Manchester City set to make surprise move for highly-rated Manchester United star - Reports
Premier League champions Manchester City are prepared to make a surprise move for talented Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo. The Cityzens are interested in signing the teenage midfielder, who has established himself as one of the finest young players in the Red Devils' ranks.
Arch-rivals Manchester City and Manchester United seldom do business together at first-team level, with Argentine striker Carlos Tevez the last player to move across the city. The blue side of the city has emerged as the dominant one in recent years and have been able to attract some of the best players due to their success.
Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo has already impressed manager Erik ten Hag despite being just 18 and is set for a first-team role. The England youth international played prominently in preseason before an injury ruled him out for nearly four months.
Manchester City have recognised the talent possessed by Mainoo, whose football intelligence and ability are far beyond his tender years. According to FourFourTwo, the Cityzens are prepared to move for the youngster regarded by many as the best player out of the club's academy since Mason Greenwood.
In his days as an academy player, Mainoo rejected a number of approaches from Manchester City to move to their youth setup. The midfielder signed a long-term contract with the Red Devils in February, and the club will be able to protect their investment on him.
City academy graduate Jadon Sancho is the last trained by one of the Manchester clubs to appear for the other, and the Cityzens will hope Mainoo does the same. They will have to pay a significant fee to sign the young midfielder if they want him in their squad.
Manchester City, Manchester United worlds apart in European football
When he was appointed as Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag revealed that he was in England to put an end to the era of dominance of Manchester City and Liverpool. The Dutch manager has not seen much success on that front, especially with his side's performances this season.
Pep Guardiola's side thrashed their city rivals 3-0 at Old Trafford last weekend, inflicting a fifth league defeat of the season on the Red Devils. They claimed a 2-1 win in the FA Cup final as part of their treble last season.
Sir Alex Ferguson famously referred to Manchester City as 'Noisy Neighbours' in his time as the Red Devils boss, but the club has fallen behind their rivals in recent years. The Cityzens have won the Premier League six times since the Red Devils last won the title in 2013 and have won the UEFA Champions League as well.
To catch up to the Cityzens, the Red Devils have to find a way to succeed and then build on their consistency in the coming years. The club need to build around players like Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes to guarantee their success.