Rumours have begun to circulate that Manchester United Academy graduate Angel Gomes could be set to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season. Tahith Chong has also been linked with a move away, however, Gomes has reportedly attracted interest from Barcelona, who would be free to talk to the 19-year-old as of next week. Gomes is a former Manchester United young player of the year winner and became the first player born this millennium to play in the Premier League when he made his debut for the Red Devils in 2017.
Gomes joined Manchester United’s youth set-up at the age of six, but his opportunities since making his debut have been limited, despite manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer trialling numerous academy graduates. In the two seasons that have passed since his debut Gomes is yet to make a Premier League start, making just four substitute appearances in the top flight, totalling 36 minutes of action. That is undoubtedly not what the Englishman would have been hoping for when he made what he described as: “A dream come true,” debut.
However, the teenager has been afforded three Europa League starts this campaign, but he has failed to make a significant impact on the pitch. So far Gomes, who plays as an attacking midfielder, is yet to register a goal or an assist for Manchester United during his limited first-team opportunities. During the group stage of the Europa League, he featured in the 1-0 win, and 2-1 loss to Kazakhstan Premier League champions Astana, as well as a goalless draw with high flying Dutch side AZ.
It is hard to truly judge Gomes’ ability based on his performances as he is yet to start a Premier League match and those Europa League squads were much changed, with Solskjaer giving a host of players debuts. But it is clear to see he is excellent at keeping hold of possession, averaging 91.3 per cent during his three starts in Europe. Furthermore, 1.7 key passes per 90 minutes show that he is a promising player. But if he is not presented with more first-team opportunities and a full Premier League debut, there is every chance he could be moving elsewhere for free in the summer.
