Angel Gomes could ‘play for City tomorrow’ but Man Utd return is ‘difficult’ for England international midfielder as Old Trafford academy graduate sees Premier League transfer speculated on

Gomes came up through the ranks of the Manchester United youth system after having joined the Red Devils' academy in 2006. Eleven years later, the midfielder made it into United's first team at the age of 17 and stayed with them until the summer of 2020, when he moved to Ligue 1 side Lille after having failed to get playing time at Old Trafford.

Gomes, now 24 years old, has impressed a number of Premier League with his exploits at Lille and was called up to the England national team by interim boss Lee Carsley. As such, Butt has now discussed the potential clubs Gomes could make a switch to in the summer of 2025, once his contract expires with the Ligue 1 side.

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.

"He could play in the Premier League easily. He could play for City tomorrow. 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."

The England international has become a lynchpin in Lille's midfield over the last two years and the French side will likely try their best to get him to sign a new contract and avoid losing him for nothing to another club next summer.