Angel Gomes: Inside the rise of England's highly-rated new midfielder that Manchester United let go to Lille

"His skills and strategies are top-notch, and he's a player that will surely get fans excited to watch him in action."

In selecting the talented Angel Gomes for his debut England squad, Lee Carsley made the decision to not shield the young midfielder from the pressure, but instead to showcase his skills in a prominent role. This is in part due to the FA's long-standing belief in Gomes' potential for greatness.

In recent years, Gareth Southgate's right-hand man, Steve Holland, has been giving talks to other FA coaches about the kind of players that the England national team is looking for. One position they are particularly interested in is a midfielder who matches Gomes' characteristics.

According to Paul McGuinness, who used to coach Gomes at Man Utd's youth team and was part of those discussions while working for the FA, having a player like Frenkie de Jong who can drop deep to collect the ball from the defenders and then drive forward with clever moves is crucial. McGuinness shared his insights with Sky Sports.

A person who is able to effectively receive the ball while facing away from the goal, initiate the play, and maintain possession. Rodri has demonstrated this ability while playing for Spain and Manchester City. This is the type of player we aim to develop in our country to enhance our team's performance.

We looked through the FA to find ways to enhance the midfield player. Angel embodies that kind of player.

This is consistent with how Carsley describes the player – it suggests that Gomes will become a regular player for England, not just a temporary experiment, under the interim manager's leadership, no matter how long that may last.

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"Angel is unique compared to what we already have in the team because he can drop back on the field but still play like an attacking midfielder. He is very talented, especially in how he receives passes and controls the flow of the game," Carsley commented when he revealed his lineup last week.

The Lille midfielder received great compliments, even though many England fans have not watched him play. Despite that, he was one of the most creative players in Ligue 1 last season, leading the assist charts.

However, his path to being selected to play for England started many years ago when he was just five years old and playing for Manchester United.

Gomes Reveals How Man Utd's Motto Evolved

One notable thing about Gomes is his height. In a time when many midfielders are tall and strong, known for winning battles, the 24-year-old stands out - and still manages to impress - at only 5 feet 6 inches. The situation was similar for Gomes during his time in the Manchester United youth academy.

McGuinness mentioned that when observing a player like that for the first time, they tend to be smaller in size compared to the other players. Their physical appearance makes them stand out immediately and leaves you questioning how they are able to compete with the others.

However, it quickly becomes apparent as to why this is the case. His gentle touch, precise control, agile movements, and intelligence on the field set him apart from the rest. Despite being the smallest player in any group, he always managed to shine the brightest.

Luckily for Gomes, his height did not influence the United youth coaches' decisions. The overall belief in the youth program was "Skill is most important" - essentially, your size doesn't matter as much as your abilities do.

McGuinness explained that they had always believed in keeping smaller players on the team. He mentioned that Manchester United had followed this strategy with players like Jesse Lingard, who was initially considered small but still had a successful career there.

When they were young, Scott McTominay and Tom Cleverley were small players. They were not as physically strong as others. However, we believed that skill was the most important thing. Now, we can see that Angel is starting to show his skills too.

I am delighted to have witnessed his journey all the way through and to see that his talent is finally being recognized. I have always believed that skill is crucial and now it has been acknowledged by the England manager who has decided to include him in the squad.

The saying 'Skill is King' helped Gomes showcase his technical talents in more challenging age categories. As a member of Man Utd's Scholarship Scheme, he was placed among top players aged 12 to 16, giving him the opportunity to train and compete with older peers from an early age.

However, Gomes frequently trained with players older than him. Despite being only 16 years old, he was selected for the United U18s squad.

His former coach explains that he was a player who relied heavily on his top abilities, timing, and strategic thinking. Playing against older age groups helped him develop these qualities.

"If he had been competing with kids his own age, he might not have improved as much. Instead, he chose to practice and play alongside older peers, which helped him grow as a player."

Your surroundings also impact you - the individuals near you influence the strategies you use to outdo them. He constantly sought out methods to defeat larger and more powerful competitors.

When he was a young boy, he attended the academy, but his learning didn't end there. He spent all his free time practicing at home and was completely devoted to his art.

