Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are among the Premier League sides battling to win the race for Angel Gomes after turning their attentions towards potentially landing the Lille star as a free agent at the end of the campaign, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Although the Magpies were fearful of breaching profit and sustainability rules during the summer transfer window, resulting in them being forced to sanction the exits of Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh for a combined fee of £65million, head coach Eddie Howe has wasted no time in making plans to bolster his St James' Park squad in the coming months.
Tottenham and Manchester United were also busy improving their options ahead of last month's deadline, with the latter spending more than £180million on reinforcements in the aftermath of winning the FA Cup last season, and they have joined Newcastle in eyeing a move for Gomes.
Magpies Pinpointed as Outsiders for Gomes
Tyneside giants are facing stiff competition for England international
Newcastle are considered outsiders in the tug-of-war to secure Gomes' services in 2025, according to GMS sources, but they are still showing interest and are not prepared to rule themselves out of the running for his signature even though they are facing stiff competition from domestic rivals.
The midfielder has already enjoyed a dream start to the season thanks to being rewarded with his first two England caps and making six appearances for Lille, but he was guilty of being sent off in the first half of the Ligue 1 outfit's Champions League opener against Portuguese heavyweights Sporting earlier this week.
GMS sources have been informed that Tottenham and Liverpool are also among the sides seriously considering offering Gomes a route back to his homeland for the next chapter of his career, while Manchester United have a small level of interest in luring him into a return to Old Trafford after he came through their ranks.
The 24-year-old has entered the final 10 months of his Lille deal, which allows him to pocket less than £12,000-per-week at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, meaning that he is currently on course to be in a position to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside France when the transfer window reopens in January.
Manchester United are mulling over handing Gomes a chance to return to familiar surroundings as he would count towards their homegrown quota, GMS sources have learned, and boss Erik ten Hag has tasked the scouting department with continuing to keep tabs on whether he can adjust to their style of play.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Angel Gomes made five Premier League appearances for Manchester United between May 2017 and January 2020
Gomes Will Seek Considerable Pay Increase
Midfielder poised to take advantage of widespread interest
GMS sources have been told that Gomes will be looking to secure a hefty pay rise if he leaves Lille as a free agent and may demand in the region of £150,000-per-week when his suitors head to the negotiating table as he will look to use the widespread interest from Premier League sides to his advantage.
The former Boavista man, who made 10 senior appearances for Manchester United during the early stages of his career, is aware that he will have an opportunity to get his hands on a more lucrative pay package in the event of his admirers not being forced to part with a transfer fee in the coming months.
Newcastle could find it difficult to compete with Gomes' other suitors due to Liverpool currently being in the Champions League, while Manchester United and Tottenham are competing in the Europa League, and GMS sources understand that the terms he is pushing for may be out of the Tyneside giants' reach.
GMS recently reported that the livewire was among the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jack Grealish, Anthony Gordon and Rico Lewis in profiting from Lee Carsley being put in interim charge of England during the international break earlier this month, and he is poised to be the subject of numerous contract proposals as he nears the Lille exit door.