Andy Cole has told his former club Manchester United to ignore ‘nonsense’ criticism and sign a ‘brilliant’ free agent in 2025.
Manchester United’s new head coach Ruben Amorim has had several weeks in the job at Old Trafford now.
The 39-year-old has been assessing his squad since he entered the building to see who does and doesn’t fit into his plans.
He will also be hoping to be able to add players to the squad, with several talents already linked with a move to the club in 2025.
Despite the exit of sporting director Dan Ashworth this week, there are still players who look like they’re on the club’s radar.
Former Academy starlet Angel Gomes is among that list, with the current Lille star available on a free transfer at the end of the season.
He departed United in 2020 for more first-team opportunities and has since proven himself to be a solid player in the French league.
After breaking into the England squad earlier this year, Gomes has several clubs interested in his services and United have been urged to be the club that he joins.
Andy Coles tells Man Utd to ignore Gomes criticism
Andy Cole has claimed that the criticism over the small midfielder’s physicality is ‘nonsense’ and that he will immediately make United a better team if he returned.
“Being very honest, I was disappointed to see Angel leave in the first place,” Cole said in an interview with BetFred.
“He’s a very talented young man and you’re always going to have that type of nonsense where people say that he was too small for the Premier League and all that.
“But he’s moved to France, made a very good career for himself and represented England quite a few times, so fair play to him.
“If that move was to happen, I have no doubts that he’d make Manchester United a better team.”
Ruben Amorim might disagree
While there is no questioning the ability on the ball which Gomes possesses, Amorim may disagree with Cole that criticism over his physicality is ‘nonsense’.
The new head coach has regularly spoken about the importance of this United team being physically strong and much better than they are currently.
“It’s impossible to win the Premier League without a team like that,” he said last week, when asked about the importance of physical attributes.
“That fight – every moment, runs back, runs forward. It’s impossible to win. If we want to win, we have to do it. Even with the best starting XI on the planet, without running, they will not win anything.
“It’s very clear. If you want to win the Premier League, you have to run like mad dogs. If not, we are not going to do it, that is clear.”
Gomes may still fit into his plans, especially as a free agent who can play in multiple roles in the midfield, but there will certainly be conversations about his physical abilities.
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