Who is Angel Gomes? The new England star Man Utd want to bring back to Old Trafford

Four years after leaving his boyhood club, Angel Gomes is delivering on the potential he showed as a youngster in Manchester United’s academy to become one of the most sought-after targets among top Premier League clubs.

The 23-year-old received a first senior England call-up in August, making his debut for the Three Lions in a 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on 7 September. And three days later, he earned a first international start, impressing as he orchestrated the midfield for Lee Carsley’s side in another 2-0 victory, this time over Finland at Wembley Stadium.

When Gomes’ name appeared in the interim manager’s maiden squad list since stepping up from his role at the helm of the under-21s to replace Gareth Southgate in the top job, it was something of a surprise.

But for anyone who’d followed Gomes as he progressed through the Man Utd youth ranks, the only surprise is that the 24-year-old’s international ascension has taken so long.

Born in London and the son of a former semi-professional footballer, Gomes moved to Salford in his youth and joined Man Utd at just six years of age. And between that time and his eventual departure from the club in 2020, he was considered one of the best young prospects of the 21st century to come through the Carrington academy.

A dynamic and creative – if undersized – attacking midfielder, Gomes was a standout in every age group at Man Utd and a star on the international youth scene too, winning the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017 alongside the likes of Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

After making his senior Man Utd debut under Jose Mourinho in 2017 – and in the process becoming the first Premier League player born in the 2000s and the youngest Red Devils debutant since Duncan Edwards – he was expected to lock down a regular role within the Old Trafford squad during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure.

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Angel Gomes’ Man Utd opportunities were limited

Across the next four seasons, Gomes made just 10 first-team appearances, with only five of those coming in the Premier League. Despite an offer of fresh terms from the club, he elected to leave Man Utd in the summer of 2020, signing for Lille as a free agent.

“After the conversations I had with the staff at Lille, it made the most sense for me to go there because I knew I was going to get more of an opportunity; there was something in place,” Gomes told The Athletic in 2023. “At the time, Man Utd didn’t give me the gist that was going to be the plan. I felt like I was just there.”

Initially loaned out to Portuguese side Boavista, Gomes translated his stellar youth-level form to the senior ranks, scoring six goals – including one stunning strike from the halfway line – and providing three assists in 30 league games.

Former Manchester United midfielder Angel Gomes scored this goal for Boavista yesterday..

Not a bad effort. 😳👏

(via @SPORTTVPortugal)pic.twitter.com/B2L63mFt5T

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) October 3, 2020

He then returned to Lille and soon began an evolution that would lay the foundations for the success he is currently enjoying.

Gomes’ versality makes him a major asset

Gomes had predominantly been deployed as a winger or a No.10 until Paulo Fonseca took charge at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2022. The Portuguese tactician redeployed the 5ft 6ins Englishman as a deep-lying playmaker.

In that role, Gomes utilised his impressive ability to read the game, the creativity that had served him so well previously higher up the pitch and an insatiable appetite for the ball to control games and orchestrate play from the middle third.

This made him less of a direct goal threat, with his tally of two goals in all competitions last season the lowest of his career. But he thrived as a creator, with 10 assists, eight of which coming in Ligue 1 to make him division’s top goal provider.

And he shone in a similar role for England last summer as Carsley’s Young Lions won the European Under-21 Championship.

“It was creating triangles with them and creating ways to get my No.10 on the ball because when I play No.10, I want to be on the ball as much as possible,” Gomes explained of his role with the England under-21s. “I want my midfielders to look at me because normally the No.10 is the link between the attackers.”

Having looked at ease in his first outings at the senior international level, Gomes – who is in the final year of his contract with Lille – has inevitably caught the eye of Premier League sides hoping to land England’s latest star.

Liverpool, Newcastle, Tottenham, Arsenal and even former club Man Utd have all been linked with a move for the midfielder.

For now, the player remains focussed on his efforts with Les Dogues – and a recent red card in his first Champions League game of the season might have dampened the hype somewhat.

But after finally breaking through for England and showing that those early expectations made of him were justified after all, a triumphant return to the Premier League would close the loop on a fascinating tale of rise, fall and rise again for Gomes.

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