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Just as all hope seemed lost, young Kobbie Mainoo stepped up to hand Manchester United a 4-3 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Thursday.
It felt like Erik ten Hag’s strange substitution calls had led to the team dropping two points but for the academy graduate.
His injury-time winner capped off what has been an incredible breakthrough campaign so far for the 18-year-old.
He has made 12 appearances in all competitions, starting the last eight games in a row while scoring two on the bounce.
Mainoo’s rise
Since becoming a regular, he has earned a massive wage increase while the club are planning a new contract offer for the England U19 international.
Ghana have been monitoring his meteoric rise and want the United midfielder to shift his allegiance to the African nation, where he qualifies to play though his parents.
Mainoo has represented England in three age-groups and Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate was said to be very eager in keeping hold of the starlet.
HITC Football have claimed that Southgate is planning to call-up the Englishman for the March friendlies against Belgium and Brazil.
“HITC understands that England manager Gareth Southgate is considering calling-up Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo to his next squad in March.
“Sources with knowledge of the situation have now confirmed to HITC that Southgate and his coaching staff have been making checks on Mainoo and they are seriously looking at a call-up.
England call-up beckons
“Southgate’s interest in Mainoo has emerged as Ghana look at potentially trying to persuade the 18-year-old to switch his international allegiance to them – however, HITC is told that the England chief’s interest in the teenager not connected to interest from elsewhere.
“England are not worried about losing players, and any interest in Mainoo is fully down his progress and nothing to do with any potential interest from other nations,” a source informed the outlet.
These games will allow the England manager to decide if the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson can be usurped.
The Peoples Person has already opined that the United youngster deserves to make the cut for the European Championships and Southgate might also be having similar thoughts.
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