There’s no two ways about it: Watching Kobbie Mainoo stroll around the Manchester United midfield has been a breath of fresh air this season.
In truth, it’s extremely fair to say that without the 18-year-old wonderkid, Erik ten Hag and his team would be much worse off.
The number 37’s influence on the side was apparent the second he made his Premier League debut against Everton, and he just keeps getting better and better, notably making his England debut and scoring a sumptuous curling effort against Liverpool.
However, despite his quality, there’s obviously plenty of room for him to develop even further, and the signing of one target could just see him reach new levels next season.
Man United are keen to sign a centre-back
According to a report from Spanish outlet Sport via SportWitness, Man United are interested in signing Mikayil Faye from Barcelona.
The centre-back is set to be at the centre of a transfer battle between multiple clubs, including Arsenal and Juventus.
However, Faye is currently contracted to the Spanish giant until 2027, and he has an enormous £340m release clause.
The 19-year-old has "shown willingness" to leave Barca in an attempt to receive more game time, but the club is keen to keep hold of the promising gem.
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ByTom LeverApr 9, 2024 How Faye could supercharge Mainoo
Faye only joined Barcelona from Croatian side Kustosija last summer, and since then, he’s failed to make a single competitive appearance for the first team.
This season, the 19-year-old has played 22 matches in the Primera Federacion (Spain's third tier) scoring four goals, and he recently featured on the bench for Barca against Las Palmas towards the end of March.
The defender has amazingly made his first senior start for Senegal before making his club debut for the Spanish giant, but he’s still impressed enough in the Barcelona Atletic side to attract potential suitors.
Nonetheless, on his debut for his nation against Gabon in a recent friendly, Faye scored his first international goal, but it was during his cameo in a friendly against Club America in December that he really shined.
As you can see below, it's instantly clear that the number 41 is extremely composed on the ball, with his technical ability allowing him to retain possession for his side, which United have struggled with in spells this season.
Touches
47
Pass accuracy
90%
Duels won
2/2
Tackles
1
Dribbled past
0
Interceptions
2
However, it’s his defensive dominance and athleticism that would inevitably make Mainoo much more impactful, with U23 football scout Antonio Mango labelling Faye one of “the biggest centre-backs in the world.”
That said, the 6 foot 1 defender is very physical and extremely difficult to get past due to his speed. The current issue for Ten Hag is the lack of dynamic defenders at the club, which often means that they are wary of playing a high line.
With the instruction for the midfielders to stay high with a man-to-man press, this often leaves huge gaps in the middle of the park, which is simply why they concede so many shots.
With the introduction of Faye, he could help decrease the space given to the opposition, in turn making Mainoo’s job so much easier from an out-of-possession perspective, which is scary considering he’s thriving while completing an impossible task.
Against Liverpool on Sunday, the United academy graduate was fantastic when undertaking his defensive duties, making five tackles, two interceptions, and being dribbled past on zero occasions.
However, that type of performance will only become more common with a profile like Faye at the back, with his signature potentially becoming a game-changer for United.