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With every passing game in the senior England set-up, Angel Gomes continues to leave those at Manchester United looking red-faced, having showcased his talents under Lee Carsley’s watch in recent months.
As those of a Red Devils persuasion are aware, the 5 foot 6 playmaker was allowed to leave Old Trafford following the expiration of his contract back in the summer of 2020, having been restricted to just ten first-team appearances in all competitions for the club.
Having previously been the youngest player to feature for United since the late great Duncan Edwards when replacing Wayne Rooney on the final day of the 2016/17 campaign, Gomes was unable to truly kick on after that, hence his decision to move on elsewhere.
Now 24, the diminutive midfielder is, unsurprisingly, being heavily linked with a return to the Premier League – and potentially a return to Manchester – amid his fine form at Lille, with his expiring deal opening up the chance for any interest party to strike a pre-contract agreement in January.
On the evidence of recent seasons, the London-born star’s return would be a worthwhile investment for the new INEOS regime…
Angel Gomes’ recent form
It was cute, it was clever, it was composed – everything United don’t appear to be under Erik ten Hag at present.
Having received the ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold just outside the Finland box, Gomes then picked out an advancing Jack Grealish with an incisive threaded pass that carved open the home defence, with the Manchester City man then duly slotting him.
That moment of magic was an example of what the in-demand talent can offer in the final third, having notably registered eight assists and created 15 ‘big chances’ in Ligue 1 last season. Only Bruno Fernandes created more ‘big chances’ for United in 2023/24.
|
Man Utd – Most ‘big chances’ created in 2023/24 (PL) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
‘Big chances’ created |
|
1 |
Bruno Fernandes |
21 |
|
2 |
Antony |
7 |
|
3 |
Alejandro Garnacho |
6 |
|
3 |
Marcus Rashford |
6 |
|
5 |
Diogo Dalot |
5 |
|
6 |
Christian Eriksen |
3 |
|
7 |
Casemiro |
2 |
|
7 |
Harry Maguire |
2 |
|
7 |
Scott McTominay |
2 |
As for the current campaign, Gomes already has one goal and one assist from six league outings, while on the international scene, he has taken to life in the senior set-up with relative ease, having been described as “the type of player England have missed in midfield for years” by one coach.
On just his second start for his country on Sunday evening, the one-time Boavista loanee not only teed up Grealish, but he also helped to control the midfield after racking up a 97% pass accuracy, while winning two of his three ground duels.
Now looking likely to be mainstay for the Three Lions moving forward, Gomes is showing United just what they are missing. Perhaps, another former academy graduate could soon be doing the same…
Man Utd repeated their Gomes mistake
It proved to be a rare ruthless summer for the Red Devils, with Ten Hag and co moving on the likes of Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek and Scott McTominay, as well as overseeing the exits of a handful of promising talents, including the likes of Willy Kambwala, Maxi Oyedele and Alvaro Fernandez.
That latter trio all departed for a fee in deals that do include a buyback clause, although the same cannot be said of another youngster in the form of Omari Forson, who – like Gomes before him – opted to move on following the climax of his contract.
While United are entitled to a small ‘compensation fee’ due to his age, losing the rising star on the cheap could come back to bite them, with the 20-year-old now on the books at Monza.
It has been a slow start to life in Italy, in truth, for the exciting winger as he has been restricted to just two appearances thus far in 2024/25, although there could be a case in which he follows Gomes by blossoming later down the line.
Currently an England youth international, the 5 foot 10 dynamo did earn rave reviews during his time in the United set-up, having been lauded as an “exceptional” talent by Statman Dave.
Equally, former U21 player-coach, Tom Huddlestone, was also effusive in his praise for the wideman, having stated that Forson “reminds [him] of the way Bukayo Saka plays“.
Like Gomes, the forward was only given a handful of chances to impress in the first-team at the Theatre of Dreams, although he did notably chalk up an assist from his seven senior appearances, having teed up Kobbie Mainoo for the midfielder’s last-gasp winner away at Molineux last season.
A player who registered 23 goals and assists in just 38 games for United at U23 level, Forson is a talent, that’s for sure, with there potential for the Premier League side to live to regret their failure to keep hold of him in the years to come.
Who knows, he may he even be lining up for England one day…
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