Manchester United midfield might be future-proofed with Kobbie Mainoo and Dan Gore

If there has been one standout for United in their first two pre-season fixtures then it might well be 18-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who looks to have already secured his place in Erik ten Hag's first-team squad this season.

The Stockport-born youngster has played two 45 minutes against Leeds and Lyon and he has impressed in those games in Oslo and Edinburgh. He was caught in possession once in that deeper role against the Ligue 1, but it was the quality of his passing that really stood out.

There is little chance of Mainoo going out on loan this season, with Ten Hag an admirer of the academy graduate and keen to keep him involved. With the future of several midfielders still uncertain, he could get plenty of action in the campaign ahead.

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After the addition of Mason Mount, it is expected that Fred will be sold, while Donny van de Beek and Scott McTominay could follow. United are tracking potential replacements for McTominay, including Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat, but the glimpses of Mainoo this summer might well convince Ten Hag he can be bolder in selling some of his senior midfielders, especially with a desire to raise funds to spend on a striker before the window closes.

Eighteen-year-old Dan Gore is already captaining United's Under-21 side and the 45 minutes he produced against Lyon on Wednesday showed why he is so highly-rated by some at Old Trafford.

Mainoo might be ahead of him in midfield, but Gore was excellent after the break, setting up the goal for Donny van de Beek and proving to be a constant nuisance to the Ligue 1 side at Murrayfield.

Playing as a No. 8 in midfield, near Van de Beek, he barely wasted a pass and showed impressive physicality to cause his