Angel Gomes reunited with Greenwood at Marseille

Angel Gomes has finally been unveiled in Olympique de Marseille colours, and the diminutive playmaker admits that a heartfelt phone call from “little brother” Mason Greenwood was the decisive push he needed to swap northern France for the south coast.

Angel Gomes recalls academy days with Greenwood

Angel Gomes and Greenwood’s bond was forged in the halls of Manchester United’s famed Carrington academy. The pair, born just six months apart, terrorised youth-team defences for years and often shared a dorm on under-age tours. “He was always the cheeky one stealing my desserts,” Gomes laughed during his first press conference at the Commanderie training centre. “But on the pitch he made the game easy. We trusted each other instinctively.”

From Manchester dreams to divergent journeys

Although both broke into United’s senior squad under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, their careers quickly veered in different directions. Angel Gomes left Old Trafford in 2020 seeking regular minutes, first starring for Boavista in Portugal before becoming a creative lynchpin at Lille. Greenwood, by contrast, remained at United until last year’s loan spell at Getafe helped reboot his career. When Marseille sporting director Mehdi Benatia began negotiating with Lille for Gomes, the winger naturally sought counsel from his oldest friend.

How Mason Greenwood convinced Angel Gomes

Greenwood, already on loan at Marseille after his January switch, outlined a persuasive vision. “He told me the fans here live and breathe every tackle, every dribble,” Angel Gomes revealed. “He said, ‘Bro, the Velodrome will explode when they see the way you thread passes. Come join the chaos.’ Hearing that excitement in his voice sealed it.” According to club sources, the conversation happened three weeks before Marseille and Lille agreed on a fee believed to be around €18 million.

Tactical fit under Roberto De Zerbi

New Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi plans to deploy a 4-2-3-1 in which Angel Gomes can float between the lines while Greenwood spearheads the attack from the right channel. The coach’s trademark positional rotations should suit Gomes’ quick feet and Greenwood’s two-footed finishing. “They’ve been combining like they never left Carrington,” assistant coach Manuel Amoros said after a recent friendly win over Al-Jazira.

Why the move matters for Marseille

Last season the Phocéens lacked guile in central areas, relying heavily on wide deliveries and set pieces. Angel Gomes brings ball progression, while Greenwood adds direct goal threat—traits the side urgently required to bridge a 13-point gap to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain. Club president Pablo Longoria is bullish: “We wanted players who know each other’s movements blindfolded. This duo gives us that.”

Reaction from Manchester United circles

Old Trafford insiders expressed pride rather than regret. Former academy director Nicky Butt told Canal+ that watching Angel Gomes and Greenwood thrive abroad validates United’s development model. “They left as boys; they’re returning to the continental stage as men,” he said. Supporters, meanwhile, filled social media with nostalgia clips of the duo dismantling U-18 opponents.

Angel Gomes sets personal targets

During his unveiling, Angel Gomes repeated the club’s ambition to reclaim a Champions League berth and promised double-digit goal contributions. “If I’m not creating or scoring, I’m not helping Mason either,” he said before issuing a playful challenge: “Let’s see who hits 15 G/A first.”

The wider English influx in Ligue 1

Angel Gomes joins a growing list of English talents seeking minutes across the Channel, following the likes of Folarin Balogun, Ross Barkley and Aaron Ramsey. French clubs appreciate the Premier League’s academy conditioning, while players relish a less-congested fixture calendar and a platform to showcase technical flair. Scouts from Gareth Southgate’s staff are expected to visit the Velodrome regularly.

Financial implications

Lille negotiated a respectable profit on a player they acquired on a free transfer, demonstrating their well-known “buy low, sell high” philosophy. Marseille, backed by new minority investors, offset the outlay by trimming payroll—most notably by moving on veteran striker Vitinha. Analysts at L’Equipe estimate the combined wage package for Angel Gomes and Greenwood remains within UEFA’s squad-cost ratio limits.

Supporter anticipation builds

Ticket sales spiked 12% in the 48 hours following Gomes’ announcement, and replica shirts bearing both names sold out in the club’s Megastore. Fan group South Winners plan a choreographed tifo featuring the academy duo for the opening Ligue 1 clash against Lorient.

Angel Gomes and Greenwood: legacy in the making

For Marseille, the reunion represents more than a marketing story; it signals a shift toward youthful, possession-based football reminiscent of Marcelo Bielsa’s exhilarating 2014 side. Should Angel Gomes dictate tempo from midfield and Greenwood rediscover his 2020 finishing touch, the Velodrome could once again echo with European nights of old.

What happens next?

The pair will continue pre-season preparations with friendlies against Leeds United and Al-Jazira before the Trophee des Champions curtain-raiser versus PSG. De Zerbi hinted he may trial Angel Gomes as a left-sided number eight in that match to overload PSG’s right flank. “We’ll be unpredictable,” the Italian smiled.

Opinion: A calculated, feel-good gamble

Marseille’s decision to reunite Angel Gomes and Mason Greenwood is a calculated gamble backed by chemistry and complementary skill sets. Both arrive with points to prove—Gomes to show he can dictate games at a European giant, Greenwood to re-establish himself among Europe’s elite forwards. If their academy telepathy translates to Ligue 1, OM may finally have the spark needed to disrupt PSG’s hegemony. Either way, the sight of two boyhood friends chasing trophies together on French shores is a storyline football sorely needs.