André Gomes and the Otamendi model

That André Gomes would be transferred was expected at Valencia even before the European Championship. The where didn’t matter, only the how. There was never any agreement with Real Madrid from the outset because of Valencia’s insistence on Nacho, Marco Asensio and / or Mateo Kovacic being included as part of the deal. Later, James Rodríguez’s decision to turn down a move to the Premier League led Madrid to reconsider a move for Gomes.

In the middle of this impasse on Thursday afternoon, Barcelona presented Valencia’s director of football, Jesús García Pitarch, with the best offer he had yet received for the midfielder. Valencia secured a fee worthy of a superstar: 35 million euros up front, with another 35 million in add-ons, 20 of which are easily achieved for a player with a promising future but who as things stand would be unable to single-handedly fill all the gaps in Pako Ayestarán’s squad.

Watching Valencia’s training sessions it is plain to see the deficiencies that the current side has that will prevent them from challenging for Europe this season. The sale of Gomes was necessary, as will be that of Shkodran Mustafi, not in order to survive as was the case with David Villa or David Silva, but to strengthen the squad. The key for Valencia now is not to make the same mistakes as when Nicolás Otemendi was sold. The botched job then was not in selling the Germany international for 45 million euros, but spending 30 million of that on Aymen Abdennour and Aderlan Santos.