Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has received a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad, as confirmed by the Football Association on Tuesday.
Initially selected for the England under-21 team, Mainoo has now been elevated to the senior squad by Southgate.
This promotion opens up the possibility of Mainoo making his debut for the senior team in the upcoming friendly matches against Brazil at Wembley on Saturday and Belgium three days later.
“It’s an honour to receive my first senior call-up,” Mainoo wrote on Instagram.
Mainoo, aged 18, has been in excellent form for United this season, contributing two goals and two assists in 21 appearances across various competitions.
He has become a regular fixture in Erik Ten Hag’s squad.
Although he has represented England at the U17s, U18s, and U19s levels, Mainoo is eligible to switch his allegiance to Ghana, where his parents hail from.
Despite his English ties, he still spends some of his free time in Ghana. The Ghanaian football association expressed interest in convincing Mainoo to play for them internationally.
However, reports indicate that England manager Gareth Southgate sees great potential in Mainoo and is eager to nurture his talent within the English setup.