“He’s so relaxed, the game’s so easy to him. It’s almost like poetry in motion.” Those words capture the early promise that accompanied Kobbie Mainoo as he forced his way into Manchester United’s first team during 2023–24. His breakout campaign ended with a defining moment: the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Mainoo’s rise was rapid. After three appearances in 2022–23 he made 32 in 2023–24, logging 2,389 minutes and contributing to six goal involvements. His performances earned him a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad and a start in the final against Spain. Expectations were high, but the following season did not follow the same script.

In 2024–25 Mainoo featured 36 times, starting 23 matches and totalling 2,031 minutes with three goal contributions. The arrival of Ruben Amorim and his preferred 3-4-2-1 shaped squad selection. Amorim’s two-man midfield has reduced opportunities for a natural free-roaming No.8. Casemiro has provided the defensive backbone, while a more creative role looks set to be occupied by Bruno Fernandes, limiting Mainoo’s pathway into the team.

Injuries have also interrupted continuity. Mainoo missed the start of 2023–24 with an ankle problem and suffered two further setbacks last term, missing 17 matches in total and three months across two spells. Those absences made it difficult to build momentum and allowed others to move ahead in the pecking order. He was given just four starts between April and the season end and was used only in stoppage time during the Europa League final as United chased an equaliser, with Amorim turning to Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho ahead of him.

“He’s the nearest thing I’ve seen to [Zinedine] Zidane in taking a ball, receiving the ball, cruising past people,” enthused Scholes in the aforementioned interview. “The sky’s the limit for this lad if he keeps his head down. And he looks like the type who will stay on an even keel.”

Mainoo sought a loan move to secure regular minutes but the transfer was blocked. With the 2025–26 season under way he has made two appearances so far, and consistent starts and fitness will be decisive if his development is to resume.

Napoli could revive their loan interest in Kobbie Mainoo in the January window, a report has suggested. The Serie A club were one of several sides linked with a move for the Manchester United midfielder in the final hours of the transfer window.

ESPN say the England international’s temporary stay in Naples was “mapped out” but United rejected the offer. That account adds that Napoli might “resurrect” their interest in January provided Manchester United can identify a suitable replacement.

Amorim publicly rebuffed that approach, insisting that he valued the midfielder. Despite that reassurance, Mainoo has not made a single Premier League start this season, a situation that has reportedly left the 20-year-old keen to push for a move in the summer.

The Red Devils are already expected to look for a new midfielder in 2026. Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba is presented in reports as an ideal candidate, although United are said to be prepared to sign a more affordable short-term option in January if the Seagulls resist losing their player mid-season.

Mainoo’s dissatisfaction at Old Trafford is said to stem not only from limited game time but also from his contract situation. The academy graduate signed a deal in January 2023 that runs until 2027, with a club option for a further year. “At that point, Mainoo was just 17 and had not yet made a single senior appearance.”

For Manchester United, any January movement would depend on recruitment options and the willingness to sanction a temporary exit for a young midfielder who has attracted interest since the close of the last window.

The Premier League Hall of Fame has become a permanent feature of the competition’s modern story. For a player to be eligible for a place in the Premier League’s Hall of Fame, they must have made 250 appearances in the division since its 1992 inauguration or achieved one of the following:

The list of inductees reads like a roll call of defining figures. The Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer has just a single league title to his name, but he’ll likely remain a record-holder unless Harry Kane opts to make a comeback post-Bayern Munich. Shearer’s greatest collective success came with Blackburn Rovers, but he’s immortalised on Tyneside.

Many regard Henry as the greatest Premier League player there’s been. The dazzling French forward has the collective accolades and individual achievements to supply a compelling case. Cantona was utterly unique. Man Utd took a flyer on Cantona at the start of the Premier League era, but the Frenchman proved to be the making of the Red Devils’ 90s dynasty.

Roy Keane is presented as arguably the greatest captain the League has ever seen, while Lampard remains the highest scoring midfielder in the competition, with over 600 Premier League appearances and three league titles with Chelsea. Bergkamp is remembered for sustained runs of brilliance that propelled Arsenal to league titles.

Beckham’s off-field prominence often overshadowed his on-field quality, but he was one of the stars of Premier League football in the 90s. Rooney’s arrival felt inevitable and he was a constant thorn for many opponents at the Theatre of Dreams. Vieira was an early Wenger recruit and the leader of Arsenal teams that conquered the country on multiple occasions.

Drogba’s 254 Premier League appearances all came for Chelsea, where he won four league titles. Kompany won Premier League Player of the Season during Man City’s dramatic 2011–12 success. Schmeichel redefined goalkeeping for his era. Scholes, part of the Class of ’92, evolved into a classy deep-lying performer. Ian Wright struck 113 Premier League goals and claimed a title in 1997–98.

Managers are represented too. Ferguson spent 26 years at United and inspired 13 league titles. Wenger managed a record 828 games and remains the only ‘Invincible’ manager in Premier League history.

Defenders and goalkeepers feature prominently: Adams, Čech, Ferdinand and Ashley Cole are all included for their defining contributions. The Hall of Fame collects these careers to explain why each figure matters to the competition’s history.