Manchester United likely has the most proud history of converting academy products into first team players and making them into superstars among all the traditional “big six” clubs.

As a matter of fact, the United team of the mid-1990s was, if memory serves us well, only marginally successful. This is why “you can’t win anything with kids,” perhaps one of the most famous football sayings of the past thirty years, was coined.

Whether he likes it or not, Marcus Rashford is still one of Erik ten Hag’s most vital players, and Kobbie Mainoo’s rise indicates that the team will continue to produce stars for the first team.

Man, UTD, Debbie, and Mainoo

For every player who succeeds, many fail, yet one who didn’t quite measure up is now doing well outside of the Theatre of Dreams, drawing comparisons to past greats and possibly even being superior to Mainoo.

Mainoo’s ascent

In January 2023, Mainoo made his United debut in an EFL Cup matchup with Charlton Athletic. Despite not scoring, he contributed to the team’s 3-0 victory at home by playing the whole sixty minutes.

Kobbie Mainoo gives Manchester United a goal.

He would make a few more brief appearances in the FA Cup and Premier League, but he remained primarily with the younger teams until the next season, when he was finally given the opportunity to prove his abilities to the world.

The 19-year-old gem played in 32 games for Ten Hag’s team last season, scoring five goals (including a spectacular goal against Liverpool) and dishing out one assist. This works out to an average of one goal every 5.33 games, which is pretty good for a young midfielder in a team that had some dysfunction.

The talent from Stockport attracted so much attention throughout the campaign that England manager Gareth Southgate chose to send him to Germany for the European Championships. He started every game from the round of 16 all the way up to the championship, making six appearances overall.

Though another former Red Devil who recently joined the England team may be an even greater player than the 19-year-old, Mainoo appears to be just the next in a long line of superstars produced by United.

The ascent of Angel Gomes

Yes, the player in issue is none other than Angel Gomes, a fellow midfield talent who signed for LOSC Lille on a free transfer in the summer of 2020 after his contract expired, having failed to make the first team.

The Manchester United Angels

The young player was immediately sent on loan to Boavista, a team in Portugal, where he played for a season. During that time, he made enough of an impression to be added to Les Dogues’ roster for the next season, and then to the starting lineup for the season after that.

Dann Webber, a former United academy graduate, compared the 24-year-old to Paul Scholes because of his capacity to “dictate a game with his intelligence.” There are, nevertheless, a few further parallels.

The first is their physical similarity—both men are under 5 feet 6 inches tall—and the second is their ability to play a variety of positions.

The Lille star has switched to a role that sees him play more regularly in midfield, but in the past, he has played all over the field, much like the legendary Manchester United player was occasionally switched around on the field between club and national team matches.

angel-gomes-lille

Having said that, how does Gomes, who was once referred to as a “wonderkid” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, compare to the present United player? Both players can play in defensive and central midfield, and they are expected to be included in the upcoming England team. The Lille star does, however, start more games in attacking midfield, and their productivity differs accordingly.

For instance, the Lille player scored two goals and gave ten assists last season, indicating that he is the superior creator of the two, despite the 19-year-old’s five goals and one assist.

Gomes versus Mainoo

Participant

Gomes

Mainoo

Looks

45

32

Objectives

2.

5.

Helps

10

1.

Goal Contributions Each Game

0.26

0.18

Every stat through Transfermarkt

That being said, it would be difficult to find a United supporter who would choose Gomes over Mainoo, even though he now appears to be a somewhat more dangerous player.

Therefore, even if it would have been ideal for the Red Devils to hold onto the gifted midfield player, everyone concerned has benefited somewhat from his departure in 2020.