Manchester United set to lose battle to sign Ligue 1 star as Premier League club plots January bid: Reports

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly fast-tracked their move for Lille midfielder Angel Gomes, who was previously on Manchester United's books. The Red Devils are also said to be interested in a reunion with the player, who turns a free agent this summer.

According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is hoping the club can agree on an immediate move for Gomes, who is currently plying his trade with Lille. Spurs are willing to complete the deal in the ongoing January window rather than sign him on a pre-agreement and have him make the move in the summer.

The 24-year-old joined the French side on a free transfer from Manchester United in 2020. He has since gone on to make 129 appearances for them across competitions, scoring nine and assisting 19 goals. Primarily an attacking midfielder, Gomes can play in a variety of positions, making him a useful player to have in the squad.

The report claims that should Spurs find it difficult to complete the move in the ongoing transfer window, they are prepared to play the waiting game. They are also aware that Gomes will want a significant pay rise if he agrees to the switch, with a £150,000-per-week wage being reported.

Gomes' former side Manchester United are also in the mix but they are hoping to sign him on a free later in the summer. The midfielder himself is said to prefer a move to the Premier League than continuing in Ligue 1.

Manchester United start 2025 on a positive note with 2-2 Liverpool draw

Ruben Amorim's Manchester United arrested a four-match losing streak with a 2-2 Premier League draw against Liverpool away at Anfield on Sunday, December 5. The Red Devils had entered the match as underdogs against the league leaders, but they showed resilience to come out with a point.

While they are still winless in their last five games, the United players showed a semblance of fight at Anfield. The Red Devils led through a Lisandro Martinez strike in the second half but were quickly pegged back by goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah. Amad Diallo then scored the equalizer for Amorim's side in the 80th minute.

Manchester United remain in the bottom half of the league table, currently 13th with 23 points after 20 games.