“We have played in the England U21 together and the connection between me and him is Massive we where unstoppable-i want Sir Jim Ratcliffe to Sign him in the summer for Manchester United.”

In the very contested position in center midfield, Kobbie Mainoo is already considered a lock to start for Manchester United.

Neglect the fact that there is a Brazilian international player with five Champions League medals in his prize collection. Or an international player from Denmark who has over 130 caps. Or even the captain of the team, a patron saint throughout yet another trying season.

In the center of United’s engine room right now, it’s not Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, or even Bruno Fernandes. It’s Mainoo, eighteen.

For the next eight (maybe nine) games of the season, Mainoo plus one other player will comprise Erik ten Hag’s starting lineup. Right now, Casemiro is the preferred partner, and the two have developed a partnership that kind of works in the middle of the field. Mainoo’s fast feet, skill with the ball, and pure enthusiasm complement the Brazilian’s defensive acumen and experience.

For the Stockport kid, the ascent to fame has been supersonic. Not only has he established himself in the United starting lineup, but despite just making his debut as a late replacement against Brazil last month, he is very likely to be included in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 team.

Who to partner Mainoo with for the next season is United’s conundrum. Casemiro, who is 32 years old and a waning force, is the natural pick to accompany the young player right now. Neither his overall fitness record nor his legs are what they once were. If a good suitor comes along, he could depart this summer.

Eriksen is another Ten Hag purchase whose flame burnt brilliantly but too quickly, and he too is probably leaving Old Trafford this summer. While Scott McTominay’s once faltering United career has been spectacularly revived this season to the extent that a new contract may be due, he will undoubtedly still be seen more as a squad player than a consistent starter in the center of midfield if Sir Jim Ratcliffe is to realise his aim of chasing down Man City & Co. Fernandes, meanwhile, will continue to be the inspiration, but more likely in an advanced position.

This summer, United will need a powerful central midfielder, and Mainoo has already said who his dream partner would be. The young athlete was asked which past United player he would most want to play with in a Q&A with mufc.com.

It should come as no surprise that legend Paul Scholes is his response. Their style of play, ball manipulation, and goal-scoring ability are quite similar. Scholes is third on the list of all-time appearances and has 11 Premier League championships to his credit.

He said, “I’d say Paul Scholes,” to the query. “But between the two of us, there may not be much defending! However, Scholes, yes. Absolutely, Scholes.

“[Due to] every circumstance. His departure, his gait, his ability to close. His knowledge. He was a fantastic player, really.

Although Mainoo is correct that there may not be much defensive work if the two of them were coupled in center midfield, someone like Scholes may not seem like the ideal match for him on the surface. Scholes was undoubtedly an offensive powerhouse in his early career, arriving into the box late and scoring some incredible goals.

However, Scholes was more comfortable playing a deep-lying playmaker position in the second part of his United career, which fit his exceptional passing skills and ability to control the game’s tempo. Scholes was the best player in the Premier League at setting the pace of a game and possessed the range of passing that made him known as “SatNav.”

Even though Scholes was never good at tackling—as seen by his 97 yellow cards and Arsene Wenger’s criticism of him for being “dirty”—he understood how to get in there, break off attacks, and then set up a counterattack for United.

These are the qualities that United’s center of midfield currently lacks. None of the midfield players provide much control, and Casemiro in particular gives up ball much too often. This season in the Premier League, his pass completion percentage is a pitiful 82%. United ranks lower than teams like Fulham and Newcastle in the league with the 10th-best possession statistics.