Anthony Elanga identifies Manchester United's next academy star as Paul Pogba comparison made

Anthony Elanga saw his fair share of top quality talent at Manchester United and expects Kobbie Mainoo to be up there with the best.

Elanga called time on his nine-year spell with United in the summer, joining Nottingham Forest in a £15million deal. The Swedish international had fallen down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag and made the tough decision to find more regular football elsewhere.

Having come through the ranks in Manchester, the 21-year-old has played alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Bruno Fernandes. Among a long list of stars, however, he named Marcus Rashford as the best and also singled out Mainoo as the next big thing.

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"I have to say Marcus Rashford is the best I have played with," Elanga told the Daily Mail. "He has got everything, speed, skill, shot, finishing, the way he played last season was amazing. Off the field he is top, he helped me a lot coming through.

"Kobbie Mainoo [is the next academy star]. He is one of my close guys that I still speak to at United and I believe he is next the top one, his talent is unreal.

"He has got everything and I just hope United can look after him really well and let him flourish. He is a top player.

"When I played with him in the academy I always thought he had similar attributes to Paul Pogba. They are not the same player but just the way he moves and they can both do everything, defensive, offensive, he has a mixture of everything and is really good on and off the ball."

Mainoo could be involved in a first-team squad for the first time this season