I took a risk leaving Manchester United after 14 years at the club - it's been difficult but now it's paying off

Former Manchester United midfielder Angel Gomes admitted it was a risk to leave the club four years ago and despite the difficult nature of his journey he feels he has been on an upward curve ever since.

The now Lille midfielder has been named in Lee Carsely’s England squad for Nations League fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Finland. He is one of four uncapped players in the first squad since Gareth Southgate stepped down from his role as Three Lions boss in the summer. Gomes first joined United in 2006 at the age of six and progressed all the way through the club’s academy.

He made just 10 senior appearances for the Red Devils, with five of those coming in the Premier League. Although those only totalled to 46 minutes of action after he came off the bench in each of those games. He left the club at the end of his contract in 2020 and went on to sign a five-year deal with French outfit Lille. He has since played 118 times for the Ligue 1 outfit, scoring eight goals and providing 18 assists, and helped them qualify for this season’s Champions League.

"When I left it was more the idea to better myself as a player and person," said Gomes of his departure from Old Trafford.

"Being on the journey I went through I knew eventually I'd be able to create a pathway to be in this position I'm in now. It was difficult leaving the club I was in since six and heading into the unknown really for me personally. From then it's been an uphill trajectory, but also with a lot of difficulties and difficult moments going through it, but being in this position now makes it all worth it."

Gomes always sensed progression into the England squad was possible. He revealed he was among a list of players who were under consideration for Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad for the tournament in Germany. He added: "Yeah believe it or not I was pre-selected in the group of a lot of [England] players.

"Whenever the squad was getting announced I would get the email. But obviously you get told whether you get a phone call or you'll know whether you're in the squad or not. I missed it a lot of the times but I knew if I kept going that sooner or later I would be able to create a pathway for myself. I'm just thankful that I'm here now and I'm able to showcase myself. I just didn't quite make the group but it's always fuel to keep going."

England will come up against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday at 5pm in the first game without Southgate in charge for eight years. Carsley has been appointed on an interim basis after he won the Under-21s European Championship last summer - a triumph which Gomes was a part of.

"He's very honest, he's direct with his approach and is close to the squad. And that helps as a player when a coach takes interest in not just you as a player, but as a person,” said Gomes of Carsely. "He's very easy to speak to. He'll ask you what you think of training sessions, games or pull you aside to see what you think. When a manager puts that confidence in you, you repay it on the pitch."