Manchester United starlet praised for choosing “football over money” after Old Trafford exit

One ex-Manchester United starlet has been praised for choosing football over money since his Old Trafford exit.

The Reds have often struggled to sell, although that trend changed somewhat in the summer transfer window.

The likes of Scott McTominay and Mason Greenwood were sold for respectable fees but we have previously seen many players depart at the end of their contracts at Old Trafford.

When Angel Gomes departed the club in 2020, it was seen as unfortunate that the youngster left on a free contract, so any clauses, such as a buyback or sell-on, could not be included in a move.

Gomes was one of the club’s most highly-rated talents before he decided to leave for more game time. He joined Lille and immediately went on loan to the Portuguese league.

Fast-forward to 2024, and Gomes is now a crucial player for Lille and has just received his first England call-up.

Parker says Gomes chose football over money

Former United defender Paul Parker has recently commended Gomes’s decision to leave his boyhood club in 2020 and claims that the midfielder chose football over money, unlike many players.

“It’s one of the biggest and best examples in football, which needs to be replicated a thousand times over, because there’s loads and loads of players who are wasting their time completely but their ego wants them to be around those bigger clubs,” Parker told mybettingsites.co.uk

“They should dust themselves down and go out and try and get a career because they’ve only got until they’re their mid 30s and they can never go out and do it again. What’s the point of being a big club and hardly playing any games? 

“Having good money in the bank, but you’ve got nothing to talk about, or people have got nothing to ask you. You should want people to ask you questions.

“You want people to talk about your career, your life, but you’re not going to get that if you just sit in the stands every now and again. You sit on the bench and then you run up and down the pitch after the game when the stadium is empty.

“It’s no fun. I really respect any player who has just decided to go where they think they’re going to play football.” 

Angel Gomes reinvented himself after Man Utd exit

Gomes could make his England debut this week. However, his future in France is uncertain due to his contract expiring next summer.

United are one of several clubs reportedly interested in picking him up on a free contract, with Tottenham Hotspur another club looking at the 24-year-old.

Whatever happens, Parker believes that the move to Ligue 1 helped Gomes “reinvent himself” and that his relationship with Lee Carsley in the England U21s setup could be useful.

“Angel Gomes has gone and reinvented himself at Lille. And I mean, you hear little bits but i like the fact that unless it’s football he doesn’t get seen. He’s going to get known now,” Parker added.

“The manager in Lee Carsley is using his experience from having Gomes as an U21 player. We’ve seen what Spain have got from that by bringing the manager there, and he knows those players and knows what he’s going to get rather than looking at what’s right in front of his eyes which everyone looks at.

“He’s gone more bottom shelf to some but they’re young players who he knows what he’s going to get from them. It’s as simple as that.”

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