There are now suggestions at Manchester United that Kobbie Mainoo has plenty of the qualities manager Erik ten Hag wanted to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong for, according to the Independent.
The Red Devils boss wanted to reunite with the Netherlands international upon his arrival at the Old Trafford club in the summer of 2022.
Man United were close to signing De Jong but the move eventually fell through, and there is even an argument that the team is still in some way adjusting to the fixation on signing the Barca star.
Ten Hag wanted the former Ajax midfielder because of his passing abilities and how he interpreted his game.
However, Man United ended up with Casemiro in the end, and it is no secret that the former Real Madrid star has a different skill set in comparison to De Jong.
Barcelona included a €400 million release clause in De Jong’s contract upon signing him from Ajax in 2019, but the Red Devils were close to landing him for just €65m before the deal collapsed.
He has since established himself as a key player under manager Xavi, and Man United have moved on.
The emergence of Mainoo has been one of the few positives for the Red Devils this term, and while he is just 18, he has the potential to become one of the best in his position in the Premier League in the near future.
The Man United academy graduate has only made four appearances across all competitions this season after an injury in pre-season ruled him out of the earlier months of the campaign, but he is slowly establishing himself as a key player under Ten Hag.
The young defensive midfielder has been very confident and composed on the pitch, with his top-notch passing and dribbling abilities earning him plaudits, and it is clear to see why Man United believe he is their answer to De Jong.
He will make mistakes and suffer a dip in form at times given his inexperience, but his future is very bright given his technical ability, game awareness and strength in one-against-one duels, and it is safe to say the Red Devils have a potential world-class player on their hands.
