After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s admission last season that he would have no problems giving young players deserved opportunities, there appears to have been a real emphasis at Manchester United this campaign to try and allow their talented academy starlets to thrive.
The likes of Mason Greenwood, Brandon Williams and James Garner have featured prominently this season, making a combined total of 37 senior appearances across all competitions. One man however who has struggled to make a break-through into the first-team, has been Angel Gomes. The 19-year-old has played just four times for Solskjaer’s side, and only one of them has come in the Premier League – and even that only lasted a grand total of nine minutes.
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And now, The Manchester Evening News have reported that the teenager is no closer to agreeing a new contract with the club, with his existing deal at Old Trafford coming to an end at the end of this season. The report adds that despite both parties being in dialogue with one another, Gomes’ representatives have been left “under-whelmed by the club’s terms”.
A couple of fans were quite critical of Solskjaer for failing to give Gomes an adequate chance in the first-team this season, with one supporter in particular claiming that the update on his future at Old Trafford is “no surprise”.
Some United supporters were quick to compare the potential situation developing with Gomes, with what happened with Paul Pogba and his spell with the Red Devils the first-time around when he eventually left on a free transfer.
As some United fans have pointed out themselves, it would be so typical if Gomes were to leave on a free transfer and end up developing into a fantastic midfielder elsewhere simply because he was given a chance. The Red Devils should really learn from their lessons with the France World Cup winner and ensure that they take the time to truly deliberate on whether they can risk losing the starlet next summer.
Meanwhile, Manchester United fans have hailed this academy product after his commanding display against Colchester.
