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When Kobbie Mainoo was playing for England in a major tournament final at the age of 19, Carlos Baleba had just finished a quiet first season at Brighton, starting only 15 Premier League games. In the North East, Elliot Anderson started just 10 games for Newcastle that season, having only just broken into the England Under-21 squad.

Adam Wharton was at least with Mainoo in Germany during Euro 2024. However, while Mainoo came into the team and started every knockout game, Wharton was left kicking his heels, unable to get on the pitch during the tournament.

Fast forward 18 months, and Baleba, Anderson and Wharton are all being touted as £100million players who might hold the key to transforming Manchester United's midfield. In an ideal but probably unrealistic world, two of

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