Former Manchester United star Angel Gomes earned his first England start on Tuesday evening, four years after leaving Old Trafford
Every club has those ones that got away – and Manchester United are no different, with youth products who either didn’t make the grade, developed later or found their route to the first team blocked, only to make it big elsewhere.
Manchester United have one of the biggest academies in English football, so naturally they have their fair share of Pogbas. The Red Devils have just seen former Carrington hopeful Angel Gomes make his England debut, too, over the international break.
The 24-year-old came off the bench against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, before interim coach Lee Carsley named him in the starting line-up against Finland on Tuesday evening, with Gomes putting in an impressive performance in the 2-0 victory.
Lee Carsley picked Angel Gomes for England (Image credit: Getty Images)
Gomes began training with the Red Devils as a six-year-old in 2006, working his way through the youth ranks and becoming the club’s youngest debutant since Duncan Edwards when he made his first-team bow in 2017 at the age of 16.
Gomes would end up making just ten appearances for the club before being released in 2020 after a contract extension could not be agreed. French side Lille snapped him up and after a loan move to Boavista, he quickly established himself in the heart of Lille’s first-team midfield.
Gomes’ England appearances over the past week have seen Manchester United fans on social media wondering if he has a buyback clause as they have been ruing the player’s exit.
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United have any sort of buy back clause with Angel Gomes? pic.twitter.com/TMHD8kq5c7September 10, 2024
But the Red Devils faithful will be encouraged to know that Gomes, who is in the final year of his Lille contract, still harbours hopes of returning to Old Trafford.
Speaking to L’Equipe last year, the England new boy opened up on his decision to leave his boyhood club and was asked about the potential of returning in the future.
"It was a very difficult decision,” he admitted. “In my heart, I wanted to leave, in my head, I was thinking of staying. But I had to follow my heart. I felt that I needed to take another step in my career.
Angel Gomes has risen through the England youth ranks
"I felt that had I stayed, there wouldn’t be a lot of opportunities for me. Luis Campos [Lille's then sporting director] and Lille spoke about their project and I believed in it even more, that’s what convinced me to move - the faith Lille had in me.
"Do I imagine myself coming back one day? Obviously, it’s home. I would love to come back. But you never know in football. I just have to keep my feet on the ground, and keep playing, making the most of it. I can’t predict what will happen in the future."
Gomes is worth €25 million, as per Transfermarkt. His contract expires next summer.
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
