Wayne Rooney: Kobbie Mainoo’s bold claim about United legend | OneFootball

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has explained why club legend Wayne Rooney remains the perfect example of what a Red Devils player should aspire to be. The young Englishman is part of his country’s squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup after an extraordinary resurgence with the Red Devils this year.

Mainoo was a peripheral figure under former head coach Ruben Amorim, and was heavily linked with an exit ahead of the winter transfer window. However, it was the Portuguese head coach who departed at the turn of the year, ending his turbulent 14-month spell at Old Trafford.

The Premier League giants opted to hand Michael Carrick the charge of the first team squad on a temporary basis, and the arrival of the English manager proved to be a boon for Mainoo. The 21 year old was reinstated in the starting XI by Carrick, and he immediately became indispensable for the team, helping them secure third place in the league table.

Mainoo’s efforts earned him a new deal at the Theatre of Dreams, but most importantly, a place on the plane across the Atlantic for the summer’s mega event. The young midfielder recently sat down with the club’s media to discuss a variety of topics, including the perfect United player.

Rooney the perfect United player

Speaking on the new Influencers series, Mainoo hailed club legend Wayne Rooney as the perfect example of a United player. He said: “I feel like, for me, Rooney is like the template of what coaches tell you a United player is.”

“You know, cause he’s so hardworking and tough and technical, could finish, could do everything. So, I feel like when the coaches always give examples of what a Manchester United player is, in my mind, I was always moulding that as Rooney.”

“That’s what it looked like to me, just because of how hardworking he was. How good he was on the ball, how he led the team and stuff like that, the respect he showed.”

Rooney’s Old Trafford stint in a nutshell

Rooney moved to United in the summer of 2004 from Everton, with the player recently revealing Sir Alex Ferguson’s role in his arrival at Old Trafford. The Englishman was one of the most exciting young players in the country during that time, and he certainly lived up to the billing at the Theatre of Dreams.

Fast, tenacious, and extremely talented with the ball, Rooney immediately tugged at the hearts of the Old Trafford faithful and became a fan favourite. He was indispensable under Sir Alex Ferguson, forging a stellar partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo, and would go on to wear the armband following the departure of Nemanja Vidic in 2014.

From scoring that overhead kick against Manchester City to setting up Robin van Persie’s outrageous goal against Aston Villa in the 2012/13 season, Wazza has gifted fans countless memorable moments. However, he will also be remembered for his never-say-die attitude and his work ethic on the pitch, which is what has appealed to Mainoo.

Rooney registered 253 goals and 143 assists in 559 games for United and is the club’s record goalscorer. He is also among only three players, alongside Ryan Giggs and current skipper Bruno Fernandes, to have scored 100 goals and set up 100 more for the Red Devils.

Wayne Rooney: Trophies won with United

Source: Wikipedia.

Final Thoughts

Rooney attained tremendous heights during his spell with United, and while Mainoo is still at the early stages of his career, he also has all the attributes to become an Old Trafford legend. INEOS must now ensure they sign a perfect midfield partner for their starboy this summer.

Featured image Richard Heathcote via Getty Images

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