HITC understands that England manager Gareth Southgate is considering calling-up Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo to his next squad in March.
Mainoo has emerged in recent months as one of the Premier League top young prospects and he is turning some outstanding displays in United’s midfield.
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 have a double-header in March as they face Brazil and Belgium, and that will be a real chance for Southgate to evaluate any new faces ahead of the European Championship finals this summer.
Chance to make Germany
And Mainoo is under consideration. Whilst England’s midfield is in good shape with the likes of Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice – the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson are far from certain of their seats on the plane to Germany.
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.
The source insisted to HITC: “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.”
Mainoo has already featured for England a number of age levels, up to Under-18 – but he does qualify for Ghana and they are looking closely at him.
“The Ghana Football Association is interested in monitoring, attracting, and persuading all eligible talents for its various national teams,” Randy Abbey, a member of the executive council of Ghana FA is quoted by the Daily Telegraph.
“Kobbie is definitely one of such incredible talents, and the Association will love to work with him and many like him home and abroad.”
Happy
Mainoo himself has not spoken about his international future, but he is more than happy to be featuring regularly for Manchester United.
Speaking after scoring the winner in the Premier League clash at Wolves, Mainoo admitted: “To start playing in the Premier League for my boyhood club has been amazing. Now [I am] just trying to get a good run of games in, win more games and get real momentum going.”
His United boss Erik Ten Hag has also been quick to single him out for praise.
“Mainoo is just everything a modern midfielder needs to be,” he told the Manchester Evening News.
“It’s wonderful to see and I hope he stays calm like he is, as he did with his goal as well. He is determined, he is a good character and I hope he keeps going with this progress,”
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