Liverpool legend pinpoints the Man United star who can become “one of the best” in his role | OneFootball

Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann is taking a special interest in the development of Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo.

The 19-year-old rose to the scene during the 2022/23 campaign, earning a promotion to the first team despite his tender age. Slowly but surely he cemented himself as a regular starter in Erik ten Hag’s starting lineup, while the arrival of Ruben Amorim hasn’t derailed his momentum, as he continues to feature week in week out.

Therefore, Hamann has been keeping a close eye on Mainoo, as he believes he could become the next big thing in the Premier League.

The 51-year-old German feels the youngster has all the makings of a top-notch midfielder, but urges him to add more goals to his tally in order to round up his game.

“I think Kobbie Mainoo is a very interesting player,” said the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star in his interview with Genting Casino (via the Mirror).“The way he played for England in the summer was impressive. For a young boy to come in like that and score important goals last season shows the kind of talent he has.

“He can defend and attack, which is a good thing. In midfield, you need players with different qualities that complement each other. Mainoo has discipline, and if he wants it, he could be one of the best holding players. But then again, he’s got a trick in his locker and knows how to score goals. If he develops as a number eight, he’ll need to be hitting six, seven, or eight goals from open play a season. He’s capable of doing that if he puts his mind to it.”

Dietmar Hamann envisions a big future for Man United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo

Moreover, Hamann feels Mainoo needs to be paired with a solid holding midfielder to unlock his best version, as evidenced by his national team partnership with Arsenal’s Declan Rice.

“If you play him next to a Declan Rice, as he does for England, he can play higher up. Over the next few years, Mainoo will be the one I’m most interested in watching.”

This season, Mainoo has made 14 appearances across all competitions, by has yet to contribute with a goal or an assist.