Angel gomes has been linked with a move to Barcelona (Getty Images)
According to The Express, Barcelona are keen on signing former Manchester United youngster Angel Gomes in the summer. The midfielder has left Old Trafford for free after his contract expiry.
Gomes, 19, is a product of United’s youth academy. He has been with the club since 2006. The youngster made his Premier League debut on the final day of the 2016/17 campaign.
He was also a part of England’s U17 squad which won the World Cup in 2017. However, he found it difficult to get regular game time with the Manchester United first-team despite constantly being named on the bench. Thus, Barcelona should sign the young free agent and develop him for the future.
The Catalan giants, meanwhile, have been inconsistent throughout the campaign. Earlier, Ernesto Valverde was sacked but they managed to stay on top of the La Liga table. However, they seem to have not improved under Quique Setien.
Despite making several key signings last summer, they have failed as a unit. Barcelona are currently 2nd in the league standings behind league leaders Real Madrid. However, with the season coming to an end, the manager should bring in reinforcements. And signing young players would also be helpful in the future.
At the moment, Barcelona have just four attack-minded midfielders in their ranks. Frenkie De Jong and Arthur Melo have been regular starters, whereas, Arturo Vidal and Ivan Rakitic have been used mainly as substitutes. And Riqui Puig is the only other player available at the manager’s disposal.
However, Arthur has joined Juventus and Vidal has just one more year left on his contract. Croatian ace Rakitic’s future is also up in the air. And this would lead to limited options in midfield for the La Liga giants if the three of them leave. Thus, signing a midfielder would be a safe move.
In that regard, signing Gomes would be wise. The youngster has been in sensational form for United’s U23 squad in the last few seasons. An attacking midfielder by trade, he is also capable of playing in a deeper role.
Last season, he managed to score 6 goals and provide 5 assists in 16 Premier League 2 games. He has continued with the fine form this season, scoring 4 goals in 5 U23 games, as he was mainly a part of the senior squad.
He is just 19 and has a lot of room for development. His inclusion would also add depth to Setien’s squad. Given his good form in the last few years, he could grow into a key player for Barcelona in the future if he fulfils his potential.
With Arthur set to move away from Camp Nou, they have already lost a good player. Hence, investing in youth could help Barcelona reap rewards in the future. And signing Gomes, who has his best days yet to come, would be a wise decision by the club.
