Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has quickly reminded everyone of his value following his spell in the wilderness under the previous manager at Old Trafford.
The 21-year-old was absent from the starting lineup on the opening weekend against Hull City, yet his influence was immediately felt against Ipswich Town in central midfield.
Sunday’s performance belonged to Bruno Fernandes in many respects, but United were visibly a stronger outfit with Mainoo pulling the strings alongside him.
Against Ipswich, Mainoo recorded 23 carries and successfully completed four of his five attempted dribbles, demonstrating exactly the kind of composure and quality that makes him so difficult to replace.
One early, fizzed pass found Youri Tielemans inside the area, prompting the Belgian to appeal for a penalty, while a threaded through ball also picked out Matheus Cunha before the Brazilian was hauled down by Jacob Greaves.
His work out of possession has also impressed under Michael Carrick, with the midfielder winning nine of his 12 ground duels during his 80 minutes on the pitch against the Tractor Boys.
Much is made of Mainoo’s lack of pace and athleticism, but those criticisms fade quickly when you consider the ease with which he glides through midfield and controls the tempo of a match.
The Carrington graduate now represents a blueprint for how Manchester United can develop homegrown talent, with the club needing to replicate that success to ease the burden on INEOS during future transfer windows.
Eighteen-year-old Tynan Thompson has been earmarked as more of a long-term investment, while Shea Lacey is currently the only other youngster pushing seriously for first-team minutes this season.
At left-back, United opted against signing a replacement after failing to prise Lewis Hall away from Newcastle United, with the Magpies’ reported £70m-plus asking price proving too steep for INEOS to meet.
The decision to hold firm could now work in Harry Amass’ favour, with the 19-year-old given a genuine opportunity to establish himself down the left flank ahead of Luke Shaw.
Despite late interest from Celtic on deadline day, United chose to retain Amass, recognising the teenager’s potential to develop into a reliable first-team option over the coming months.
Amass did endure a difficult second half against Leeds United at Croke Park following the introduction of Wilfried Gnonto, but his pre-season was largely positive on a personal level.
The teenager memorably scored and provided an assist during the thumping win over Rosenborg, signalling that he has both the talent and the temperament to compete at the highest level.
The expectation is that INEOS will return for Hall in 2027, much like they approached their recruitment of Baleba a year earlier, with defensive reinforcements set to become the primary focus of the next transfer phase.