Manchester United have been crying out for a midfield overhaul for years, and Erik ten Hag has attempted to address that.
Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Mason Mount have all come in since the managers arrival, but they haven’t always been available, reliable, or good enough.
Last season, the boss relied on the former pairing prior to Eriksen’s injury, but the Red Devils haven’t had a consistent midfield pairing since the days of Scott McTominay and Fred under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Luckily, a hidden gem has emerged through the academy to save United, with Kobbie Mainoo now becoming one of the first names on the team sheet.
The rise of Kobbie Mainoo
Mainoo’s influence on the first team began during United’s pre-season tour, but his development was put on hold due to an injury inflicted on him by his own teammate Casemiro against Real Madrid.
The 18-year-old is already a key player for Ten Hag, and despite his lack of experience, he is a star that plays with the maturity and confidence of an elite, seasoned professional, but most importantly, the boss trusts him to not just perform but excel.
Mainoo is being rewarded for his performances, starting all of United’s last ten matches and earning the club's January Player of the Month award – having netted against both Newport County and Wolverhampton Wanderers in recent weeks,
The number of superlatives that could be used to describe the youngster is simply endless, although the teen could well have been aided by the presence of one former Old Trafford star who departed back in 2022…
Nemanja Matic was the one that got away
In the summer of 2017, Nemanja Matic switched London for Manchester to reunite with former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho at United. The Serbian gladiator was purchased for a fee of £40m.
The towering star was regarded as “the best defensive midfielder in the world” by former boss Jorge Jesus, and he was imperative during Chelsea’s 2014/15 and 2016/17 Premier League title triumphs.
During his first season at United, Matic started 35 league matches and was excellent throughout the club's title chase, where they ultimately finished second, notably averaging 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game as well as recording an 88% pass accuracy rate.
Matic was a favourite of Mourinho, and in 2022, he left United on a free transfer after his contract had expired to once again join forces with the boss at Roma. As of today, the engine is still bossing the midfield as a 35-year-old, starring for Rennes and now Lyon.
Passes completed
59.50
Top 8%
Passes into final third
7.89
Top 2%
Touches
79.18
Top 8%
Interceptions
2.18
Top 4%
Ball recoveries
9.24
Top 2%
As you can see, Matic is still performing at an extremely high level despite his age, which just confirms the already-known fact that he’s a true professional and an “unbelievable” player, as per journalist Bolarinwa Olajide.
The 6 foot 4 ace is extremely technical, and his passing range is among the very best in France, which allows him to progress the ball with ease. The fact that he can dictate the play and progress it would take pressure off Mainoo to perform those tasks, allowing him to push further forward when in possession.
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With Matic’s ability to read the game, as shown by his high ball recovery and interceptions, the United youngster would have been able to venture into the final third more frequently, where he can produce moments of magic like his match-winning goal against Wolves. Even England boss Gareth Southgate views Mainoo as more of a number eight than a number six.
Overall, letting Matic walk on a free was a mistake, especially considering his profile is perfect for Mainoo. Nevertheless, he will always go down as a Premier League and United icon.