NEXT GEMS: Kobbie Mainoo, United's Stockport Starlet

Kobbie Mainoo is the latest product of arguably one of the most renowned & successful academy's in world football.

The 5'7 Englishman recently put pen to paper after having his breakthrough season at the club, having been at the club since the age of nine. It's reported the teenager has penned a long term contract of four years with an option of a fifth.

Mainoo sees his long term future with United stating; 'to stay around the first team and to keep on getting more games is the ultimate goal,' he said. 'I want to stay at this club, I’ve been here my whole life.'

The midfielder made his debut for the club in United's home victory over Charlton in the Carabao Cup, a trophy United went on to win under Erik ten Hag for the first time.

The youngster was replaced by Brazil's new captain, Casemiro. The Brazilian is the ideal mentor for someone like Mainoo to learn off in the next few years & he's well aware of how good an opportunity it is for him.

'To be able to follow Casemiro closely and watch him in training is an honour and for him to come on for me is crazy.'

He is the ideal player for Erik ten Hag. Mainoo is capable of playing with the 6 & the 8 roles already with an eye for precise forward passes or wether to recognise when to slow a game down & dictate the tempo. Traits in which Casemiro is famed for; which will only bode well for Mainoo as he continues his development.

Mainoo has impressed in the Premier League 2 this season thus for scoring two & assisting two in thirteen games for the United U23s. 

The midfielder alongside fellow academy graduate, Alejandro Garnacho, played a key role in United's first FA Youth Cup victory in eleven years last season.

One of the reasons Erik ten Hag was brought in as Head Coach of Manchester United was his alignment with the United philosophy: winning with youth. Ten Hag has a proven track record for developing talent including Frenkie de Jong & Matthijs de Ligt during his time at Ajax.

With United having the seventh oldest squad in the Premier League, ten Hag will undoubtedly be looking to continue to bring in fresher faces in the transfer windows but whilst also continuing to integrate the young talent already at his disposal in the youth setup. Evident already with Garnacho's successful integration into the first team.

Head of United's Academy, Nick Cox has spoken of his pride of seeing Mainoo break into the first team & stating it's earned through merit.

“The manager [Ten Hag] doesn’t do favours. You play in the team if you’re good enough. You don’t get special treatment because you’re a young lad who’s come through the system, you’ve got to earn it. He’s done that and that’s great.”

Ten Hag has been encouraged with what he's seen from the young man from Stockport: 'For him (Mainoo) it's a great opportunity, he did very well during the winter camp in Spain. He also did very well against Everton in a friendly.

'He deserved to play, so I'm happy to give him the opportunity - it's about deserving it.'

United & ten Hag alike will relish the opportunity to see Mainoo with the first team during their Pre-Season tour of the US as the England U19 International failed to qualify with his country for the European Championships this upcoming summer.

With players such as Charlie Savage & Hannibal Mejbri loaned out this season, I feel others will join them in the next window, including Zidane Iqbal.

Ten Hag sees something extra in Kobbie Mainoo and with his build & presence on the ball at such a young age I feel he will be a talent to be nurtured within the first team during the next couple of years. I'm not sure a loan move would be a good move for him next season despite some reports.

A few years watching & learning from Casemiro whilst developing into a senior player will leave him in a fantastic position to possibly replace the Brazilian in a 'changing  of the guard'.