Man United parts ways with ‘the most talented player of his age’ for free

Manchester United has often made mistakes in transfer decisions with homegrown gems from their Carrington academy.

Midfielder Angel Gomes spent 11 years training at the Man United academy before making his first-team debut in 2017. The English star appeared 10 times for the Red Devils before leaving in 2020 to join Lille after failing to agree on a new contract.

Upon joining Lille, Gomes immediately went on loan to Boavista in Portugal, where he delivered several impressive performances. After returning to Lille, the 24-year-old gradually became one of the indispensable pillars at the Pierre Mauroy stadium over the nearly four years with the club.

Last season, Gomes was the second-highest assist provider in Ligue 1. As a result, the former Man United star was called up to the England national team for the first time this month. Gomes made his debut for the Three Lions in their 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland last weekend.

Paul McGuiness, son of former Man United coach Wilf McGuiness, who worked with Gomes at various youth levels for the Red Devils, affirmed that the player born in 2000 possessed exceptional talent compared to his peers. McGuiness had called up Gomes to Man United’s U18 team when he was just 12 years old, captivated by his playing style and thinking, which resembled that of legend Paul Scholes.

‘I always wanted to combine players of different ages into one team. At 12, Gomes had the opportunity to play with older U18 players. He excited many coaches, including Tony Whelan, Eamon Mulvey, and Neil Ryan. Ryan, along with Whelan, discovered Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay. They often integrated promising young talents into a team to play together. At a very young age, Gomes became one of the academy’s top names. I really wanted to help him. Gomes was the smartest at his age; he always pushed himself to play better, more maturely, and faster.

‘I also think we had to be cautious with Gomes because he was still young. He needed to manage his playing time to reduce performance pressure and maintain confidence. Gomes always played with older players, and he was talented enough to get that chance, just like Scholes, who played with older players. Gomes had everything: composure, speed, decision-making, vision,’ McGuiness said on Manchester Evening News.

Gomes started as a winger and attacking midfielder, but during the U21 EURO 2023, where Gomes and his teammates won the championship, the 24-year-old became famous as a deep-lying playmaker. Although not physically imposing, Gomes impressed many scouts.

‘Gomes often played as a winger or a number 10, roles that maximized his technical skills. Many football stars also changed positions as they progressed to the professional level. Scholes was a central midfielder but also played as a left winger or number 6 in some games. Andrea Pirlo was a number 10 but later played deeper. The positive aspect of this is that they understand how opponents move and can learn from playing in different positions, improving skills like passing, shooting, dribbling, and positioning. If a player is stuck in one position, they won’t develop their thinking strongly,’ McGuiness added.

Gomes was a key figure at various levels for England’s youth teams. The Lille midfielder captained the England U17 team at the 2017 World Cup alongside players like Phil Foden, Marc Guehi, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Jadon Sancho. Gomes was also the youngest player to win the ‘Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year’ award.

However, in 2020, Man United parted ways with Gomes on a free transfer as the 24-year-old wanted more playing time, something McGuiness believes would have been different had Sir Alex Ferguson been in charge.

‘I think with many players, you can’t know their true talent until they play. For me, Gomes was always the best player of any age group at Carrington. You can’t ignore a player like that. Everyone at Man United believed Gomes could shine, and he could certainly be compared to Rashford. Unfortunately for Gomes and a few other young players, Ferguson was no longer in charge of the first team at Man United, and he would have surely helped these talents break through.’

McGuiness also expressed sympathy for Man United’s managers, who, under pressure to deliver results, couldn’t provide opportunities for young talents. The remarkable development of Gomes over the past four years surely makes those in charge at Old Trafford regret their decision.

‘If you have quality homegrown players, you need to cherish them, but Man United lost Jonny Evans, Danny Welbeck, and Gomes. These players brought a unique identity to the club.’