There will continue to be a tiresome debate over Thomas Tuchel’s selection decisions ahead of Wednesday’s opening game against Croatia, but as Manchester United manager Koby Mainu is well aware, the team that starts a tournament is rarely the one that finishes it.
Back in 2024, for example, the then-teenager had just made his senior debut for England in March, only a few months since making his first Premier League start, when he forced himself into manager Gareth Southgate’s plans late that day.
Southgate got off to a strong start at Euro 2024, testing Trent Alexander-Arnold in central midfield, but it was Mainu who secured a starting place alongside Declan Rice in the finals, with a particularly brilliant performance in the semi-final victory over the Netherlands.
With all the talk of Elliott Anderson, don’t be surprised if we see the 21-year-old back on the tally this summer after a fantastic season under manager Michael Carrick.
Whatever happens at the World Cup, Mainu is certain to be a mainstay at the start of the 2026/27 season, and all attention is now focused on finding a suitable partner in the center of the park.
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The World Cup and major summer tournaments are often a frustrating obstacle to getting deals over the line, but on current evidence that doesn’t seem to be a problem for the Red Devils.
Jason Wilcox and others have already reached an agreement to sign Atalanta star Ederson, with the 26-year-old due to join permanently at the beginning of July despite a delay in his call-up to the Brazil squad.
The former Turin man will undoubtedly be the first of many to arrive at Old Trafford, particularly in the midfield unit, with United widening their search with the aforementioned Anderson expected to move to Manchester City.
West Ham United’s Matheus Fernandes is thought to be the player INEOS are currently looking for, with journalist Ben Jacobs revealing that talks have begun with the Hammers after the 21-year-old expressed interest in a move.
Negotiations are likely to center around the Portuguese player’s price tag, which is currently said to be in the region of £80m to £85m, with Wilcox likely to be a key figure in the signing of the youngster, who was previously at Southampton.
Real Madrid, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are also in talks of their own, but Carrick’s side appear to be leading the race, with Jacobs suggesting the club are now “looking to move quickly”.
Why Fernandes could be another Manchester United man
They say that absence makes people nostalgic, and that’s certainly true when it comes to Mynu. Stockport-born Mainu got his chance in 2026 after failing to start in the Premier League in the first half of the season under manager Ruben Amorim.
After his brilliant performance in the Manchester derby in January, Mainu sent Antoine Semenyo in as a dummy player and never looked back, reminding himself of what a truly talented player he is.
He is a great player to watch at his best, but that doesn’t necessarily reflect statistically, with United’s number 37 scoring just once, assisting just twice, creating just one ‘big chance’ and averaging just 0.8 key passes per game in 2025/26.
Mainu – Manchester United Records | ||
|---|---|---|
manager | game | Goal (assist) |
Tembabaa | 44 | 5(1) |
Amorim | 40 | 2(2) |
carrick | 16 | 1(2) |
Fletcher | 2 | 0 (0) |
RvN | 0 | Not applicable |
total | 102 | 8(5) |
The same probably applies to young Fernandes, with the former Saints star becoming a real shining light in a difficult season at the London Stadium, even if he didn’t completely destroy the team in terms of attack.
Fernandes, who, like Mainu, primarily played the role of a tall number eight, scored just three goals and provided four assists last season, creating just three “big chances” and averaging just one key pass per game.
But this doesn’t tell the whole story either, much of his talent is seen in his ability to direct progression between the lines, despite his relative youth, and he is very adept and calm in possession of the ball.
Like Mainu, Fernandes is still just 21 years old, but he’s not an outlier when it comes to the ball, boasting an 87% pass rate over the season, including a 93% pass accuracy inside his own half.
For comparison, Mainoo achieved a similar record, averaging 89% and 90% on the same two metrics, respectively. For context, Casemiro finished the 2025/26 season with just 81% passing accuracy and 86% completion rate in his own half.
United don’t simply want to line up a safe, stable midfielder, but with the center of the park so often facing the sea at Old Trafford in recent years, both Mainou and Fernandes could offer a real sense of control.
The pair also have impressive physicality, with Fernandes ultimately averaging 3.9 tackles and interceptions per game compared to Maynou’s just 0.4 dribbles per game last season. Casemiro, on the other hand, dribbled past the ball 1.5 times per game and averaged 3.5 tackles and interceptions.
Although they each have different strengths, they are exciting up-and-coming midfield stars who could further improve under Carrick. I couldn’t have asked for a better coach to develop them over the next few years.
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