Declan Rice disagrees with Liverpool legend over Kobbie Mainoo & makes strong England prediction

Declan Rice has seemingly disagreed with Liverpool legend Graeme Souness over Kobbie Mainoo’s involvement in the England squad for Euro 2024.

Mainoo, 19, excelled during his first season in the first-team with Manchester United. He ended the campaign with a winning goal and Man of the Match in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

However, that wasn’t the only time the teenager received that award at Wembley in the season. He was named England’s Player of the Match after his full debut against Belgium in March.

The United midfielder has proven that he can handle the biggest stages but when speaking about his prospects of reaching the Euro 2024 squad last month, Graeme Souness dismissed Mainoo as an option for Gareth Southgate’s men.

“Not ready yet… you would say [to] play for England?” responded the former Liverpool player and manager when asked if Mainoo was ready to be in the squad.

He was then asked whether it would be a good opportunity to ease him into tournament football or if Soithgate should be business-focused going to Germany. “All business,” said Souness.

However, Southgate made the decision to include Mainoo and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, both who were a stratosphere away from the squad at the start of last season.

It is a move that Souness might not agree with, but England regular Declan Rice has been extremely complimentary of the midfield additions, and he believes that Mainoo ‘clearly deserved’ his seat on the plane to Germany.

“Yeah, I think we saw in the last camp against Belgium and Brazil what Kobbie could do,” Rice to reporters. “And obviously the last six months, all season really, what he’s done at Man United. He clearly deserves his place in the squad.

“And obviously, Adam played his first half of the season in the Championship. He’s come from Crystal Palace now. He’s been outstanding, and I think in training, he’s impressed a lot of the players.

So yeah, two great additions, and I see the future is looking bright for England in midfield.”