Kobbie Mainoo ranked 7th best wonderkid in football, with Man United target close behind

Kobbie Mainoo has been recognised in the NXGN 2024 list of the 50 best wonderkids in football, with one Manchester United target ranked closely to the midfielder.

Mainoo, 18, has excelled for United this term, becoming a key player for Erik ten Hag in the midfield at Old Trafford.

The teenager has started 20 games for The Reds this term and was recently rewarded with an England call-up. He could make his debut for Gareth Southgate’s side this weekend against Brazil.

Following his emergence this term, Mainoo has been recognised as one of the leading talents within the sport by GOAL’s annual NXGN ratings.

The lists are released every year and include 50 of the greatest young players around the world. Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho have been former winners of the award.

This year, Mainoo has been named the 7th-best player born on or after January 1, 2005, with Barcelona’s starlet Lamine Yamal topping the list.

Players such as Endrick, Warren Zaire-Emery and Mathys Tel are among the small list that rank higher than Mainoo.

READ THE FULL NXGN 2024 LIST ON THE GOAL WEBSITE HERE

Interestingly, a player who has been linked to an Old Trafford move is only six places behind the United midfielder.

Roony Bardghji of FC Copenhagen has been placed 13th on the list. The talented forward scored against United in the Champions League earlier this season and has been attracting interest around Europe this season.

With United among the clubs reportedly interested, a move could be on the cards at the end of the season for the 18-year-old, especially after the Danish club’s sporting director, Peter Christiansen, recently admitted that Bardghji is ‘positioning himself very well’ for a summer transfer.