Manchester United’s promising young midfielder, Kobbie Mainoo, has shared that he looks to former Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets as a source of inspiration for developing his football craft.

The 19-year-old has made an impressive impact at Old Trafford during his breakthrough season in 2023/24, scoring five goals in 33 appearances. Alongside United talents Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho, Mainoo has even been likened to the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo after replicating one of the Portuguese star’s famous goal celebrations, stirring excitement among fans.

Mainoo’s standout performances highlight his potential in a team that has struggled for consistency in recent years.

Reflecting on the players who have influenced his style, Mainoo told *GQ*, “I like to watch [Sergio] Busquets, the way he used to turn. Players like [Clarence] Seedorf, [Luka] Modric. Players like Yaya Toure – I like the way he used to play.”

Discussing his approach on the field, Mainoo added, “I see a guy here, then I’ll turn this way. Or if I don’t have to do that, I can just bounce out. I don’t think, like, I’m gonna turn here… it’s more that if the defender gives me an option, then I’m gonna take it.”

Busquets, a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, became a pillar of the team, accumulating 722 appearances before moving to Inter Miami. Watching the Spanish great has impacted Mainoo’s game, helping him refine the balance between decision-making and natural skill.

Reflecting on his journey at United, Mainoo also expressed what it means to be part of the club’s proud tradition of nurturing young talent: “I feel like at United it’s very much in the history that they play young players, going all the way back to the Busby Babes. There’s big writing up on the wall [at Carrington] saying, ‘If they’re good enough, they’re old enough.'”

Currently sidelined due to injury, Mainoo last featured for United in October against Aston Villa. His return to the squad is eagerly awaited as he looks to continue his promising trajectory and make a lasting mark on the pitch.

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Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo has been recognized as the best holding midfielder under the age of 23 in the world by the CIES Football Observatory for the 2023/24 season.

Caicedo joined Chelsea for a British record fee of £115 million in the summer of 2023, after impressing in the Premier League with Brighton & Hove Albion. While Liverpool initially reached an agreement with Brighton for a slightly lower fee, Chelsea’s increased bid secured the Ecuadorian’s signature.

Despite only having one full Premier League season under his belt, Caicedo’s performances earned him a rating of 86.7 out of 100 by the CIES Football Observatory, placing him ahead of notable young talents like Eduardo Camavinga (83.1), Warren Zaire-Emery (81.6), Kobbie Mainoo (80.2), and Ryan Gravenberch (79.0).

Though Chelsea struggled during the 2023/24 season, Caicedo’s individual displays affirmed his status as one of the brightest young midfielders in world football.

Top U2⃣3⃣ holding midfielders* 🌐
🥇 #MoisesCaicedo 🇪🇨 (#Chelsea)
🥈 #EduardoCamavinga 🇫🇷 (#RealMadrid)
🥉 #WarrenZaireEmery 🇫🇷 (#PSG)
4⃣ #KobbieMainoo 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (#ManUtd)
5⃣ #RyanGravenberch 🇳🇱 (#LFC)
* Last year performances
More 👉 https://t.co/P0Ohpx4Mt7 pic.twitter.com/DZk6jdtMzh

— CIES Football Obs (@CIES_Football) September 24, 2024

Skeptics were quick to highlight the contributions of other young stars like Eduardo Camavinga, who played a key role in Real Madrid’s rare La Liga and Champions League double, and Warren Zaire-Emery, who made 43 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain, helping them win Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France. Similarly, Kobbie Mainoo’s breakthrough at Manchester United coincided with their FA Cup triumph.

Despite these achievements, Moisés Caicedo’s performances appeared to align more closely with the criteria set by the CIES Football Observatory, enabling him to score the highest.

The 22-year-old has been a pivotal figure for Chelsea this season, playing almost every minute in the Premier League. He has only been rested for the Carabao Cup and the second leg of the club’s Conference League play-off. His leadership qualities have also shone through, having captained the team twice, against Bournemouth and Servette.

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The list of nominees for the 2024 Kopa Trophy has been announced, highlighting some of the brightest young talents in football. Among the nominees are Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, both of whom have made a significant impact during the 2023/24 season.

