Manchester United supporter Beth Tucker reflects on United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo signing a new long-term dealwith the club.
"Kobbie Mainoo has just signed a long-term deal at Manchester United until 2031 and this has been a long time coming.
"I am so happy. I can't stop smiling about it. One of our own, an extremely, extremely talented player and I'm even more happy about this because it could have gone the other way.
"In a different universe, if Ruben Amorim was still Manchester United manager, if that Leeds press conference doesn’t happen where Amorim comes out, all guns blazing, fractures his relationship with Jason Wilcox [United’s director of football], fractures his relationship with the Manchester United hierarchy and then subsequently ends up departing Manchester United – Kobbie Mainoo could be playing in Naples.
"He could have been playing for Napoli. That was a move that was seriously on the cards because he couldn't get the game time under Ruben Amorim. He could have been playing for Chelsea and we could have had Conor Gallagher playing in our midfield.
"The fact we've managed to keep one of our own that is already super-talented, already having the experience of playing on the world's biggest stage, whether that be in an FA Cup final against Manchester City – a very good Manchester City side – bossing the midfield over the likes of Rodri, scoring the match-winning goal and winning man of the match or getting yourself into an England starting 11 in a major tournament.
I think doing all that at his age and then having a setback of being out of the Manchester United side and having to come through that and now he's thriving, you've seen that best form again.
"I think that sets him up for such a good career, especially with the attributes he already has. That close control he has, that coolness, that calmness.
"I really think the sky's the limit for him. He's still got levels to go up, he's not the finished article, but Mainoo signing until 2031 – I'm so happy about it. I think he's going to be a pivotal player in Manchester United's success to come in the future hopefully."
Find more from Beth Tucker at The United Stand
