Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo is to be called up to the senior England squad.
The midfielder has 13 appearances for England's youth team but is yet to feature in Gareth Southgate's thinking, until now – as first confirmed by Manchester United – following his breakout season in the Premier League. There was talk of Mainoo getting the chance this time around following stellar form – but he was originally called up to the youth side instead.
No one has pulled out yet for England, making Mainoo nothing more than an extra addition. The 18-year-old's recent call-up to the England under-21 squad was his first, after represented England at under-19, under-18 and under-17 level.
Despite his appearances for England's youth teams, however, Mainoo is also eligible to play for Ghana through ancestry. Most recently, Brighton star Tariq Lamptey opted to switch his allegiance to represent the Black Stars at the 2022 World Cup.
Mainoo has played 15 times this season and scored once, ousting Christian Eriksen from manager Erik ten Hag's best first XI. After netting his sole strike of the campaign against Wolves, Mainoo was compared to legendary midfielder Clarence Seedorf, by pundit, Rio Ferdinand.
The Manchester United star has six appearances at under-19 level thus far in his career but has been tipped for a huge future.
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