The Kopa Trophy, awarded annually to the best-performing under-21 player in the world, is voted on by previous Ballon d’Or winners.

Past recipients of the prestigious award include stars like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. The winner will be revealed during the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on October 28, 2024.

Manchester United is well represented, with both Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho making the shortlist. Despite the challenges faced by the club during the season, these two young players stood out, with Mainoo even earning a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal also secured a nomination following his impressive performances, including becoming the youngest-ever player to score in the European Championships, just days before turning 17. His contributions were instrumental in Spain’s triumph over England in the Euro 2024 final.

Other notable nominees include Real Madrid’s Arda Guler, Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi, Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel, Manchester City’s Savinho, PSG’s Joao Neves and Warren Zaire-Emery, and RB Salzburg’s Karim Konate.

These young talents have been recognized for their outstanding performances, making them strong contenders for the Kopa Trophy.

Kopa Trophy 2024 nominees

• Warren Zaire-Emery
• Lamine Yamal
• Mathys Tel
• Savinho
• Joao Neves
• Kobbie Mainoo
• Karim Konate
• Arda Guler
• Alejandro Garnacho
• Pau Cubarsi

Here are our 2024 Kopa Trophy nominees! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/4bkfIV7iaD

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 4, 2024

When is the Kopa Trophy winner announced?

The Kopa Trophy will be awarded to the best young footballer on October 28 at an award ceremony at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France.

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The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has unveiled the six-player shortlist for the 2023/24 Young Player of the Year award. This prestigious award is open to footballers aged 21 and under at the start of the season, with the winner being chosen by votes from active PFA union members.

Bukayo Saka, who won the 2022/23 award, is in the running to defend his title after being nominated again for the following season. Saka, who turned 22 in September 2023, just made the age cut-off by one month.

The Arsenal winger had another stellar season, contributing 16 goals and nine assists in 35 Premier League games as Arsenal finished as runners-up to Manchester City for the second consecutive year.

Manchester United has two players on the shortlist: Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho. Garnacho, already a key member of the first team, registered seven goals and four assists across 36 appearances.

Meanwhile, Mainoo had a breakout season after recovering from an ankle injury, scoring three goals and providing one assist in 24 games from midfield.

Cole Palmer is another strong contender for the award after a remarkable debut season with Chelsea. He delivered 33 goal involvements—22 goals and 11 assists—in just 33 matches, marking him as one of the frontrunners.

Brighton & Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro, one of the two nominees not from a traditional ‘big six’ club, impressed after his summer move from Watford. He played 31 games for the Seagulls, netting nine goals and providing three assists.

The final nominee, Michael Olise, now with Bayern Munich, earned his place on the shortlist following a standout final season with Crystal Palace. Despite playing only 19 games, Olise managed to score ten goals and provide six assists before his move to Germany in July.

The winners of the PFA awards will be announced on August 20.

PFA Young Player of the Year. 🏆
 
The Top Six. Chosen by the players. ⬇️
 #PFAawards pic.twitter.com/bU5tOTgKIy

— Professional Footballers' Association (@PFA) August 12, 2024

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As Euro 2024 approaches, the Three Lions are poised to make another strong bid for European glory after their heartbreaking defeat three years ago.

Notable absentees from the squad include Marcus Rashford, Jordan Henderson, and Raheem Sterling, who have been mainstays in England’s recent tournament campaigns.

Nevertheless, England boasts an impressive lineup featuring stars like Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Bukayo Saka, positioning them as formidable contenders for the title in Germany.

Manager Gareth Southgate, at the helm since 2016, has also injected fresh talent into the squad, providing opportunities for players like Curtis Jones, Jarell Quansah, Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo, and others to showcase their skills before the final squad selection of 26 players just prior to the start of Euro 2024.

While England’s Lionesses secured UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 glory two summers ago, the men’s team is still in pursuit of their first-ever European Championship title. Despite coming agonizingly close in Euro 2020, reaching the final only to lose a tense penalty shootout against Italy at Wembley Stadium, the hunger for major silverware remains as strong as ever, echoing the nation’s last triumph in the 1966 World Cup.

