- Louis Saha has tipped a Man United star to become the next Paul Scholes
- Scholes is regarded as one of the greatest players of the Premier League era
- Could Erik ten Hag find himself back at Ajax? Listen to the It all starts podcast
Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has tipped a Manchester United youngster to become the club’s next Paul Scholes.
The legendary midfielder is known as one of the best midfielders to ever play in the Premier League. The 49-year-old won eleven Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues during his glittering career at Old Trafford.
Widely regarded as the ‘complete midfielder’, Scholes has won praise from some of the game’s greats, with Zinedine Zidane once claiming he was one of the toughest opponents he has ever faced.
In recent times, United have struggled to achieve the same success as when Scholes was part of their team between 1994 and 2013, with Erik ten Hag’s side having had a difficult season on the pitch.
Yet, according to one of the midfielder’s old teammates, Louis Saha, the Red Devils can be buoyed by the progress of exceptional young talent, Kobbie Mainoo, with the Frenchman backing the 18-year-old to become the next Paul Scholes.
Ex-striker Louis Saha believes a young Man United star could become the next Paul Scholes
Scholes is known as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League
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The teenage sensation made his senior debut for England last month but also scored for the first time at Old Trafford in United’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.
Although United have had a turbulent season, Mainoo continues to impress and Saha hoped he could emulate his England teammate Jude Bellingham at Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
‘I hope Kobbie Mainoo can be Manchester United’s next Jude Bellingham! He has the skills and the composure,” Saha countered PaddyPower.
‘He is one of those players who has grown faster than normal and he is showing real maturity at 18, especially considering he is playing in an unstable team.
‘Manchester United’s form is everywhere and we saw that against Chelsea and Liverpool. With a player like Mainoo who can surprise the opponent with his composure and out of nowhere, he can produce some magic so he has no ceiling.
“If you look at Jude Bellingham, he’s a physical monster. I’m not saying Kobbie isn’t a beast physically, but in terms of height, speed and technical ability – where he matches him – this is where Bellingham already leads.
‘He has already played many games, at Borussia Dortmund and now at Real Madrid, but that is not the case with Kobbie. They have different styles because physically Jude is a monster – he’s just a freak. Everyone has to look at their own game.’
Saha said Kobbie Mainoo is the ‘complete package’ and praised the youngster for his performance
He compared Mainoo to his England teammate Jude Bellingham, but is not as physically strong
Mainoo scored a sensational goal to help Man United to a 2-2 win against Liverpool
Mainoo has proven in the past that he has an excellent football game, moving up and down the field to neutralize attacks, but also providing his teammates with a great pass when necessary.
And while we may hope to see Bellingham and Mainoo playing together more often in the heart of the English midfield, Saha noted that while the Manchester United forward may not be as physically big as his English compatriot, he will be able to use his skills, as Scholes once did, to ‘run the show’.
“I remember a player who was not blessed by God with his physique; he wasn’t tall or fast and he was technically stable, but he looked nothing like Marcus Rashford or Cristiano Ronaldo, and that was Paul Scholes. He was the boss and any midfielder in the world would say he was one of their favorite players.
“It’s not just one or two qualities that Mainoo has, he has the whole package, but he needs to find a way to be a bit more effective in some areas of his game and not make the same mistakes. If he finds the consistency, he will definitely become one of Manchester United’s best players.”