Amorim green lights first Man Utd signing as Ashworth races to beat Liverpool to midfielder’s return

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has given club bosses the go-ahead to pursue the signing of Angel Gomes, with the Red Devils now looking to beat Liverpool to the signing of the Lille and England midfielder, and with a hint at his preference already coming to light.

A new era is underway at Manchester United with Amorim looking to inspire a return to glory for a Red Devils side that for too long has had to take a back seat in the race for the game’s biggest prizes. Inheriting a squad that currently sits 13th in the Premier League and 15th in the Europa League, INEOS will hope the Portuguese tactician can quickly make his influence felt.

While Amorim is expected to quickly convert his new side into his preferred 3-4-3 formation, question marks have been raised over whether he has the quality of players at his disposal to make the new style a success.

And with the United engine room one of those areas called into question, United have been strongly linked with a deal to bring Lille star Gomes back to Old Trafford in 2025.

The 24-year-old left United in August 2020, signing for the French side on a five-year deal. Since then, he has enhanced his game to the point where he is regarded as one of Ligue 1’s best midfielders, with his performances this season also earning him four caps with England.

However, with his deal at Les Dogues expiring next summer, the likes of United, Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal have all been linked with a move to bring Gomes back to the Premier League on a free transfer.

Now, according to The Sun, Amorim has given United bosses the green light to pursue a deal for Gomes and with sporting director Dan Ashworth now charged with winning the race to secure his services and beating their Premier League rivals to his signature.

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With finances likely to be tight at Old Trafford at some time, Ashworth and Co will need to manoevre their way around the transfer market carefully over the next couple of years.

Amorim’s predecessor Erik ten Hag was allowed to spend some £616m (€739.3m, $778m) on players during his three summer windows at the helm, leaving the club’s finances pretty badly hit.

And while they can aid their cause by offloading a number of high-earners and players who don’t fit the bill under the new manager, Amorim is likely to have carefully watch the club’s money with much of his focus instead geared on improving the players he has inherited.

As a result, the free-transfer market is likely to appeal and we understand that Gomes is certainly a player that fits the bill both in terms of the costs involved, but crucially what Amorim wants a central midfielder to look like in his 3-4-3 set-up.

With three centre-halves, wing-backs, and two No 10s vital to the formation’s success, a key element is also placed on having a solid and hard-working midfield engine room.

United do have Kobbie Mainoo and, once fully up to match fitness, Manuel Ugarte, capable of playing that way, though beyond that doubts have been cast over the likes of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, with both players expected to leave over the coming months.

At the same time, Liverpool are also understood to be extremely keen on signing the England man on a free transfer.

Thankfully for United though, Gomes has already dropped a strong indication that he would find a return to Old Trafford difficult to resist.

“There’ll always be that sentimental soft spot, so of course it’d be difficult to say no,” Gomes stated last month in an interview with The Times.

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Meanwhile, United have reportedly received a quick-fire response from Barcelona amid claims they have launched a ‘significantly improved’ bid to sign Jules Kounde.

Per reports from Spain, despite the vastness of United’s offer, though, Barcelona remain unmoved and have informed the Red Devils of the humongous price they must pay if they are to secure his signing.

Elsewhere, United are reportedly ‘leading the race’ for Rosenborg wonderkid Sverre Nypan, who has admitted it would be a ‘dream’ to play for the Red Devils.

The 17-year-old has been tipped by his manager to ‘one day be worth €100m’ and the teenage star has been compared to Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.

With Eriksen’s days at Old Trafford seemingly numbered, the Danish star has been linked with a January move to hook up with Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce, where he could partner another United old boy in their engine room.

And finally, Jamie Carragher has provided a detailed analysis of the United squad and their likely adaptation to a 3-4-3. And the Sky Sports man has revealed his major concerns about one area of the United side he feels is not up to the task of playing in such a way.

How Angel Gomes ranked alongside Kobbie Mainoo last season