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Kobbie Mainoo must feel like he has a new lease of life at Man United knowing that his new manager is a huge fan.
Ruben Amorim wasn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea during his tenure at Man United with a series of falling outs marring his time in the Premier League.
The infamous “Bomb Squad” who the ex-boss wanted moved on with only Tyrell Malacia outlasting the Portuguese manager. Jason Sancho and Marcus Rashford might yet return one day, however, the chances are slim. One player who will be rubbing his hands at Amorim’s exit and Michael Carrick’s appointment is Kobbie Mainoo with a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad considerably more possible now if he gets a consistent run of games in the United starting XI.
What Michael Carrick has said about Kobbie Mainoo
The good news for Mainoo, is that Carrick believes that United should build their team around the 20-year old: “I think for a club to have a player that’s come through the academy and knows the club and feels it… I think Man United’s got to have an element of that,” reported Four Four Two.
“[They] always have done and always will. I think to have a talent like he’s shown already, you’ve got to have players like that, where you say, ‘Right, they get it. They know it.’ Let’s help them, let’s build them and stick with them. There’s definitely a place for him there, for sure.”
Preferring to have two more defensive midfielders, Carrick might look to add energy and legs to the United engine room by putting his trust in Mainoo. Tuchel has picked mainly on form for England with players like Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham having to sit out recently.
At the European Championships in 2024, Mainoo emerged as one of the stars of the tournament which only makes his treatment at the hands of Amorim even more bizarre. United thought they had a player who they could build the team around and yet he has hardly kicked a ball in the last 18-months.
Why Thomas Tuchel is a big fan of Kobbie Mainoo
According to Tuchel though, speaking earlier in the season, Mainoo is a player who he admires and named the qualities that could see him earn a recall: “He deserved to start. He was impressive.” Tuchel said via BBC Sport.
“Was just impressive how he played, how he played in the club is maybe the most important and then it was almost logical step that he played for the country and he played fearless. He played with excitement that the youth sometimes brings and now he experienced the other side of it. Sometimes you can feel the pressure and changes in the club are not in your favour and he’s lacking the minutes.
“I don’t think he lacks anything else. He has the experience, the power, the quality, the talent to be on our list. He is on our list of players but at the moment, on his position six, eight, 10 position we have players who are in full rhythm and who play key parts in their clubs, and this is the next step for him.”
There is a long way to go, injuries could rule other players out, as could poor form. Mainoo can only concentrate on himself and, if he reaches his previous levels, has every chance of making a late run.
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