Kobbie Mainoo might need to tell Manchester United something they don't want to hear this summer

Football is a young person’s game. In your mid-20s you’re considered established and by 30 you’re viewed as already being past your best by some.

Pressure comes quickly at the top and Manchester United fans have seen the spotlight and attention Alejandro Garnacho has been getting aged just 18. Not to say that that’s anything new, obviously.

Wayne Rooney, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo can testify to that, having all burst onto the scene as teenagers before developing into superstars. Jude Bellingham will surely enter that category, whether he does so at United remains to be seen.

READ MORE: How Erik ten Hag is preparing Kobbie Mainoo to be a regular

The Reds have also seen players reach career peaks in younger years before failing to kick on as hoped. Federico Macheda, Ravel Morrison and Adnan Januzaj all file under the ‘streets will never forget’ folder - a nice tribute but not where an elite player wants to end up.

After a first-team break, a youngster’s next steps are crucial to their career path. The game has somewhat softened since the make-it-or-move-it attitude from 15 or so years ago but it’s still ruthless nevertheless.

Zidane Iqbal has trained with the first team all season but has not kicked a competitive ball under Erik ten Hag, despite impressing during his friendly outings both pre and mid-season. He’s seen Garnacho excel and fellow midfielder Kobbie Mainoo granted three senior outings this season in the meantime.

Iqbal was the first-choice youngster at the start of the season, front of the queue for game time that never came. Mainoo has now surely overtaken him.

The 17-year-old was handed a start on his debut against Charlton in the League Cup quarter-finals in January. He later featured for 17