Angel Gomes has made opinion on Man Utd return clear after Euro 2023 success

Angel Gomes has already made his opinion clear on whether he would be open to a Manchester United return.

Gomes, a product of United’s academy, has been one of the stars of England's under-21s’ run to the Euro 2023 final.

In United’s youth ranks Gomes was a thrilling attacking midfielder, touted to make it to the very top. The club’s faith in him was such that he was handed his first team debut under Jose Mourinho aged just 16 against Crystal Palace.

However, scant opportunities under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led to Gomes seeing out his contract and moving to Ligue 1 side Lille.

And there the youngster has thrived, reinventing himself as a deep-lying playmaker.

The diminutive 22-year-old is operating in the same role for England’s under-21s. Alongside Liverpool’s Curtis Jones at the base of midfield, he has dictated play from deep and displayed a remarkable calmness in possession.

This has led some to question whether United could one day lure Gomes back to Old Trafford. Indeed, the youngster has not ruled out returning to his former club.

Gomes to Man Utd?

Gomes joined United as a six-year-old but departed in June 2020 with just 10 first-team appearances to his name.

He was viewed as one of the academy’s best products, winning the club’s Young Player of the Year award in 2016/17, but chose not to sign a new contract and further his career elsewhere.

In an interview with French outlet L’Equipe last November, Gomes opened up about his “difficult decision” to leave United, and his desire to one day return to the club he calls “home”.

Gomes said: "It was a very difficult decision. 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.

"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."

Topics: Football, Transfers, Angel Gomes, Manchester United, England, Premier League, Lille

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.