Angel Gomes posts Lee Carsley message after England Under-21s masterclass
Angel Gomes won't emulate Lee Carsley in Everton's midfield next season but was full of praise for the England Under-21s manager.
Everton were one of several Premier League clubs keen on signing Gomes this summer after the England international announced his exit from Lille, which becomes official at the end of his contract on 30 June.
The former Manchester United academy player was tipped to return to English shores after making his Three Lions debut last term, and all four of his caps so far came during Carsley's interim spell in charge.
England go back-to-back as Gomes lauds Carsley impact
Gomes wasn't the only player who made the step up from England's Under-21s to senior level during Carsley's tenure last autumn, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tino Livramento also part of the squad.
Carsley returned to take charge of the Under-21s after Thomas Tuchel's appointment though, and his wave of success with the Young Lions has continued this summer as England won the Under-21 Euros.
Harvey Elliott, Omari Hutchinson and Jonathan Rowe all scored in England's 3-2 victory over Germany on Saturday, as Carsley's side defended their title two years on from beating Spain 1-0 in Georgia.
Gomes was a key cog in that successful 2023 side, and congratulated Carsley's achievement in an Instagram story post (29 June) which said: "What an achievement!"
Everton forced to move on from Angel Gomes pursuit
Football Insider Verdict
Carsley's six-season spell in central midfield at Goodison Park is remembered fondly by many an Everton fan, and David Moyes will rue the Toffees' failure to secure a free transfer agreement for Gomes.
Everton have already confirmed Carlos Alcaraz's permanent move from Flamengo this summer, and the imminent announcement of Jarrad Branthwaite's long-term contract suggests the Blues mean business.
Football Insider revealed last month that Everton may only need to pay £12million to buy Sean Longstaff from Newcastle this summer, but that's still wildly expensive compared to signing a player as talented as Gomes for nothing.