Richards raves over ‘composed’ Utd target who’s ‘one of the best’ in his league – he can’t rule out OT move

Angel Gomes has made quite the name for himself since he opted to cut ties with Manchester United in 2020. 

Indeed, the then-20-year-old swapped Old Trafford for pastures new when he opted against signing a contract extension with United and instead completed a move to Lille as a free agent. 

Gomes featured 10 times in total for the first team across three seasons while primarily playing an integral role for the reserves. He etched his name into the history books at the time of his debut, too, as he became the youngest-ever Red to make their competitive debut in over 60 years; he was 16 years and 253 days old when he replaced ex-skipper Wayne Rooney against Crystal Palace in 2017, while club legend Duncan Edwards was 16 years and 185 days old when he made his maiden bow.

As is the case with every up-and-coming prospect, his long-term goal was to cement his place at the heart of a top European club’s midfield – and he’s since gone on to do exactly that. The starlet enjoyed a successful one-season loan spell with Portuguese outfit Boavista in 2020/2021 before returning to France and enjoying a consistent run in the Lille XI. 

He saw his efforts rewarded with frequent call-ups for England U21s, eventually going on to attain European glory with his nation when the youngsters won the U21 Euros last year. At the time, he worked closely with head coach Lee Carsley, making it no surprise that Gomes was then granted his first-ever senior Three Lions squad inclusion and subsequent caps in September when Carsley took the reins on an interim basis following Gareth Southgate’s departure.

Gomes continues to shine on the international stage

The 24-year-old earned a third cap to his name on Sunday when England overturned Finland 3-1 away from home. He started the tie and played 80 minutes, notching a sensational assist when he set up Jack Grealish for the opener only 17 minutes in. Per StatmanDave, Gomes also recorded five passes into the final third, five defensive actions and completed 97 passes. 

It’s performances like that that make it no surprise he’s being targeted by a host of top European clubs – including United, who are seemingly ruing their decision to let him go. In turn, he’s refused to rule out a return to his boyhood club and will be considering all his options ahead of his contract expiry in June 2025.

Micah Richards couldn’t have heaped more praise on Gomes when discussing the young talent on this week’s The Rest Is Football episode. He told the panel: “He got a load of assists last season. I remember after one of the European nights, I did mention him. He’s silky on the ball. What people don’t understand, he was never a holding midfielder.

“When he was at Man United, he was a winger or forward midfielder, and now he has sort of been moulded into this role. In the French league, he is one of the best players in Ligue 1, without a doubt. In international football, he looks calm and composed.”