Angel Gomes has signed his first professional contract with Manchester United, with the youngster looking set to be the latest off the conveyor belt of the club’s academy.
The teenager made his debut for the first team last season when he was just 16, becoming the youngest player since Duncan Edwards to pull on the shirt. United won the game against Crystal Palace and Gomes came on for Wayne Rooney, in what was the club’s all-time top scorer’s last appearance at Old Trafford, in a symbolic changing of the guard. Out with the old and in with the new.
“It's a dream come true," he said after the game. "I've been here since the age of six, working my way up and it's what everyone dreams about.”
Gomes was named the Jimmy Murphy Youth Team Player of the Year last season, an award that Marcus Rashford won the season before, and that the likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes have won previously.
This season, he has shone for the U-18 team, both in the league, where his side are currently one point behind the top side Manchester City, and in Europe. In 335 minutes in the UEFA Youth League, he’s scored two and assisted two, working out at a goal or assist every 83 minutes on the field. He was also the captain of the England Under-17s' World Cup-winning side two months ago. He’s yet to play for the first team again this season but is happy to bide his time.
“My hope for this season is to try to get as much football as I can,” he said. “Whether it’s with the 18s, the 23s and hopefully the first team – I want to pushing on and showing the manager what I can do.”
Rashford started the 2015/16 season with the same ambition. He was a regular at U-18 level but had his eye set on the reserves. Yet a few months into the season he found himself thrust into the limelight and scoring for the first team.
Injuries gave Rashford his opportunity but it’s unlikely that Gomes will have a route to a regular place that's quite so easy. However, Jose Mourinho has shown he is happy to give the youngsters a go, with Scott McTominay a regular in the matchday squad now.
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McTominay, like Gomes, has also been at the club since he was five and, having turned 21 last week, is now being chosen for the starting line-up. He played for 90 minutes against Bournemouth in midweek and didn’t look out of place.
Gomes has a dream and it becomes achievable thanks to all the young players who have been in his position before him, who have gone on to thrive in the first team. Nicky Butt, one of these players, who is now the Head of Academy at United, is full of praise for the youngster.
Butt has spoken about his excitement over having a player of Gomes’ quality at the club and claims he has “a big future”. While any teenager would love a chance to play for United, it means more to Gomes, who is a lifelong Red.
“In Salford where I grew up everyone was a big United fan and that had an impact on me and I’m a big fan too,” he said. “It’s just great to be at a club like Man United.”
There’s still a long way to go for Gomes but this is hopefully one of the first steps in what will be a great journey for the talented youngster at the club.
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