Angel Gomes has rejected offers from Tottenham Hotspur to join Olympique Marseille, according to recent reports. The former Manchester United academy product appears set for a move within France's Ligue 1, transitioning from Lille to the south coast club.
"Agreement in principle between Angel Gomes and Olympique de Marseille for a three-year contract," reported insider Fabrice Hawkins about the 24-year-old midfielder who becomes a free agent this summer.
The English international's decision comes at an interesting time for French football. Paris Saint-Germain recently demolished Inter Milan 5-0 in the UEFA Champions League final, capturing their first European crown and challenging the long-held perception of Ligue 1 as a "farmers league."
Gomes isn't unfamiliar with French football. He joined Lille in 2020 after departing Manchester United following the expiry of his contract, having made just 10 first-team appearances for the English club. Initially loaned to Portuguese side Boavista, he returned to establish himself as a regular in Lille's midfield.
Interestingly, Gomes isn't the first former United youngster to make this move. Mason Greenwood joined Marseille last summer in a £26.6 million transfer and has flourished in France, scoring 21 goals with five assists last season. That's just one assist fewer than Ballon d'Or favorite Ousmane Dembele.
West Ham also reportedly held talks with Gomes, but the midfielder appears to have been swayed by Marseille's project under De Zerbi and their Champions League qualification.
The growing appeal of Ligue 1 has been further emphasized by PSG's European campaign, where they knocked out English heavyweights Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal en route to the trophy.
"We are the league of farmers," PSG manager Luis Enrique joked after defeating Arsenal in the semi-finals. "But sometimes, yeah it's nice. I think now we are enjoying not only the result but also the compliments of everybody speaking about our team."
Could Gomes' choice signal a shift in how players view French football? After years of being dismissed as inferior to other European leagues, Ligue 1 might finally be earning the respect it deserves.
