Tottenham are hoping to bring a midfielder back to England.
As we enter January, players whose contracts will expire in the summer are now free to initiate talks with clubs outside of their current league, often known as the ‘Bosman rule’.
Tottenham remains interested in Lille and England midfielder.
One player whose contract expires in the summer is LOSC Lille center midfielder Angel Gomes, who has been at the Ligue 1 club since 2021, when he left his hometown club and the academy from where he graduated, Manchester United. The 24-year-old has impressed in his time across the English channel, earning a call-up to the England national squad. He made his debut against the Republic of Ireland in September, a game that the Three Lions won 0-2 in Dublin.
Spurs have had him on their radar for a while now, and with him being poised to depart the French club on a free at the conclusion of the season, it would undoubtedly look like a brilliant bit of business for manager Ange Postecoglou to bring him in. Gomes is a very rare profile of midfielder, he is quite adept at playing all three roles as a six, eight and a 10. He’s little in stature at only five feet six inches, but he’s mobile, active, and can move around the pitch well, as well as having an eye for a pass to generate opportunities and aid the team score goals.
The midfielder finished second for BCC (big chances created) in France’s top flight last season, but only had eight assists. This demonstrates that the opportunities he was providing were squandered by Lille’s attackers. You’d think that providing someone like Heung-Min Son would reduce the number of missed opportunities.
Spurs will, however, have to compete with two other Premier League teams, one of which being his previous club Manchester United, which may be extremely appealing to him. He grew up in the neighborhood and supported the team, but he is rumored to favor a move to North London at the moment. Tottenham Hotspur’s London rivals West Ham United are also interested in the 24-year-old, as they want to strengthen their midfield options under new head coach Graham Potter. This one, however, appears improbable, with the Hammers attempting to recruit Dutch under-21 international Ezechiel Banzuzi from OH Leuven because they believe they need a player now rather than in the summer.
This would be an excellent signing for Spurs; he is very comfortable on the ball in deep areas of the pitch where someone will be pressing him; he can play one touch and move the ball quickly to start attacks; and the dirty side of the game does not bother him, which is necessary when out of possession in a Postecoglou side. The midfielder seemed keen to return to England and prove himself in his home country, so the club may be able to complete the deal!
