Harry Maguire has likened Kobbie Mainoo to Jude Bellingham (Picture: Getty)
Harry Maguire has heaped further praise on rising star Kobbie Mainoo, likening his talent and maturity to that of fellow England international Jude Bellingham.
Mainoo has enjoyed a remarkable rise to prominence having only made his Manchester United Premier League debut against Everton in November.
Since then, the 18-year-old has established himself as a mainstay in Erik ten Hag’s midfield before receiving a late call-up to England’s national team.
The promotion from the Under-21 set-up will raise the possibility of Mainoo’s inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2024 this summer.
Maguire thinks that his United teammate is ready for the step up and even compared him to Real Madrid star Bellingham who has quickly established himself as one of England’s star players.
‘To play at a major tournament, obviously, it’s big to have experience but also the young boys do come in and sometimes they play with no fear and they can excel in that way,’ the centre-back said.
’I don’t have any concerns whatsoever. It’s incredible he’s [only] 18, he’s so mature. He’s a bit like Jude was when he was a young boy. He’s got a mature head on his shoulders. I had no concerns.
Kobbie Mainoo is pushing for a place at Euro 2024 (Picture: Getty)
‘I see day in, day out his ability in training. He just wants to work hard and do well. I congratulated him, said he deserved it, keep it up, and make sure he enjoys himself.
‘He’s got everything, he can handle the ball brilliantly. He’s really strong, powerful, and you can see the progression to play that role, especially for Manchester United.
‘Listen, we have a lot of good centre-midfielders in this country at the moment, a lot of players who have been there and done it, and shown that they can do it in the big, major tournaments.
‘He’ll keep working hard, I’m sure he will, because he’s a great lad. It’s exciting times for him and his family. We will see where it goes.’
Mainoo could be in line for his England debut this weekend when England face Brazil in a friendly Wembley before hosting Belgium on Tuesday.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Manchester United news, exclusives and analysis
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.