Maguire believes Man Utd have found next Bellingham and he’s already at the club

Harry Maguire believes that England has another talent like Jude Bellingham in their midst, referring to 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo.

Maguire, who has been a mentor figure to Mainoo at Manchester United, sees the young midfielder as ready for international duty. Photos of Maguire and Mainoo together highlight the bond they share, with Maguire taking Mainoo under his wing.

Mainoo has impressed at United, earning his first Premier League start in November and making a significant impact since then. Maguire is convinced that Mainoo has what it takes to earn a spot in England’s squad for the upcoming Euros, potentially joining the ranks of Real Madrid star Bellingham.

And Maguire insists Mainoo is ready and will have no fear going into the tournament. “I don’t see why not,” said Maguire. “To play at a major tournament, obviously, it’s big to have experience but also the young boys do come in and sometimes they play with no fear and they can excel in that way.

‌”I don’t have any concerns whatsoever. It’s incredible he’s (only) 18, he’s so mature. He’s a bit like Jude was when he was a young boy. He’s got a mature head on his shoulders. I had no concerns. I see day in, day out his ability in training. He just wants to work hard and do well. I congratulated him, said he deserved it, keep it up, and make sure he enjoys himself.

‌”He’s got everything, he can handle the ball brilliantly. He’s really strong, powerful, and you can see the progression to play that role, especially for Manchester United.

‌”Listen, we have a lot of good centre-mids in this country at the moment, a lot of players who have been there and done it, and shown that they can do it in the big, major tournaments. He’ll keep working hard, I’m sure he will, because he’s a great lad. It’s exciting times for him and his family. We will see where it goes.”

Like Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford emerged as a teenage sensation at Manchester United ahead of a major tournament, the Euros in 2026.

Rashford’s rapid rise has seen him transition into a senior figure at United, where he, along with Maguire, is playing a mentorship role for Mainoo. They see nurturing young talents like Mainoo as a crucial aspect of their responsibilities at Old Trafford.

Maguire said: “I told him if he needs anything just to ask me, give me a text, about anything, schedule, he thoroughly deserves it. He has been excellent for us this season.‌

“A role and responsibility for the senior players at Manchester United is to bring through academy players. The club is always built on giving opportunities to young boys, we have numerous of them training with us a lot, we try and make them feel welcome.

“And that’s a big role and responsibility of the senior players, and we have done that to Kobbie. It’s important he feels welcome, he feels comfortable, even coming into this group with England it is really important he feels welcome.”