Mainoo: United's built on Academy players

The 21-year-old has grown up at the club, rising through the ranks of our world-famous Academy to make his first-team debut in January 2023, in the Carabao Cup against Charlton Athletic.

He's gone from strength to strength since then: scoring in our FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City in 2024, going to Euro 2024 with England, fighting for UEFA Champions League football under Michael Carrick this term, and now signing a new, long-term deal with the club.

Others may get carried away having achieved so much, so soon. But in following key advice handed down from fellow midfielder Casemiro, Kobbie keeps his feet firmly on the ground.

"Before every game, when we go around and shake everyone's hand while we're on the pitch, Casemiro will say, 'let's have fun. Let's enjoy football.' You know, that's what it is, isn't it?" Mainoo told Inside Carrington, surrounded by loved ones just off camera, shortly after he'd put pen to paper.

"You have fun and you love to win, but ultimately, I'd be playing the game for free, I'd be playing in the back garden, if I wasn't playing it here."

Both the Brazilian and our captain, Bruno Fernandes, have been key mentors to Kobbie as he's made the transition from Academy prospect to first-team regular over the past few years.

"It's been huge for me because I've learned so much off [Casemiro]. Him and Bruno, to be fair.

"Mostly in training, like when I was 16 or 17, I'd come up to train, and I was only training with the first team at that time, I wasn't playing games – like training was my games.

"I'd watch them and the pace of training was so high, and I'd just think, how are they so calm in that? And like what are they doing?

"I'd go home and I'd think about it a lot, and I'd try and implement things. But I'm still learning now, to this day."

While Mainoo is still growing on his United journey, his progression from mentee to mentor has already started.

This season alone has seen four more Academy graduates make their senior debuts for the Reds, with plenty of others included in matchday squads.

Just as the likes of Marcus Rashford making that leap inspired Mainoo, the Stockport-born midfielder understands his role as that shining example to the next generation.

"Yeah, definitely [feel a responsibility for new players coming into the team] a little bit," he admitted to our in-house podcast.

"Especially with the young players who come up to the first team, like Under-18s and stuff, because I know what it was like when I first came up and people who helped me, so I try and be that same thing for them.

"It's definitely important. I mean, for me, it was important.

"It's a big thing that United's built on, players coming through the Academy."

Kobbie is living proof of what development at Carrington can look like, and over the next five years of his new contract, he's sure to prove a vital cog in bringing the next cohort through. A positive cycle, continued.

Stay tuned across our platforms for Kobbie Mainoo's Inside Carrington episode, which will be available to watch in full on Friday.