33-player preliminary England squad – Euro 2024

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

England’s Euro 2024 fixtures

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The nominees for the 2023-24 Premier League Young Player of the Season award have been unveiled, featuring Erling Haaland among the contenders.

Phil Foden and Cole Palmer emerge as frontrunners for the Premier League Young Player of the Year title. Manchester City’s Foden and Chelsea’s Palmer lead the pack of nominees, with six other talented individuals vying for the prestigious accolade.

Defending champion Erling Haaland from Manchester City is aiming to retain his title, while Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo also enters the fray.

The 2023-24 Premier League Young Player of the Season nominees are in ✨ pic.twitter.com/URELmfiQGA

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 9, 2024

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and William Saliba showcase strong potential, while Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie impresses after a stellar debut season. Newcastle’s Alexander Isak completes the list of nominees.

Cole Palmer, 22, earns recognition for his outstanding debut season, contributing 21 league goals and nine assists following his summer transfer from Manchester City to Chelsea. Foden, too, garners praise for his remarkable season, positioning him as a strong candidate for the main Player of the Year award.

Arsenal’s Saka and Saliba play pivotal roles in the club’s title challenge, while Mainoo shines amidst a challenging season for Manchester United. Isak’s performances for Newcastle propel them into contention for European football despite squad injuries.

The winner, selected from the eight nominees, will be determined through a combination of public voting, concluding on May 13, and decisions by a panel of football experts, with the announcement scheduled for Saturday, May 18.

Taking the Premier League by storm 💥

Vote now for your 2023/24 @Hublot Young Player of the Season! 🗳️#PLAwards

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 9, 2024

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Kobbie Mainoo has disclosed the content of manager Erik ten Hag’s halftime speech, which played a pivotal role in Manchester United’s comeback to secure a 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday.

Initially trailing during the first half due to Luis Diaz’s goal, the Red Devils struggled, managing only one shot compared to Liverpool’s 15.

However, Bruno Fernandes‘ remarkable strike from inside the center circle capitalized on Jarell Quansah’s error, leveling the score. Shortly after, midfield sensation Mainoo seized the opportunity, propelling United ahead with his first senior goal at Old Trafford in the 67th minute.

With a rejuvenated performance in the second half, Manchester United attempted nine more shots. The 18-year-old Mainoo provided insight into the halftime pep talk delivered by manager Ten Hag, which spurred the team’s resurgence.

He told the BBC: “[Ten Hag] said to get ourselves back into the game, there was some positives but we were behind in this type of fixture, it is going to be tough to take.

“You always have to find something against these teams, it was such a big game.”

Mainoo’s goal saw United lead for 17 minutes before a penalty from Mohamed Salah nullified his effort and brought the score to 2-2.

Ten Hag also shared his mixed feelings with the point, which kept United in sixth place in the league.

He said: “Very mixed emotions. On one side, I am disappointed that we have dropped seven points in one week, after being in winning positions, but we have to blame ourselves for making stupid mistakes.

“On the other side, I am very proud. You see how we are improving and the potential of this squad is amazing. I am proud. In decisive areas, we were losing battles, especially with young players, we were not confident to win them [duels].

“We encouraged [them] in the second half to do better and they stepped up.”

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In a thrilling Premier League match at Molineux on Thursday, Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford scored the opening goal, and Kobbie Mainoo netted a superb late winner, securing a 4-3 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Despite being left out of United’s 4-2 Cup win over Newport County, Rashford made a notable return by scoring the opening goal just five minutes into the match. He then played a role in assisting Luke Shaw, who set up Rasmus Hojlund for the second goal in the 22nd minute.

Wolves managed to pull one back when substitute Pablo Sarabia converted a penalty in the 71st minute, but Scott McTominay, entering the game as a substitute, swiftly restored United’s two-goal lead in the 75th minute.

The match reached a thrilling climax with Max Kilman scoring for the Wolves in the 85th minute and Pedro Neto leveling in stoppage time. However, Kobbie Mainoo’s strike in the 97th minute secured the win for Manchester United, propelling them to seventh in the table with 35 points, while Wolves sit in 11th place with 29 points.

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