Paul Scholes names game-changing England star who’ll ignite Phil Foden form amid stunning comparison

Former Manchester United and England star Paul Scholes has urged Gareth Southgate to start using Kobbie Mainoo in midfield, explaining how the 19-year-old can help take the Three Lions – and Phil Foden in particular – to the next level.

Mainoo has enjoyed a fantastic breakout campaign for both club and country. After establishing himself as a vital part of the Man Utd midfield, the teenager made his debut for the England national team in March.

Few England fans outside of Manchester will have heard of Mainoo before the start of the 2023-24 season, but he is now viewed as one of the best young players in the country and is expected to play a key role for the Three Lions over the next decade or more.

Not only is Mainoo extremely comfortable on the ball for a player of his age, but he also has an elite mentality and can pop up with a crucial goal for his side in a big game.

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The Man Utd academy graduate will have been hoping to feature prominently for England in their first two Euro 2024 games, though he has only managed a brief appearance against Serbia thus far.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold failing to have the desired impact alongside Declan Rice, Southgate is expected to put Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher in midfield for the clash against Slovenia on Tuesday.

But 11-time Premier League champion Scholes has urged the England boss to place his trust in Mainoo instead. Scholes has even compared Mainoo to two legendary figures and tipped him to help Foden thrive.

“It’s just having control of the ball in the middle of the pitch,” Scholes said in a new interview. “If you don’t have control of the ball, then he [Foden] can’t go wandering inside, he can’t come into the positions where he’s most dangerous.

England news: Scholes sends Southgate advice

“I’m sure that’s the plan, to get Declan Rice, to get Trent in real control of the game and then you can virtually do what you want going forward.

“Foden can pop up wherever he wants on the pitch and he’ll be a threat. If Mainoo came in, all of a sudden you have control. You have a player who makes your team play football.

“Sometimes it takes just one player to be able to do that. You think of Toni Kroos, he makes Germany play football, he makes Real Madrid play.

“Rodri [with] Manchester City and Spain, he makes your team play football. That [with Mainoo] all of a sudden frees up Jude Bellingham, he’s not worried about having to help with the build up, Phil Foden, exactly the same. I just think that one change…”

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