Tottenham must take action to avoid costly Man Utd transfer hijack - opinion

Tottenham might just need to get their skates on in a bid to wrap up a deal they have reportedly been chasing for some time. Spurs have enjoyed a rare positive week after booking their spot in the Europa League final thanks to a comfortable second leg win over Bodo/Glimt.

The Lilywhites now have the chance to end their 17-year long trophy drought, while Ange Postecoglou may get the opportunity he needs to keep his job having come under serious pressure.

The tricky part of that equation for Tottenham’s recruitment chiefs is that they must identify possible summer transfer targets while not knowing who will be in charge. But there are some deals that make too much sense not to pursue, and those are usually deals the club’s chiefs will push to get wrapped up.

Angel Gomes falls under that category, with the midfielder available on a free transfer this summer. The former Manchester United star has allowed his contract at Lille to run to an end, giving up a choice of clubs this summer, and likely setting him up for a big pay day.

West Ham were being heavily linked early on, but it was then reported that Tottenham were more likely to get a deal done, able to pay higher wages and offer a more likely route to competing for Europe. But in a fresh report from CaughtOffside, Manchester United are said to be interested in taking Gomes back as they potentially plan for life after Casemiro.

Gomes came through at Old Trafford, so he is obviously very familiar with the club, but he wasn’t given much of an opportunity by the Red Devils, only ever managing five Premier League appearances. Since joining Lille in 2020 in a bid to become a first-team regular, Gomes has racked up 105 league appearances, and he has also become an England international, earning four caps to date.

With Gomes now an experienced player at just 24 years of age, and given he already has some experience in the Premier League, it is obvious why he is seen as an attractive player in the upcoming market. Along with Man United and Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Everton, Juventus, Napoli and Marseille are all said to be interested, and we should see a resolution over the coming weeks, with Gomes promising to resolve his future once the current season has concluded.

Tottenham should move quick to get Gomes deal done

Gomes isn’t going to agree a deal before the end of the season, but once that final Ligue 1 ball is kicked, Spurs should get to work on securing Gomes for next season. The midfielder is likely to ask for a significant pay rise, but Tottenham should offer it in the absence of a transfer fee.

Spurs need more depth and quality in midfield, with Yves Bissouma struggling this season, and this is too good an opportunity to pass up given the club is going to have to pay significant fees to improve other areas of this team. Improvements are required in a number of areas, and the budget is going to have to be managed smartly by Postecoglou or whoever is in charge.

To that end, missing out on Gomes would be a huge blow, and especially if he winds up joining another Premier League club.

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