Return date announced: Man united confirm when Kobbie Mainoo will be back as player set to be back sooner than expected
The cold, winter nights at Leigh Sports Village were often made worthwhile by youngster Kobbie Mainoo last season.
Manchester United’s academy play at Leigh and Mainoo’s development was a pleasure to follow. He’d been instrumental in the 2021/22 FA Youth Cup triumph and he made a faultless transition to playing in the Premier League 2.
Mainoo’s performances in the academy were rewarded with a first-team debut against Charlton in the League Cup and was given his Premier League debut a few weeks later, so it always felt inevitable he’d be the breakout star of pre-season.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’ve been at this club all my life and it’s all led to tonight,” said Mainoo after his debut in January. “To have my family here watching me, surrounding me, it’s just amazing. All my immediate family were here.
“I think bringing anyone else would be too much! They were all here, supporting me, and I waved to them after the game. The team sheet was put up and I was starting, so it was a bit of a shock but I thought, I’ve got to do a job.
“There were a few butterflies but it was more just excitement. I played at Old Trafford in the Youth Cup final and I remember that feeling. It was amazing and to have it again was brilliant.”
Sources have described Mainoo as a likeable, hard-working and polite youngster and what some don’t know is he was in Staffordshire to support his Under-18 teammates against Stoke fewer than 24 hours after making his first-team debut.
Mainoo was back in Manchester the following morning for first-team training and when talking to people close to the player, you get the impression he possesses not only the talent but the required mentality to succeed.
The midfielder was only absent from Premier League matchday squads at the end of last season due to a minor injury and it was no surprise to see Erik ten Hag start him in every meaningful pre-season friendly in the summer.
Mainoo started against Leeds, Lyon, Arsenal and Real Madrid and he wasn’t part of the youthful, academy squad that played Wrexham in San Diego, which further confirmed he was viewed as part of the first-team.
Ahead of the pre-season tour of the States, the MEN revealed Mainoo had been informed he was not leaving on loan and that he’d have a first-team role in the new campaign and that was reflected by his starts in the USA.
The question was – following impressive performances against Leeds and Lyon in Europe – could Mainoo perform across the Atlantic against high-quality opposition? He certainly did and he grabbed the opportunities with both hands.
Mainoo was silky and composed against Arsenal and held his own against Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz. The strongest team available was named to play Real Madrid next and starting Mainoo felt significant.
The 18-year-old started alongside Casemiro and Mason Mount in midfield, who were up against Luka Modric, Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni, so there was bound to be no hiding place for the youngster.
