INEOS receive huge boost in pursuit of midfielder whom Roy Keane thinks is ‘pure quality’; they can get him for free

Among the departures sanctioned by the Manchester United board in recent years, there are certainly a few they’ve since come to regret.

Take Alvaro Carreras, for example, who has flourished since his permanent move to Benfica in the summer amidst a time when Erik ten Hag is relying on right-backs Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui to fill in for sidelined duo Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

Remarkably, the club even decided to send the U21 Spain international out on loan during last year’s winter window despite Ten Hag having no natural left-back options at his disposal. They’ve, perhaps unsurprisingly, already been linked with Carreras again in recent months, having let him go for only £5 million in May.

Elsewhere, Angel Gomes is thought to be of interest to transfer chiefs at Old Trafford, where he made 10 first-team appearances before leaving for Lille in 2020.

The dynamic midfielder opted against renewing his contract with his boyhood club in hopes of securing increased game time elsewhere – and that he did. A successful loan spell with Boavista in 2020/2021 led to Gomes playing an integral role for Lille upon his return to the club, and he has continued to go from strength to strength since being granted ample opportunities to showcase his talents.

Gomes has flourished for the Three Lions in first three appearances

Such stellar efforts led to him earning his first-ever England call-up in September. Interim manager Lee Carsley, with whom Gomes won the U21 Euros in 2023, awarded him his maiden cap against the Republic of Ireland – since adding another two appearances to his name against Finland in the Nations League.

Alas, it’ll come as no surprise to learn that United are ruing their mistakes and are already plotting how they can bring their former academy prospect, who Roy Keane hailed as ‘pure quality’ when watching him on international duty, back to M16. Luckily for them, they’ve been given a golden opportunity to do so, as his contract with the Ligue 1 outfit expires next June.

The Reds have been handed a further boost this week, too; L’Equipe has revealed that there are currently no talks taking place between Gomes and the Lille board, meaning he will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement in the January transfer window ahead of a free transfer in the summer.