Throughout Manchester United's history, success and glory have been built on the foundations of developing the youth.
Showing trust and belief that talent speaks louder than previous experience, if the individual is good enough, then they should play.
From the day of Paul Scholes to Marcus Rashford and even more recently Alejandro Garnacho, allowing the youngsters to shine is part of the Red Devils' DNA.
Although this season has been frustrating and far from brilliant, one aspect that Erik ten Hag should take huge credit for is his influence on the development of superstars, and one of those is most definitely Kobbie Mainoo.
Kobbie Mainoo’s rise to first-team success
After impressing in the youth setup, first-team training, and even scoring against Cadiz in a mid-season friendly, Mainoo made his first competitive start for Man United in January 2023 against Charlton in the EFL Cup.
For the rest of Ten Hag’s first campaign in charge, the academy graduate appeared in the matchday squad on numerous occasions, even making his Premier League debut against Leicester City in February.
Fast forward to the end of the season, and the youngster was on the plane for United’s pre-season tour, where Mainoo particularly impressed against Arsenal, assisting Bruno Fernandes’ opener in the 2-0 win.
However, disaster struck as the midfielder suffered an unfortunate injury against Real Madrid, which instantly forced him off the field.
At that point, all the progress made was halted, and it took 87 days for the number 37 to make his return, which he did in sensational fashion.
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ByTom Lever Mainoo’s stats and valuation since breaking through
On November 26, 2023, an 18-year-old Mainoo started his first Premier League game of his career, where he showcased his true talent and ability to the world against Everton.
Even after his first ten minutes, it was instantly obvious that this wonderkid wasn’t anything like the typical youth player, showing bravery and confidence while also being called “Man Utd’s best player” by Gary Neville.
Since then, Mainoo’s rise to stardom has been rapid, becoming a key member in Ten Hag’s side, with his performances impressing enough to earn his first senior England start.
Since the game against the Toffees, the 6-foot star has started 16 Premier League matches and played in all of their last 20 games, which just shows how much he’s valued by the coaching staff.
#1 Alejandro Garnacho
£86m
#2 Evan Ferguson
£69m
#3 Rico Lewis
£69m
#4 Kobbie Mainoo
£43m
#5 Facundo Buonanotte
£43m
His recent performances against Liverpool in particular have only highlighted how special he is even more, so it’s no surprise that he’s the fourth-most valuable teenager in the Premier League.
Mainoo’s incredibly fast progress to the top has also seen his estimated worth increase, to the point where he’s now worth even more than Mason Mount and Lisandro Martinez combined (£34m), according to CIES’ Football Observatory.
Football content creator Liam Canning is a huge fan of Mainoo, labelling him “generational” after his goal at the weekend against Jurgen Klopp’s side, but it’s the sheer consistency of his displays that make him one of a kind.
If he continues to perform at the level he’s shown this season, then it’s fair to say that Man United do not only have one of the most promising talents in the Premier League on their hands, but in the world, and his value is only going in one direction.
Market Movers
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