claiming Liverpool had made contact with a Flamengo star ahead of a move in January have been dimissed by the Brazilian side’s vice- president as “a lot of lies”.

It was claimed last week that Gomes – who has made over 100 appearances for Flamengo – is on Liverpool’s radar with manager Jurgen Klopp watching him ‘for a long time’.

Brazilian journalist Julio Neto claimed the Reds were preparing a January move, while Manchester United were monitoring his progress, and rumours in Argentina suggested Real Madrid were prepared to pay €30m for his signing.

Those rumours gained further momentum after Gomes was asked on Instagram whether he would consider joining Liverpool.

Gomes responded: “Liverpool are a team I’d play for. I have the greatest desire to play. Playing in the Champions League is my biggest dream and that of my family, my biggest dream in football.”

Fabrizio Romano added further fuel to the fire as he wrote: ‘Liverpool have monitored Gomes with their scouts as many other top European clubs did, at the moment there’s nothing else to the story, no official bid or negotiation.

‘I think he’s a very good player but he needs some steps before being ready for Liverpool level.’

But Flamengo vice-president Marcos Braz had dismissed the speculation as “a lot of lies”, but admits there will probably be top European clubs vying for his signature in the summer.

“There was no proposal for João Gomes, there was no consultation for him. So, it’s a lot of lies that have been propagated about João Gomes since the beginning of these renewal issues,” Braz told ESPN Brasil (via Sport Witness).

“But if you ask me if next year, in the middle of the year, I think there will be something, I’ll say: ‘I think’.

“Due to the size of the player, for what he has become, for being a player, today, Flamengo’s starter.

“So, it’s natural for the market out there to pass a magnifying glass over this player, but there’s nothing.

“We are very happy and I am absolutely sure that he is very happy with the Flamengo board.”