Manchester United are in talks with Angel Gomes about a new contract now he is in the last year of his current deal.
Gomes, 19, made his first United start in the Europa League win over Astana on Thursday night and the club is eager to tie him down on a longer deal. United have promoted Gomes and Tahith Chong to the first-team squad and both are out of contract next year.
The MEN understands United are not currently close to a breakthrough with Gomes's representatives and the England youth international has generated interest from Barcelona. Gomes has been in the United academy since he was six.
Gomes is close with fellow England Under-17 World Cup winner and United target Jadon Sancho and could be emboldened by how the former Manchester City winger has flourished with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, another member of the U17 squad in 2017, was tempted by a move to Bayern Munich earlier this year but signed a long-term deal with the Stamford Bridge club on Thursday amid Frank Lampard's faith in academy talents.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blocked a loan move Gomes had lined up in the January transfer window and has made him feel more involved in the senior squad this term.
Gomes scored the winner against Tottenham in the pre-season friendly in Shanghai before he was included in the provisional squads against Chelsea and Crystal Palace last month. Gomes travelled to Wolves and finally made the matchday 18 against Leicester at the weekend, when he was an unused substitute.
Solskjaer gave Gomes cameos against Huddersfield and Cardiff at home last term and the playmaker was a substitute against Southampton and Paris Saint-Germain in March. The United manager stressed the club was always looking to secure the future of their homegrown talents.
"We're always in talks with the boys," he said after the Astana match. "How we see their future, and Mason [Greenwood]'s obviously one we want to keep with us."
London-born Gomes made his United debut aged 16 years and 263 days against Crystal Palace in May 2017 but had to wait two years, three months and 29 days to earn his first start against Astana. He is expected to retain his matchday squad place for the trip to West Ham on Sunday, since Anthony Martial is still out with a thigh injury.
