Man United coach told starlet he could play for Real Madrid or Barcelona following Old Trafford exit

One former Manchester United coach told a departing starlet that he could play for Real Madrid or Barcelona in the future.

The Reds are well-known for bringing through youth talent into the first-team squad at Old Trafford.

Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are the latest examples under Erik ten Hag, with Toby Collyer and Harry Amass on the fringes of the squad.

However, it doesn’t always work out perfectly for young players at United, and they instead blossom away from Carrington.

That is precisely what happened with Angel Gomes, who left the club for free in the summer of 2020 after getting minimal first-team opportunities under Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

The technical midfielder is now thriving for Lille and earned a first England call-up earlier this month. There have been links to a potential Old Trafford return next summer when his contract at the French club runs out.

Butt’s message to Gomes

Nicky Butt previously worked in the United Academy in several roles, leaving the club in 2021, several months before Solskjær also departed.

The former United midfielder worked closely with Gomes, who was one of the standout players in the academy system, and spoke to him when he decided to leave the club.

Butt told the young star that he could see him playing against United for Real Madrid or Barcelona in the future and also suggested that he could fit into Pep Guardiola’s current Manchester City team.

Speaking to PA News Agency, Butt said: “I think he can do better than some of the teams that will be in for him in the Premier League.

“The Spanish league is written all over for Angel. He could play in the Premier League easily. He could play for City tomorrow.

“When Angel left United (in 2020), I said to him ‘you’re going to go on and have an unbelievable career and I wouldn’t be surprised if you end up playing against Manchester United for Barcelona or Real Madrid in the next five, six, seven years’.

“Because he was that good. And I’m not just saying that now that he’s made his England debut, I genuinely thought that a long time ago.

Butt unsure if United’s the right move

Despite Gomes keeping the door one for a potential United return and reports claiming that the club are interested in a potential deal, Butt is unsure if the 24-year-old would work in the current team.

Ten Hag has his midfielder’s doing a lot of work off the ball, and Butt suggests that it would be “really difficult” for Gomes in that system.

“He could play in the Premier League easily. He could play for City tomorrow,” he added.

“But then you put him in at Man United at the minute, and he’s got to have the legs to go through the centre of midfield where there’s a massive gap; people run through the Man United midfield like you wouldn’t believe. Then it’s a really difficult game for him.”

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