Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has already given his thoughts on Kobbie Mainoo as he is linked with a potential move away from the club.
Ferguson, 83, won 13 Premier League titles during his time at Man United and is widely regarded as the best manager ever to manage in England.
However, since his departure from the club back in 2013, the Red Devils have failed to win the league or Champions League.
But one thing has remained: the emphasis on bringing young talent through the academy.
Over the past decade or so, the likes of Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay and Mainoo, 19, have made the step up to senior level.
Ferguson managed some of United’s best academy graduates during his tenure at the club – with Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes just a few of the players who came through the ranks in the early 1990s.
So, given the emphasis put on academy players, losing Mainoo would be unthinkable. The England international is currently one of United’s lowest-paid players, earning around £20,000 per week, according to Capology.
It has been widely reported that contract negotiations between the player’s representatives and Man Utd have been ongoing for some time.
Kobbie Mainoo’s future is unclear (Credit:Getty)
On March 4, the Mail issued an update on the situation and explained that while “fresh talks” were ongoing between Mainoo and the club, his “representatives want a pay rise to £180,000-a-week plus bonuses which would bring him in line with his teammates”.
But on March 7, The Guardian released a shock report explaining how the 19-year-old is “minded to reject” the offer put to him as he is considering a “move abroad”.
Of course, the sale of ‘homegrown’ players represents ‘pure profit’ from a PSR point of view, with United considering the player to be worth around £70m.
What but does Ferguson think?
Well, when speaking to TikTok star Jamal Niaz last year, the Scot gave his thoughts on Mainoo and his fellow youngster Alejandro Garnacho.
“It’s the foundation, isn’t it?” Ferguson said. “It’s the heart and soul of what Manchester United has been since the days of Sir Matt Busby, who started the whole process of trusting young players playing.
“They’re young. What they’re showing at the moment, the composure and confidence to play in the first-team, and not be daunted by it.”
“In a way, it shows you the kind of courage they have,” he added. “It’s a distinction in human beings, some have the will to be that [fearless at a young age].”
