4
Kobbie Mainoo’s emergence has come as a huge bonus for Erik ten Hag, who has had to deal with Mason Mount and Casemiro’s lengthy absences this season.
In recent weeks, Mainoo has seamlessly established himself as one of the first names in Manchester United’s starting lineup.
Last Sunday, he partnered Scott McTominay in the middle of the park and delivered an outstanding performance, leaving Liverpool’s experienced midfielders chasing shadows with his mesmerising dribbling and ball control.
At the same time, the 18-year-old’s performances underline the underwhelming technical level of Man United’s midfield. Apart from him, no United midfielder is really capable of evading the press and dictating the play from deep areas.
One of INEOS’ biggest priorities this summer should be to find a midfielder or two who are capable of raising the technical floor of United so that Ten Hag does not have to frequently rely on a teenage sensation to grind out results.
In that regard, the Red Devils could find it very easy to upgrade their midfield as one of their targets has publicly expressed his desire to join a new club.
It has been widely reported that United are eyeing Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners. Early this month, it was claimed that the scouts of the Premier League giants monitored the Dutchman in his side’s clash against Juventus.
The 26-year-old not only impressed with his composure in the middle of the park, but he also grabbed the headlines by bagging a brace.
Now, Koopmeiners has intensified suggestions of his exit by revealing that he has already informed Atalanta of his desire to depart Bergamo at the end of the season.
In an interview with Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, he stated: “I have indicated to Atalanta that I want to make a move next summer. But there must be something very nice to exchange that for Atalanta.”
In the same interview, Koopmeiners quipped that he can “endure the rain for some clubs in England.” This specific part of the interview will certainly come as music to the ears of Mancunians as well as United fans around the globe.
The Netherlands international has played his best football this term as an attacking midfielder, but he has spent a big part of his career as a defensive midfielder.
Such is his talent and expertise in possession that Koopmeiners could thrive in any part of the field in the right setup.
However, United may face serious competition for his services. Napoli tried to sign him last summer and Koopmeiners also mentioned Juventus when talking about his alleged suitors ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
This website aggregates and curates news articles, blog posts, and other content from a variety of external sources. While we aim to link back to the original source, this site does not own or claim ownership of any articles, posts, or other content indexed on this site. The views, opinions, and factual statements expressed in each piece of aggregated content belong solely to its respective author and publisher. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of aggregated content. Visitors are advised to verify facts and claims through the original source before reuse or redistribution.
