Kobbie Mainoo is already at the point in his Manchester United career where he is regarded as a nailed-on starter in the competitive area of centre midfield.

Forget that there is a Brazilian international with five Champions League winners medals in his trophy cabinet. Or a Danish international with almost 130 caps under his belt. Or even the club captain, a talismanic figure in another difficult campaign.

It’s not Casemiro, Christian Eriksen or even Bruno Fernandes who is the first choice now in the heart of United’s engine room. It’s 18-year-old Mainoo.

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When Erik ten Hag picks his starting line-up for the remaining eight (potentially nine) games this season, it will be Mainoo plus one other. Casemiro currently is the partner of choice, and the two have struck up a relationship that kind of works in the centre of the park, the Brazilian’s defensive nous and experience complimented by Mainoo’s quick feet, ability on the ball and sheer verve.

The rise to stardom has been supersonic for the boy from Stockport. Not only has he cemented himself in the United starting XI, he looks almost certain to be part of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad despite only making his debut as a late substitute against Brazil last month.

United’s dilemma is who they pair Mainoo with next season. Casemiro – while the obvious choice to partner the youngster now – is 32 and a fading force. His legs are not what they used to be, nor his is overall fitness record. He could be gone this summer if a suitable suitor is found.

Eriksen is likely to depart Old Trafford this summer too, another Ten Hag acquisition whose flame shone brightly, but burned out too soon. Fernandes, meanwhile, will continue to be the inspiration, but more likely in an advanced position, while Scott McTominay may have seen his once-faltering United career revived in spectacular style this season to the extent a new contract may be due, he will surely still be seen more as a squad player than a consistent starter in the centre of midfield if Sir Jim Ratcliffe is to realise his aim of chasing down Man City & Co.

A dominant central midfielder is a must for United this summer, and Mainoo has already revealed who his ideal partner would be. In a Q&A with mufc.com, the youngster was asked which former United player he’d most like to play alongside.

His answer, legend Paul Scholes, should come as no surprise. There are certain similarities in their play, they way they manipulate the ball and have an eye for a goal. Scholes won 11 Premier League titles and is number three on the all-time appearances list.

“I’d say Paul Scholes,” he replied to the question. “Although there might not be a lot defending between the two of us! But, yeah, Scholes. Scholes – definitely.

“[Because of] everything. His passing, his movement, the way he could finish. His intelligence. Yes, he was a great player.”

On the surface, someone like Scholes may not be seen as a perfect partner for Mainoo, and he is right when he says there may not be much defensive work if the two of them were partnered in central midfield. In the early part of his career certainly, Scholes was an attacking force, with late arrivals in the box and some spectacular goals to boot.

But in the second half of his time at United, Scholes became better suited to a deep-lying playmaker role, which suited his outstanding passing ability and ability to dictate the pace of the game. No one in the Premier League could control the tempo of a match better than Scholes, and no one had a range of passing like the player who earned the nickname ‘SatNav’.

And while tackling was never his strong suit – as 97 yellow cards and a rebuke from Arsene Wenger for being ‘dirty’ will testify – Scholes knew how to put his foot in and break up attacks, before launching United on the counter.

These are traits United are lacking in the centre of midfield now. There is little control offered by any of the midfielders and someone like Casemiro in particular loses possession at an extraordinary rate. His pass completion rate is a mere 82 per cent in the Premier League this season. United have the 10th-best possession stats in the entire league, below the likes of Fulham and Newcastle.

So while a partnership of Scholes and Mainoo may be lacking in defensive steel, what it would have is an ability to retain the ball, help United control games and be an offensive threat. While the likes of Rodri and Declan Rice are often seen as the ideal defensive midfielders, what shouldn’t be underestimated is their ability on the ball, how they manipulate it in close situations, and drive their teams on from those areas. Rodri has a pass completion rate of 92 per cent this season; Rice’s is 91 per cent.

Paul Scholes in the latter years of his career would walk into this United midfield. Finding someone similar this summer could yet be the dream partner for Kobbie Mainoo.