New loan signing Claudio Gomes says he is eager to get his Reds career underway having had his first few training sessions at Oakwell.
The 21-year-old Frenchman arrived in South Yorkshire from Premier League champions Manchester City on deadline day and says he has already adapted well to life with Barnsley.
“I’m excited, to be honest,” said Gomes. “My first game is away from home, so I have to wait three weeks to see the fans, but I’m excited to play with the guys, for the club and to give 100% for everyone.
“When you love football, for me it’s easy to join a group because I’m a humble person. I’m in Barnsley now and I’m a Barnsley player – I’m not a Man City player at this time. I’m with the guys and the club, I want to help the team and the team to help me, as well.
“The first few days in training have been good and we’ll keep going to improve as a group and me as a person with them.”
This will be Gomes’ first real taste of senior football in England, having spent much of his time at City playing for their Elite Development Squad.
The midfielder had a loan spell in Holland with PSV Eindhoven’s second string during the 19/20 campaign and is now relishing the opportunity to show what he can do in a first team environment.
“I think the Championship is a good level to improve myself, to improve on the pitch and even as a person,” he continued. “I have to be serious every day – I was serious before, but now it’s more serious.
“It’s going to be a long season and, hopefully, a good one as well. I’m just thinking game per game and I’m thinking about my first game against Bournemouth and to be prepared for that game. After that, there’s another one and we just keep going and everything is going to come.”
A technically gifted player, Gomes is also comfortable doing the so-called ‘dirty work’ and getting stuck in to help win the ball back.
He admits that the physicality of English football has helped him improve his all-around game and he is ready to leave everything on the pitch for Barnsley.
“English football is like this,” insisted Gomes. “Even last season when I was in the Premier League 2 with Man City in the under 23s, it was aggressive. You have to be aggressive and be ready for one v ones, duels and you have to regain the ball.
“If you go at 50%, you’re going to lose – you have to be at 100% all the time.”
