Angel Gomes: Why former Manchester United man is ready for England

• Published before Rep. Ireland 0-2 England

He had joined the youth ranks at Manchester United by the time he was just six years old and made his U18 debut at aged 14. By the next year, he was already making history, netting a hat-trick against Everton and becoming the third-youngest player in the club’s history to do so.

Even a late-season injury in April 2017 couldn't slow Gomes down; he still emerged as the top scorer and the youngest-ever recipient of the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award.

Angel’s first-team debut came on May 21, 2017, when he stepped onto the pitch to replace none other than Wayne Rooney.

This followed Gomes captaining an England squad featuring stars like Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho, and Marc Guéhi to victory in the Under-17 World Cup.

But even though the hallmarks were there for Gomes to become a Man Utd legend, limited game time meant he turned down a new deal to seek greener pastures.

Gomes moved to Lille in 2020, and he has since blossomed. Even a severe head injury recently hasn't dampened the spirits. England remain hopeful that Gomes will recover in time to join the national squad this week and potentially make his debut under Lee Carsley - who coached him with the Three Lions’ U21s.

Angel Gomes Transfer Value - how much is he worth now?

According to our Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) model, Gomes is now worth €15.6 million. His value peaked in February 2023 when he was set at €21.9m. But this has dropped since then due his Lille contract now having less than one year remaining.

What does Gomes bring to the table?

"I had to follow my heart," Angel explained upon leaving Old Trafford.

His move to Lille was facilitated by Luís Campos, then the club's sporting director, who is now with PSG. The Englishman was immediately loaned out to Boavista in Portugal and, upon returning, he found himself playing a limited role under Jocelyn Gourvennec during the 2021-22 season.

It took Paulo Fonseca’s arrival for Gomes' career to begin to flourish. Fonseca decided he would be better served playing deeper, positioned in the No.6 role rather than a No. 10.

Speaking to the BBC last season, Fonseca said: “Angel is maybe the most intelligent player I have in my team. He understands faster than the others everything about the game; he loves the game. He loves to learn and he is a player with big skills, big technique.

“He is a player who under pressure it is not easy to steal the ball off him and who discovers the space so easily. He is young, he has a big talent. I believe with the right coach, with the right project, with the right game for him, he can have the possibility to have a big step in his career.”

Gomes has a knack for evading pressure and delivering passes from tight angles. Last season he provided the second-most assists in Ligue 1, with only PSG's Ousmane Dembele ahead of him.

That is a wild stat considering the position each player takes up. More recently at Lille, Gomes has been tasked with dictating play and also recovering the ball high up the pitch.

Angel stands at just 1.68m tall, and it was initially believed he could not play behind the midfield. But his best attributes are his vision and football intelligence. His knack for reading the game and adjusting his positioning has made him an asset, both in orchestrating the buildup and contributing to play in the final third.

Gomes has the potential to bring balance and technical prowess to England's midfield - hopefully Carsley continues to use him in the right way.

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