Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag gave match-goers a glimpse into the future at Old Trafford last season, with Kobbie Mainoo one of several youngsters who made appearances in various competitions.
He picked midfielder Mainoo in his starting XI against Charlton Athletic in the Carabao Cup. Mainoo and several other youngsters were included in the matchday squad as United ran out 3-0 winners at home against the League One side.
Mainoo made further appearances later in the season, with an outing from the bench against Reading in United's FA Cup fourth round win in January. This was followed by a Premier League debut just a month later, with the then 17-year-old making an appearance from the bench against Leicester City.
Want to join our MUFC Pro club for a totally ad-free version of the MEN's Man United app packed with premium features? Click here.
READ MORE: United take Andre Onana risk amid 10-day transfer deadline
Mainoo, who turned 18 in April, operates principally as a central midfielder, having represented Cheadle & Gatley junior football club before joining United's academy. He has made stellar progress since, first joining Travis Binnion's Under-18 squad where he established himself as one of the Reds' most exciting young talents, before progressing to the U21s and also getting a taste of first team action.
He has represented England at various youth levels, with action for the under-17s, under-18s and under-19s. He is also eligible to represent Ghana. Last season he won the prestigious Jimmy Murphy young player of the year award, previously won by the likes of Marcus Rashford, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.
The Stockport born star won the FA Youth Cup in 2021 and he's since been promoted to United's Under-21 side. Mainoo has been a part of the United youth set-up since the age of nine and signed his first pro contract with the club back in May 2022.
He will now hope to push on, with United facing a busy pre season schedule as Ten Hag's side will travel to North America with some youth team players set for a taste of the action against Wrexham and potentially in other matches. It also seems the teenage star has been handed a new kit number for this season as well, with him seen wearing the number 37 during pre season training. However, this has yet to have been officially confirmed by the club. Here, MEN Sport takes a quick look at some basic information you need to know about Mainoo:
Name: Kobbie Mainoo
Date of birth: April 19, 2005
Squad number: 73
First team appearances: 3 (1 start)
Position: Midfielder
Nationality: England
Career history: Mainoo has developed into a creative midfielder after progressing through various age levels of United's youth ranks. He was handed his debut against Charlton in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford.
Follow the MEN's United coverage on TikTok and YouTube, and subscribe to the Manchester is Red podcast.
