"He could do everything" – Kobbie Mainoo names Manchester United legend as his favorite player
Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has named Red Devils great and Plymouth Argyle manager Wayne Rooney as his favorite player.
Rooney, who left Everton to join the Red Devils in 2004, is regarded as one of the greatest British footballers of all time. He relished a brilliant playing career at both club and country level between 2002 and 2021.
Speaking to club media, Mainoo recently revealed (h/t X/@UtdPlug):
"Favorite player? Rooney! For the way he played. He could do everything."
Rooney, who scored 53 goals in 120 appearances for England, helped Manchester United lift 17 trophies between 2004 and 2017. He guided them to five Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League.
The Plymouth Argyle boss scored a club-record 253 goals and laid out 139 assists in 559 matches across all competitions for the Red Devils.
Mainoo, on the other hand, has established himself as a regular starter for Manchester United since his debut in January 2023. The 19-year-old has found the back of the net five times and contributed one assist in 37 games across all competitions for the Erik ten Hag-coached side.
Ex-Manchester United goalkeeper shocked by recent confession from Red Devils star
Ahead of his team's 1-0 Premier League opening win against Fulham, Andre Onana revealed that he is going to take a lot of risks this term.
Speaking to NBC Sports, ex-Manchester United and Everton star Tim Howard shared his thoughts on Onana's remarks. He said (h/t Metro):
"I'm rarely surprised at things in football. I was utterly shocked to hear Onana say, 'Be prepared, I will take a lot more risks this season.' He conceded 58 [Premier League] goals, that number has to come down, he can ill-afford to make too many mistakes."
Howard, who played for United between 2003 and 2007, concluded:
"Some of the goals that went past him were very, very saveable. The fact he's willing to take more risks, I guess, is exciting and compelling, I wasn't convinced last year, but right now he has a lot to prove. He has brilliant ability but he hasn't put that into place and too many goals are going in that need to be saved."
Onana, 28, registered 13 shutouts and shipped 83 goals in 51 matches across competitions for the Old Trafford club in the 2023-24 campaign.
The ex-Ajax goalkeeper will next be in action for Manchester United in a league contest at Brighton & Hove Albion this Saturday (August 24).