Kobbie Mainoo is impressing greatly, with the young man having a chance at cementing his place within the first team.
Manchester United and developing youth have often walked hand-in-hand.
Erik ten Hag has not shied away from giving the next generation their chance, assuming they’re good enough. The Dutchman has also shown a ruthless side in regard to the younger players. Look at Zidane Iqbal. He was the star of pre-season tour twelve months ago. He’s now being shipped off to FC Utrecht for peanuts.
Alejandro Garnacho is the standout name in the younger age group right now, though cast your mind back to the FA Youth Cup final. Garnacho may have scored two goals, though it was Kobbie Mainoo who was probably the most impressive player on that day. The control he had in midfield was truly a sight to behold.
Now, the Manchester Evening News have released an intriguing article on the Stockport-born academy prospect. The highlight being the claim that the United starlet has made ‘excellent progress’ recently, while he could be kept in and around the first-team moving forward.
On top of that, it has been stated that Mainoo is considered the ‘shining light’ of his age group, who is a real ‘natural talent with high technical ability’.
Then young man is immensely grounded, if not quiet in the dressing room. The overriding feeling is that he does his talking in training and out on the pitch.
Mainoo has privately been told to study how Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes play, meaning his long-term future could lie in an attack-minded position.
There can be no doubt that this young man is supremely talented, while he has plenty of time to continue to develop and grow as a footballer. The impending sale of Zidane Iqbal also plays into Mainoo’s hands, as it means one less player ahead of him in the pecking order.
Do you think Kobbie Mainoo is ready for the first-team at Man United? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