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Carsley first noticed him when he was playing for Manchester United's U18s team in the 2016/17 season. In a match against Manchester City, where Foden was playing for City and Gomes was playing for United, Gomes still managed to catch Carsley's eye, even though he was competing against a talented player like Foden.

During his first press conference in England last week, Carsley mentioned that he was performing at the same high level as Phil that day. He praised the technique and quality of play displayed by both players.

This raises the question of why Manchester United allowed their own talented player like Foden to leave. Gomes departed from Old Trafford in the summer of 2020 without any transfer fee, as he declined a contract extension with the club.

He only played in 10 first-team matches and all of his times in the Premier League were as a backup player.

McGuinness explains that when there is a frequent turnover of managers, they often prefer to bring in players they are familiar with from other teams or select individuals with more seasoned experience for specific positions.

"That's what is typically expected. He likely faced challenges because Manchester United was going through a period of frequent changes in coaches and managers. In contrast, if he had been playing during the time of Sir Alex Ferguson, there would have been more consistency in the coaching staff. This made it easier for Sir Alex to introduce young players and nurture their talent."

In a different period or age, he would have had greater chances.

Settling Into French Life

The next step for Gomes was signing a contract with Lille for the long-term. He was then loaned to Boavista in Portugal, where he played well enough to attract interest from the Portugal national team. However, he turned down the opportunity to play for them.

When Gomes came back to Lille after being away for a year, the team had become the champions of France and Jocelyn Gourvennec had taken over as the new manager. However, it was uncertain whether the English midfielder would have a role in Lille's future plans.

In my opinion, it was true. But for the president, it was different," Gourvennec said to Sky Sports. He also mentioned that he was impressed by Gomes after just one training session.

I met with the president of Lille to discuss my initial thoughts on the players. After reflecting on the past few days, I mentioned to him that there is a standout young player named Angel.

"The boss mentioned he will be returning from his loan spell and will be leaving the club. I complimented him on being the top young talent on the team. He truly impressed me."

Gomes faced challenges when trying to establish himself in France. Lille had a strong team structure following their Ligue 1 title victory, so the midfielder had to start off playing in a different position.

During the latter part of the season, Gomes began to consistently play as a No 10.

However, when Gourvennec departed Lille after the 2021/22 season, the new Lille manager Paulo Fonseca, who is currently with AC Milan, decided to use him in a more defensive position alongside team captain Benjamin Andre.

Gourvennec said that after spending several months in France, he noticed a change in Angel's position on the field. When Gourvennec left Lille, Paulo Fonseca moved Angel to the front of the defense, giving him more space to play.

"Currently, he is positioned as a No. 10 player, but slightly deeper on the field. Initially, I had doubts about his ability to adapt to this 'regista' role. However, now I believe it is a positive change."

"He has a unique style. His playing style doesn't resemble that of Declan Rice or Jude Bellingham. He brings something different to the England team."

Perhaps he's like Foden, who uses his left foot and may not be as powerful. He has great technique, skills to beat opponents, and the ability to score goals. His shooting is impressive within the final 20 meters.

"He stands out, you can categorize him separately. This could be a valuable asset for the team."

Carsley's choice to select Gomes for the team was expected, considering the significant role he has played in England's youth squads previously.

Beside Foden, he played an important part for the England team that achieved victory in the U17s World Cup in 2017 with Steve Cooper as the coach. He also contributed significantly to Carsley's U21s triumph in the European Championships the previous year.

"Competing internationally may have provided some benefits, but the most important factor was being part of those England teams," McGuinness stated.

"He has been able to compete well against players like Phil Foden. This will be a big advantage for him when he joins the squad, since he already has established relationships with the players who admire him."

Foden, despite being awarded Premier League Player of the Year, will have a deep respect for Angel due to their previous experience playing together.

During the U17 World Cup, he was a key player in that team, alongside Foden. All the coaches would have emphasized that this boy has the talent and the attitude to contribute to the team, just as he did at Manchester United.

Gomes has been identified as a key player for the England team for a while now. It's time for the 24-year-old to attract even more fans.