Over the last couple of years, Manchester United supporters have been crying out for smart additions in the transfer market to try and mount a charge for the Premier League title.
INEOS have been guilty of wasting a lorry load of money in the transfer market, which has no doubt played a huge part in their struggles over recent seasons.
Michael Carrick has been the latest beneficiary of their spending in the transfer market, with over £150m being spent on bolstering the midfield department.
However, despite the huge investment, one player who was already on the books at Old Trafford before the recent summer window commenced has been the biggest star in midfield this term.
Why Mainoo is Carrick’s most important midfielder
Despite the arrivals of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba, academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo has remained United’s most influential midfielder.
The Englishman has resurrected his career under Carrick’s guidance after massively falling down the pecking order during Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford.
He’s now started four out of a possible five games in the Premier League this campaign, with his underlying stats demonstrating why he’s so important to the manager.
Mainoo has completed the highest pass accuracy rate of any player in Carrick’s squad, with his tally of 93% passes completed ranking him in the top 3% of players in England’s top flight.
Such numbers demonstrate his ability to impact the play from deep-lying positions, with the likes of Santos and Tielemans unable to emulate such qualities.
|
PL mins for Man Utd midfielders (2026/27) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
PL minutes |
|
1 |
Bruno Fernandes |
450 |
|
2 |
Youri Tielemans |
402 |
|
3 |
Kobbie Mainoo |
355 |
|
4 |
Andrey Santos |
84 |
|
5 |
Mason Mount |
11 |
|
6 |
Carlos Baleba |
0 |
Even without the ball, the 21-year-old has managed to catch the eye this term, subsequently making 1.5 interceptions per 90 – also the highest of any player in Carrick’s squad.
His performances have demonstrated that the academy could play a huge role in the club’s future and ambitions of finally ending their wait for a league title.
How Man United can land an elite-level Mainoo
Despite the recent flurry of activity within the transfer market, INEOS are still on the hunt for added additions to bolster Carrick’s squad for the immediate future.
It remains to be seen how much the board would be willing to invest in improving the side, especially after seemingly losing faith in the players recently added to the senior squad.
Countless players have continued to be touted with a move to Old Trafford, but none quite as frequently as Elliot Anderson despite his recent move to rivals Manchester City.
It’s been reported by Football Insider that the Red Devils are at the front of the queue and ready to sign the England international should Enzo Maresca’s men suffer a huge points deduction and suffer relegation.
The report states that the Citizens would have to cash in countless big-money stars should they be sanctioned, with Carrick still a huge admirer of the 23-year-old.
Even despite their potential expulsion from the Premier League, any deal could cost a small fortune after he moved to the Etihad for a fee in the region of £116m this summer.
Regardless of the money involved, the deal would be a phenomenal one for Carrick’s men, as Anderson is a player who would improve the options at his disposal tenfold.
When comparing his figures to those of Mainoo from the ongoing campaign, he’s managed to outperform in countless key areas at both ends of the pitch.
The City star has averaged a remarkable tally of 22.8 line-breaking passes per 90 so far this campaign – a tally which is over two times higher than that of the United man.
His subsequent figure is also the highest of any player in the Premier League throughout 2026/27 – further showcasing his phenomenal tally with the ball at his feet.
Even without the ball, Anderson, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by Statman Dave, has managed to dominate his compatriot, subsequently making more tackles and interceptions per 90.
His tally of 2.8 per 90 for the former of the two figures also places him in the top 15% of players in the division – which demonstrates why he’s a more well-rounded talent than Mainoo.
Whilst a deal may be unlikely and one that would cost a small fortune, a move for the England international would be one that could complete Carrick’s midfield.
He’s undoubtedly a class above Mainoo at present, but his possible arrival could allow his fellow countryman to partner him at the base of the side and take his own career to the next level.
