Manchester United wrapped up their widely discussed midfield revamp in the summer by adding three new players to the squad.

Youri Tielemans has gradually begun to find his rhythm, while Andrey Santos caught the eye during pre-season. Unfortunately, Carlos Baleba is still out injured.

But it is Kobbie Mainoo who has been the standout, once again underlining why it was so important for INEOS to retain him.

The Carrington academy product had been close to leaving in January, with former head coach Ruben Amorim not convinced by the England midfielder.

The exit of the Portuguese coach and the subsequent appointment of Michael Carrick completely altered the 21-year-old’s situation.

The former United midfielder showed faith in Kobbie Mainoo, and the player’s performances improved dramatically as a result. Strong displays in the Manchester derby and against Liverpool also helped him earn a place in England’s World Cup squad.

Thomas Tuchel, like Amorim before him, also did not look towards the United No.37, but once again Carrick’s calming words helped the England international return to Old Trafford and play with his usual confidence.

According to Fabrizio Romano, INEOS are extremely pleased with Kobbie Mainoo and the progress he has made since putting pen to paper on a new contract.

The co-owners are also thankful to Carrick for resolving the issue and helping them save a significant amount of money.

“Speaking about Manchester United, I wanted to mention how HAPPY everybody at the club is with Kobbie Mainoo. It’s about Michael Carrick. It’s about the club. In less than one year, basically eight or nine months, EVERYTHING has changed around Kobbie.

“Remember, in the January window, before Ruben Amorim was sacked by Manchester United, Kobbie was very close to joining Napoli on loan. The move was really concrete and very advanced. Then United changed manager. Michael Carrick came in and Mainoo immediately became a CRUCIAL part of the project.

“Now, United are delighted with Kobbie. He has signed a new contract, he is seen as a major part of both the present and future project, and the player is also very happy. So life has completely changed around Kobbie Mainoo, and at the club they believe this was a really smart decision.

“One of the crucial things Michael Carrick did was not only about the results or what he achieved during his six months as interim coach and then as permanent coach — it was the way he handled the Kobbie Mainoo situation. That was SUPER appreciated by the club, and even more so now because Kobbie is doing very, very well.”

Carrick is set to rely on the Stockport-born midfielder once again as United look to come out on top in Sunday’s Manchester derby.