Kobbie Mainoo: the apple of Old Trafford's eye. Elation was the overriding feeling for the Manchester United persuasion when he was picked to participate for the Three Lions at the World Cup, but that quickly fell flat.
United have been resurgent in 2026, and Mainoo has helped spearhead the fightback. But the Three Lions star clearly has more to prove, with Thomas Tuchel failing to hand him a single minute in the Americas, even during that ridiculous 6-4 win over France in the third-place play-off.
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Mainoo will be disappointed, but he's had a chip on his shoulder before, and he's proved his doubters wrong. United have signed Andrey Santos from Chelsea for around £50m, the 20-year-old may have the perfect partner to dance with in midfield next season.
Why Mainoo could thrive for Man United next season
Mainoo is at his rip-roaring best when unleashed in a loose No. 8 position in the middle of the park. Casemiro was a solid deep-lying anchor beside him, but the Brazilian, who has now left the club, was getting old, and Santos could be the perfect long-term replacement.
Mainoo was shunned by Ruben Amorim, hurled to the sidelines when he should have been nurtured toward the top. But he proved under Carrick's wing last season his worth, and Santos could aid and assist him.
The former Chelsea starlet hasn't come off the strongest season in the Premier League, but he has a lot of potential. Crisp on the ball and a formidable dueller, he is not the same progressive carrier that Mainoo is, and in that, they could be a match made in heaven.
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However, can United safely say they are well-stocked in midfield? Manuel Ugarte is out for the count after suffering a knee ligament injury while representing Uruguay at the World Cup. INEOS appear keen to continue to explore their options.
Man United start work on signing Mainoo upgrade
With Champions League football on the cards, Manchester United need to fill the pantry with ample depth. In midfield, they are thin, and keeping Mainoo as the star man in the middle of the park - with the young Santos having also joined - could be something of a risk.
The Athletic have reported this week that United have started work on a deal for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, who has already been the subject of a rejected £64m bid from Chelsea this summer.
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The Cherries say the 22-year-old is not for sale, but he has already rejected a contract extension at the Vitality Stadium, and there is optimism that an £80m offer might be enough to secure his services this summer.
In Mainoo, Carrick already has a rising star bearing similar qualities, but Scott, hailed as a "special talent" by Bournemouth teammate Lewis Cook, has been riding the crest of a wave over the past couple of years, and his skill on the ball, sparking swift build-up sequences, would provide United with someone that Mainoo nor Santos can provide to the same standard.
United are determined not to be overly sentimental. Scott might not be fashioned in Carrington as Mainoo has been, but the English talent might just have more potential to tap into over the coming years.
Premier League Stats (25/26)
Stats (* per 90)
Matches (starts)
Goals + Assists
Touches*
Accurate passes*
Big chances created
Key passes*
Possession lost*
Succ. dribbles*
Ball recoveries*
Def. contributions
Duels won*
The duel-winning, ball-carrying, sequence-sparking midfielder is already becoming the complete player. He has made the requisite physical improvements over the past few years to become a superstar for a team like Man United, who are determined to return to the top.
Silky footwork allows him to slide out of tight spaces like an octopus. Moreover, he is strong in the duel and committed to the defensive side of the game, perhaps more so than Mainoo, whose defensive work has sometimes left something to be desired.
Scott is mobile, technical and progressive. He shares a number of footballing properties with someone like Mainoo, but he's arguably got more in his locker, and he would prove that at Old Trafford.
Bournemouth don't want to sell, but Scott has made his position clear, and the right bid could bring him over to the Theatre of Dreams. There's no reason why Mainoo and Scott can't work together, but the Cherries man may leapfrog his countryman under Carrick's wing.
andrey-santos-chelsea Related
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Manchester United still need to put the finishing touches on their midfield after Casemiro's departure.