Liberating Kobbie Mainoo - that is not only an emotional slogan of Manchester United fans, but also a thought shared publicly by relatives in this young midfielder's family throughout the past year.
Under coach Ruben Amorim, it can be said that Mainoo's career start and development momentum have encountered a significant stagnation.
The 20-year-old midfielder - who was once commented by Gary Neville that "the whole world is within reach" after the first matches - still plays an important role in England's journey to the EURO 2024 final. However, at club level, Mainoo has not had any starts in the Premier League this season.
However, hope remains. And the person who can open that door is Michael Carrick, the new interim coach of Man United.
Carrick was once one of the best central midfielders of the "Red Devils" in the era of resounding success. Now, as the midfield continues to be a difficult problem at Old Trafford, one of his most important tasks is to create conditions for Mainoo to fully develop his potential.
I think he is more attacking. I don't think he is suitable for the role of pure defensive midfielder. Maybe he should play a little higher, with more freedom. There are many ways to defend, but playing deep in front of the defense is another story" - Carrick once shared.
According to Carrick, Mainoo's biggest strength lies in his ability to control the ball, dribble, attract opponents and create breakthroughs in the midfield area. "He has a very promising future. Sometimes just need more patience and another chance - something I believe he will have" - the Man United captain added.
Mainoo's biggest problem at the moment is not being given a stable role in the squad. Under Erik ten Hag, he used to play defensive midfielder, then central midfielder, before making his mark with a decisive goal in the FA Cup final when playing alongside Sofyan Amrabat.
In the England national team, Mainoo continues to take on the role of number 8 midfielder alongside Declan Rice, participating in every match from the final group stage at EURO.
However, under Amorim, his role became blurred. Initially placed in the two defensive midfielders formation in front of the three-man defense, Mainoo was then pushed to play number 10, even sometimes playing like a false number 9. These positions are not suitable for his forte.
Competition with Bruno Fernandes further narrowed the opportunity. When Fernandes was injured, Mainoo could not take advantage of it because he himself had physical problems. The 3-4-2-1 formation further limited the young midfielder's strengths.
Conversely, the 4-2-3-1 formation - the system used by Carrick in nearly 90% of the matches he led Middlesbrough - promises to be more suitable for Mainoo, both in terms of position and operating space.
With the remaining 17 matches under Carrick, Mainoo could become one of the biggest beneficiaries. And if that happens, perhaps the liberation slogan Mainoo will no longer appear on the shirt of any member of his family. Because then, Mainoo was truly free.
