Man Utd ready to sign the next Kobbie Mainoo

This writer was there for Kobbie Mainoo‘s real breakout moment in May 2022, the then-16-year-old starting in midfield as Manchester United claimed the FA Youth Cup in front of a bumper Old Trafford crowd.

There’s no denying that two-goal hero, Alejandro Garnacho, was the headline attraction for United’s U18 side then, but there remained a buzz around Mainoo too. It was easy to see why.

Even then, it felt clear that the Stockport native was destined for big things, a class above his colleagues despite having been among the youngest of the lot.

In the years since, many of that starting lineup and squad have flown the nest, but Mainoo remains front and centre under this new Michael Carrick regime.

Kobbie Mainoo & Co: Where Man Utd’s 2022 FA Youth Cup side is now

It hasn’t quite been a repeat of the Class of 92, but the 2022 crop can be considered a successful bunch, with starting goalkeeper, Radek Vitek, only recently sealing a £7m move to Middlesbrough, having been Bristol City’s Player of the Year last season out on loan.

For the rest of the backline, recent years have largely been spent in the lower leagues of English football, with Louis Jackson – who was a late call-up to replace Tyler Fredricson – the only one of the four still at the club.

Looking to the midfield, it was Mainoo who sparkled in the number six role alongside Dan Gore, the latter man in line for another temporary or potentially a permanent exit from United this summer, after recent stints on loan at Rotherham.

Ahead of the young pairing, the playmaking berth belonged to Isak Hansen-Aaroen, the Norwegian subsequently moving on to Werder Bremen before joining Dutch side NEC Nijmegen in January. He’s still waiting to live up to his early potential.

On the flanks, Sam Mather now plies his trade in Turkey, while on the opposite side, the aforementioned Garnacho has seen his stock plummet in recent years, now on loan at Aston Villa following a wretched debut season at Chelsea.

Charlie McNeill, now of Sheffield Wednesday, led the line that day, while his replacement, Joe Hugill, is currently in a rich vein of form in Scotland, scoring 11 in his first 22 games for Kilmarnock after signing in January.

The other most notable member of the bench that day was Maxi Oyedele, the 22-year-old now a Poland international and a potential star in the making at Strasbourg, with eyebrows raised at the decision to sell him on the cheap.

At a time when midfield depth is needed, perhaps Oyedele could’ve aided proceedings. Alas, INEOS will need to look to the market again for reinforcements.

How Man Utd can sign the next Kobbie Mainoo

Carrick has demanded more incomings at Old Trafford, but the Englishman is clearly delighted with the business done so far, having hailed Andrey Santos as a “dream” this week, while talking up the merits of acquiring the experienced Youri Tielemans.

The search for a third midfielder goes on, however, and with Mason Mount again setback by injury, the need for a fresh face remains ever more evident.

A more long-term addition might well be Leicester City’s Louis Page, although United could be looking to another rising English star, in the form of Brighton and Hove Albion’s Jack Hinshelwood.

As per reports in England, INEOS are set to rival Arsenal for the signing of the 21-year-old, with the Gunners currently leading the race as things stand.

The Red Devils are keen to make a move of their own ‘in the coming days’, having already opened official talks with the player’s representatives.

A fee of between £43m and £51m is likely to be enough to secure an agreement, with Hinshelwood a wanted man following a sparkling, breakout 2025/26 campaign.

Now, he’s been a firm fixture of Brighton’s squad for the past few years, yet last season really felt like the breakthrough season for the versatile midfielder, as he scored and assisted seven goals in the Premier League.

Largely deployed at right-back or in a deep-lying role prior to that, the youngster appeared to flourish in a more advanced starting berth under Fabian Hurzeler, having also scored five times across 2024/25 too.

Like Mainoo, he’s in that mould of the modern young English midfielder, someone who is so technically gifted and so composed in possession, more inclined to impress on the ball than with what he does out of possession.

The pair have previously been part of the England U19 squad together, playing three games in total, with there hope that they can rekindle that relationship at Old Trafford.

Indeed, just like Mainoo has risen up through the ranks in Manchester, the Worthing-born Hinshelwood has done the same on the south coast, emerging as a central figure despite the raft of incomings at the Amex in recent times.

What is particularly impressive about his game is what he offers in the final third, ranking in the top 7% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals, as well as in the top 8% for shots and the top 5% for received through balls per 90.

In Mainoo’s case, his game is more centred on ball carrying, ranking in the top 2% for carry xThreat, essentially highlighting the level of impact he makes from ball carries. Hinshelwood is no slouch in that sense either, ranking in the top 7% in that regard.

The Seagulls star, like Mainoo, will have ambitions of his own to force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans at international level. Perhaps working alongside his compatriot, under Carrick’s watch, will be the perfect way to do just that.