Since arriving at the club in 2023, Joao Gomes has become one of the key figures at Wolves.
The Brazilian has been a mainstay in the side for most of his time as a Wolves player, providing equal amounts of class and tenacity in the middle of the park.
Gomes would have wanted a different outcome for his 100th appearance in Old Gold, but he was forced to make it off the bench as Wolves lost to Burnley at Molineux.
That decision to leave him out came after a poor performance from Gomes against Sunderland, but the result was no different without him in the starting lineup. Following the loss, Gomes took to social media to send a message to the supporters.
Joao Gomes makes his feelings about Wolves clear
Despite all the negativity that has taken over this season, Gomes had only positive things to say about the club and the fans after hitting the 100-game milestone.
In a post on Instagram, he says: “I love this club and I love being here, thank you fans for all the support. You were the most responsible for me being here today. I still remember #FreeJoaoGomes.”
The hashtag he is referring to is the social media campaign that helped bring him to Wolves almost three years ago. It was a fan-driven effort to sign Gomes from Flamengo, and one that swayed him towards a move to Molineux.
As he revealed to E&S at the time: “I was torn between Wolverhampton and another offer I had on the table.
“The campaign was one of the things that made me stop and reflect on what to do and really weighed my final decision. Everyone who has supported me offered all the love I needed for me to come and play to the best of my ability, which is what really matters.”
Gomes feels a bond with those who tried so hard to get him to join their club, and he will want to repay the faith by helping Wolves through the tough times they are currently caught in.
Vitor Pereira needs Gomes on form for Wolves
Pereira’s future at Wolves looks safe for now, but he will realise that things need to improve sooner than later if he is to keep his job.
That means extracting the best performance possible from his star players.
After a rare bad game against Sunderland, he left the Brazilian out of the lineup. Excluding Gomes left Lee Naylor baffled, though, seeing the quality he possesses as indispensable.
Pereira wants competition for places at Wolves, but he needs to be careful about overreacting to off-days. The only way Wolves get back into the fight is if their best players — Gomes certainly included — can reach their best level.
Our predicted Wolves lineup to face Chelsea sees Gomes back in the side. Let’s hope Pereira feels the same.