What a rollercoaster it's been over the last three years for Kobbie Mainoo, the Manchester United starlet enduring so many highs, but also a number of lows, in his embryonic senior career to date.
Even just the last 18 months have been turbulent enough, the 21-year-old facing a period of almost exile under Ruben Amorim, before securing centre stage again following Michael Carrick's arrival at the start of January.
A bumper new deal was signed just a matter of months later, yet despite a fine end to the campaign, the Stockport-born starlet has since endured a frustrating World Cup with England, repeatedly overlooked by Thomas Tuchel.
Kobbie-Mainoo-England
Manchester City's £116m man, Elliot Anderson, is the nation's new midfield golden boy, but that wasn't the case two years ago...
How Mainoo's Euro 2024 compared to Anderson's World Cup displays
There's no denying that it has been a fine rise for Anderson over the last year or so, the 23-year-old only making his senior international debut back in September, yet swiftly emerging as Tuchel's go-to man alongside Declan Rice.
Rice-Anderson-England
Excluding the barnstorming third-place playoff win over France, the Geordie started all seven games prior to that as the Three Lions reached the last four, failing to score yet registering one assist from his number six berth.
The ex-Nottingham Forest man also boasted an 88% pass accuracy rate, averaged 0.5 key passes per game and made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game.
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And yet, look to Mainoo's heroics at Euro 2024, the youngster making six appearances in total, while starting all four knockout games as Gareth Southgate's men made it to the final.
The then-teenager recorded an average of 0.5 key passes per game himself, as well as a 92% pass accuracy rate. That included a pass accuracy rate of 90% in the opposition half, while Anderson's was way down at 84% this summer.
Mainoo (2024) vs Anderson (2026)
Mainoo
6 (4)
0
92%
90%
0.5
0.3
5.5
1.3
1.0
0.2
0
Mainoo did only make 2.3 tackles and interceptions on average, yet he was dribbled past just 0.2 times per game, a far superior record to Anderson, who was dribbled past 1.1 times per outing.
The United man also bettered his compatriot in terms of possession lost (5.5 vs 9.9), suggesting that at his best, he might well have been the controlling midfield presence that England were crying out for this summer.
Kobbie-Mainoo-England-Euro-2024-final
Alas, Tuchel's loss could well be Carrick's gain as the new season rolls around, with Mainoo hopefully set to be at the heart of an exciting, new-look side in 2026/27.
How Man United can sign another Mainoo-style sensation
After the surprise moves for Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, it's all gone a little quiet at Old Trafford on the transfer front, with pre-season preparations taking the focus in recent weeks.
A 5-0 thrashing of Rosenborg saw United's academy crop come to the fore, with supporters no doubt hoping that at least one of that second-half side can follow in Mainoo's footsteps before too long.
INEOS, as they have done already in their tenure, could also look elsewhere to secure the next big thing, with Newcastle United's Lewis Hall among those being considered.
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As per the i Paper, the young left-back is of 'real interest' to the Red Devils, while sources close to the player have outlined that he would be 'keen' on making the move to Manchester.
Prior talk of a £70m asking price may ensure this deal proves a difficult one to complete, but there's so much to like about what Hall offers, mirroring Mainoo as someone who could be a mainstay of this team for a decade to come.
Kobbie-Mainoo-Man-Utd-England
Indeed, like Mainoo, Hall is still only 21 yet has already racked up a wealth of experience at the elite level, having now made 102 appearances on Tyneside, after previously lining up 12 times as a youngster for Chelsea.
Again, like his United counterpart, Hall burst onto the scene as a mere teenager for the Blues, actually impressing initially as a central midfielder, albeit while primarily being utilised as a full-back under Eddie Howe's watch.
He's a player, again like Mainoo, who's no stranger to delivering on the big stage, with two of his three senior goals having actually come at Old Trafford, while he even sparkled in Newcastle's 1-0 loss to Amorim's men back in December.
There's such a natural, delightful quality to the £70m-rated star's game, not least his Mainoo-esque ability to drive forward from deep, with that winter clash in Manchester seeing Hall remarkably complete seven of his eight attempted dribbles on the night.
He also won 13 out of 15 duels for the visitors, alongside racking up 100 touches, evidently someone who is such an asset both in and out of possession.
Frustrating for the left-footer, such form hasn't always been maintained due to injury, while, like Mainoo, he faces something of a fight to win over the aforementioned Tuchel at England level, having surprisingly been omitted from the World Cup squad.
lewis-hall-newcastleREUTERS/Andrew Boyers
That might well make him another player with a point to prove next season, ensuring INEOS could be onto a winner if they are to snap up another future English superstar to rival Luke Shaw at left-back.
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