Manchester United’s sacred tryst with youth has been further strengthened under Erik ten Hag’s management due to the Dutchman’s determination to bring through players.
As such, United are in an enviable situation where they’ve unearthed a gem in both seasons with Ten Hag. Alejandro Garnacho was the find of the first summer and Kobbie Mainoo followed him.
Both have saved United millions in the transfer market and with the uncertainty in dealings, bringing through a player capable of slotting into the first-team is the dream scenario.
It has led to fans speculating as to who the next “Kobbie Mainoo” could be, in the sense that which player will be next to break into the senior team permanently and make himself a fixture in the squad.
These are the top three contenders to becomes this season’s “Kobbie Mainoo” for United-
(Note: Only players yet to appear for the senior team are deemed eligible).
Toby Collyer
Rarely has a 20-year-old prospect yet to make his first-team debut for United created this much noise around the club as Toby Collyer has.
Generally, highly-rated prospects make their debuts by 20 or depart the club on loan if they are not deemed to be ready.
Collyer, however, has not only stayed at the club, but the special esteem Ten Hag hold in him has been clear from the outset.
He was the player Ten Hag gave a special talking to after last season’s FA Cup final. He is the only player out of recent contract signings who had Ten Hag with them for the announcement, and finally, he has received a new squad number despite him having yet to make his debut for the club.
If that is not enough evidence that a star has been anointed, then nothing is.
A classic defensive midfielder more in the mold of Manuel Ugarte than Kobbie Mainoo, his breakout could save United millions in the market if Casemiro departs, as is expected.
Harry Amass
The injury crisis on the left last season forced Ten Hag to get creative to fill the void left by Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
However, the situation of both remains delicate, which also explains why United are in the market for a left-back this summer as well. However, a name that kept appearing even last season, as fans urged Ten Hag to give him a chance, was Harry Amass.
The flying full-back signed from Watford at 16 has flown up the ranks to play for the U21s at just 17. The manager’s preference for Diogo Dalot over Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the right makes it clear what kind of fullback he prefers.
Amass is exactly that, showing the kind of dynamism and explosiveness that made Shaw stand out at Southampton as a teenager prodigy.
Pre-season is an important time for him and making an impression there could lead an opening for the slot which is there for the taking.
Jack Kingdon
Manchester United’s defensive team is undergoing a massive overhaul with many departing, some joining, and an all-around uncertainty about what it could look like.
That is the perfect situation for a youngster to step in, raise his hand, and make a position his own. Jack Kingdon is fresh off signing his first professional contract, riding a wave of momentum as a key player for the U18s who won the league last season.
Ten Hag has shown a tendency to give more chances to young midfielders and defenders than he has to forwards as he stresses the importance of patterns of play that only come with playing together. That is extremely important in attack, more so than defence.
If Kingdon can stand out with aggressive defending in the pre-season, then he could slot in that Willy Kambwala slot of playing for the U21s but training with the first team and making intermittent senior appearances.