Angel Gomes has rejected an offer from "Tottenham Hotspur" to join "Marseille" in France's Ligue 1, continuing the trend of former Manchester United players moving to the French south coast.
"Agreement in principle between Angel Gomes and Olympique de Marseille for a three-year contract," revealed journalist Fabrice Hawkins about the 24-year-old midfielder's decision.
The former "Manchester United" academy product currently plays for "Lille" in France, where he's been since 2020 after leaving Old Trafford when his contract expired. He made just 10 appearances for United's first team before his departure.
Interestingly, Gomes isn't the first ex-United player to make the switch to the Velodrome. Last summer, Mason Greenwood joined "Marseille" in a £26.6 million deal and has since flourished - scoring 21 goals and providing five assists last season. That's just one assist behind Ballon d'Or favorite Ousmane Dembele.
The move comes at a time when French football's reputation is getting a significant boost. Long derided as a "farmers league" due to perceived quality issues, Ligue 1 received a major credibility boost when "Paris Saint-Germain" demolished "Inter Milan" 5-0 to win the Champions League for the first time.
On their way to European glory, PSG knocked out English powerhouses "Liverpool", "Aston Villa", and "Arsenal" - prompting their manager Luis Enrique to joke after defeating the Gunners: "We are the league of farmers."
Gomes, who had also held talks with "West Ham United", reportedly favors Marseille due to Roberto De Zerbi's management style and the club's Champions League qualification.
Is this further evidence that Ligue 1 is finally shedding its unflattering reputation? The moves of talented young English players certainly suggest the league is becoming a more attractive destination.
