Paul Ince explains what “very, very good” Man United star must add to his game

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince has urged Kobbie Mainoo to step up this season. The Red Devils invested heavily in the midfield this summer, signing Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Carlos Baleba.

However, Mainoo remains a vital cog in Michael Carrick's system, especially following his rise under the English manager in the second half of last season. The 21 year old played a crucial role in United's third-placed finish in the Premier League, starting all 16 games he was available for since Carrick's arrival in January.

Mainoo was initially linked with an exit from Old Trafford at the beginning of the year, but signed a new deal this summer. The highly-rated academy graduate's intelligence, calmness, and abilities on the ball have made him indispensable for the Red Devils of late.

The English midfielder has also added a layer of steel to his game after rubbing shoulders with Casemiro . However, Ince believes there are still a few areas where the youngster can improve.

Speaking to the Mirror , Ince urged Mainoo to take control, drive forward, and add a goalscoring threat to his game. He said: "With the greatest respect to Ipswich, if they are going to come to United and play open football, I could still do a job against them. It goes without saying that Kobbie has to do that week in, week out."

"And I want to see someone who takes control of the game. I don't want to see someone who just gets the ball and passes it square. Or moves it on to Bruno Fernandes. I want to see someone who drives forward, who plays one-twos."

"How many shots does he have in game? When I played I used to make sure I had at least three or four shots in a game. And, essentially, he is playing exactly the same role as I did. There is more to his game than just passing it and letting the likes of Bruno and [Matheus] Cunha do their stuff."

"He can add a lot more to come. He can get more shots off. He can drive with the ball. He's got good feet, he's got lovely feet. All the attributes he has got, he needs to start showing them more."

"You've got to believe in how good you can be and not play the safety first football. Potentially, he is a very, very good player."

Ince also argued that United should have signed a new left-back or a striker instead of investing around £130 million in Santos and Baleba . He continued: "I don't understand why United would buy Santos for £50m and Baleba for £70m when they already have Mainoo."

"I felt there might be other areas where the money could have been spent. Perhaps in the full-back area or a striker to help them push for the top two or three."

United were linked with several left-backs this summer, including Newcastle United's Lewis Hall, but could not strengthen the position. Meanwhile, a new striker was reportedly on INEOS' agenda as well, with Freiburg's Igor Matanovic named among the shortlisted candidates.

However, the Red Devils ended the transfer window without signing a new striker as well, while Joshua Zirkzee, who was heavily linked with an exit, also ended up staying.

Mainoo was among the better players on the pitch for United in the disappointing 2-2 draw against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday, 6 September. The Englishman is yet to reach his peak and has the potential to become a game changer for the Red Devils.