Manchester United face fresh competition from Premier League rival in pursuit of 24-year-old Ligue 1 talent: Reports
Manchester United will face competition from Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Angel Gomes, according to GiveMeSport. The English midfielder's contract with Lille is set to expire at the end of this season and he is yet to sign a new deal.
Gomes rose through the ranks at Old Trafford but failed to cement a place in the Red Devils' starting XI. He left in 2020 to join Lille and has slowly managed to get his career back on track.
Last season, the 24-year-old registered two goals and 10 assists from 45 games across competitions. He has scored once and set up another from 10 games for the Ligue 1 giants this term.
Gomes' performances have reportedly struck a chord at his old hunting ground. Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth is apparently a fan of the player and wants him to return to Old Trafford.
New Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim, who took charge of the team earlier this month, has reportedly given his green signal to the move as well. However, Manchester United will only move for the player once he becomes a free agent next summer.
Spur, meanwhile, are working to ruin their plans by securing the player's services for a nominal fee in January.
Manager Ange Postecoglou, as well as senior figures at the north London club, are supposedly convinced that the player can add value to their squad. Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly begun the process to check if Lille will let him go in the winter.
Will Manchester United sign a new left-back in January?
Manchester United are planning to sign a new left-back in 2025, as relayed by acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano. However, a move is likelier in the summer than in January.
The Red Devils have suffered due to the injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia over the past season and a half. The Englishman registered just 15 appearances across competitions last season, missing much of the campaign due to various injuries. Shaw is yet to kick a ball this season.
Malacia, meanwhile, has been sidelined since the summer of 2023 due to a knee injury. While both players were recently seen back in training, it is unclear if they will feature against Ipswich Town on Sunday (November 24).
Manchester United are already planning for the future and have apparently zeroed in on Alphonso Davies, Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez, and former player Alvaro Carreras for the job.