Signed for £0, now worth more than Bruno: Man Utd struck gold on “world-class” ace – opinion

Even with the disappointing 2023–24 season, the Manchester United team is still extremely valuable.

However, Bruno Fernandes is often regarded as United’s most valuable player by the supporters.

The Red Devils supporters hold the Portuguese magnifico in the highest regard, and it makes sense given that he is the team’s top goal scorer and creator.

However, even if he didn’t cost the team anything when he was a young player, there is currently a United player who has grown to be even more valuable than Fernandes.

Kobbie Mainoo’s rise to success

The Man United supporters were starting to get familiar with Kobbie Mainoo’s name before the 2018–19 season, having witnessed brief displays of his abilities in the EFL Cup against Reading and Charlton Athletic.

The midfielder was included in United’s preseason trip after making an impression on Erik ten Hag. He played against Arsenal at first before suffering a catastrophic ankle injury.

Due to this, he was sidelined until November, when he made his Premier League debut in a 4-2-3-1 against Everton with Scott McTominay.

After just his first action in the game, he looked completely unfazed by the occasion, and he starred throughout the game, even winning the Player of the Match award, which was just the start of his incredible rise to the very top.

Kobbie Mainoo’s transfer value in 2024

Mainoo has developed into more than just a Red Devils regular starter since his debut; instead, he is now considered as an important member of the team.

After making 32 appearances, the 19-year-old has proven himself to be absolutely irreplaceable, displaying all of his skills every single week.

Despite playing as a double pivot the entire season, he has had a remarkable influence on the game in the final third, tallying five goals and dishing out three assists, demonstrating why football designer Liam Canning has labelled him a “world-class” talent.

One of those goals was the winner against Manchester City in the FA Cup, where he showed incredible composure to slot the ball home via a first-time finish, which proves he’s made for the big occasion.

With an estimated worth of £51 million, Mainoo has rapidly risen to become one of United’s most valuable players in the entire squad.

This is already even more than Fernandes, whose estimated value is currently £43 million. As Mainoo continues to grow, this £8 million gap is expected to widen.

In addition, this places the England international—alongside Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford—as the third-most valuable United academy alumnus.

He also has the highest value of any Red Devil midfielder, surpassing players like Fernandes and McTominay with his £51 million rating.

Luckily for the new United owners, Mainoo will undoubtedly play a part for England this summer, so his worth will only rise after the European Championships—not that they would even consider selling him.

All things considered, Mainoo has been nothing short of extraordinary this season, and United have struck gold with the young player. Fortunately for them, he will only become better.