Andre Gomes is waiting for Real Madrid to talk Valencia into selling but Los Che could hold out for the full €65m asking price.
AS reports Madrid are reluctant to meet the price tag placed on the Portugal international and would prefer an offer close to that amount, but with variables depending on objectives met once Gomes moves to Santiago Bernabeu.
However, Valencia will push for as big a fee as possible as though they need to sell to lower the cost of its squad for reasons of Financial Fair Play, possibly by as much as €40m, Benfica are due a significant chunk of any profit Valencia make on the 22-year-old.
Valencia paid €15m to sign Gomes in 2014 and Benfica will get 25% of anything Madrid pay over the initial €15m.
Madrid are keen on Gomes but have doubts over his injury record, though Zinedine Zidane is keen to avoid the same fate that befell Carlo Ancelotti when Luka Modric was injured in 2015 and, devoid of options, Sergio Ramos had to be drafted into midfield.
Finding respite for Modric is the root of the interest in Gomes as it’s felt Mateo Kovacic isn’t the answer, despite having been signed from Inter a year ago for €30m.
Kovacic played on sporadically in his first year at the Bernabeu and isn’t counted on to step in for his fellow Croat when needed.
Gomes is instead Madrid’s preferred option but there has also been interest from Chelsea and Juventus, AS adds.
