Kobbie Mainoo knows how to time it right when it comes to England selection, having hit his stride in a Manchester United shirt once again ahead of a looming major tournament.

Back in 2023/24, the then-teenager didn't make his first Premier League start until the end of November, yet by March he was a late call-up to Gareth Southgate's squad, having made himself almost impossible to ignore.

By the summer, the Stockport-born midfielder was an FA Cup final hero and had started every knockout game at Euro 2024, swiftly forcing his way into the side after a stodgy group stage for the Three Lions.

It's all Elliot Anderson talk right now, but don't be surprised to see Mainoo again starring in Thomas Tuchel's midfield at this summer's World Cup, the 21-year-old enjoying such a sublime resurgence in 2026.

He's gone from the brink under Ruben Amorim to main attraction again under Michael Carrick, with the focus now on signing a suitable partner for him at Old Trafford.

Man Utd closing in on deal to sign Mainoo's next midfield partner

Amorim has plenty to answer for when it comes to Mainoo's exile across his 14 months in charge, with reports last summer having suggested that the club were even contemplating a sale, amid interest from Chelsea.

Heading into the January window again, all the talk was centred around a potential loan exit for the youngster, with Mainoo having not even started a single Premier League game this season prior to the Manchester derby.

Not even five months later, and a fresh, long-term deal has already been penned, while Carrick's confirmation as the next permanent head coach will further settle the uncertainty over Mainoo's future once and for all.

It's now a case of finding a suitable successor to Casemiro alongside him, with recent reports indicating that INEOS are now closing in on a deal for Atalanta's Ederson.

The suggestion is that the Red Devils are now "increasingly likely" to seal a move, with a deal set to be finalised "in the next 48 hours".

Previous reports have indicated that the 26-year-old, who has just a year left on his contract in Bergamo, could command a fee of around £39m.

The i paper further reports that talks are at an 'advanced stage' with all roads now appearing to lead to United for the Brazilian.

Why Ederson signing could be perfect for Mainoo at Man Utd

The mind still boggles at Amorim's desire to remain so wedded to his 3-4-2-1 set-up, even when it felt like such an approach was failing to get the best out of the group of players at his disposal.

That was no more so the case than with regard to Mainoo, with the Portuguese coach evidently losing his cool over the repeated questioning surrounding the academy graduate, toward the end of his time in charge.

Perhaps Mainoo has benefited from some tough love, but the fact of the matter is that Amorim simply didn't fancy him, particularly not as part of a midfield two.

The key concern appeared to be centred around the England star's physical attributes and lack of mobility, something that Carrick's return to a 4-3-3 has helped to ease.

Even for all the improvements of late alongside Casemiro, however, United have regularly been undone through the centre, not least in the second half against Liverpool, with a more all-action, mobile addition like Ederson seemingly required.

Mainoo needs someone to make up for his physical shortcomings, and the Brazilian could well be the man to do just that, having been hailed as the "strongest defender midfielder in the world" by Italian football experts.

Failure to earn a place in Carlo Ancelotti's World Cup squad has had alarm bells ringing, but Ederson's talent is not in question, with a certain Fabio Capello having been particularly glowing in his praise back in 2024:

That quote was relayed by TNT Sports commentator, Adam Summerton, someone who has repeatedly watched the £39m man in action in Serie A. In Summerton's view, he's "not just a sideways and backwards player", but his key strength is his physicality, having ranked in the top 20 players with regard to average distance covered (11.7km) in this season's Champions League.

Having such a workhouse in Carrick's midfield, be it as a number six or as a number eight, could then allow Mainoo the freedom to focus on his own strengths, such as progressing the ball from deep, as he did so beautifully with that stunning, solo run to tee up Amad against Brentford.

What Mainoo also needs is someone to bounce off in possession too, and Ederson also ticks that box, boasting a solid 89% pass accuracy rate, ahead of Manuel Ugarte's 85% pass rate in the Premier League, for instance.

The Ugarte and Mainoo pairing just hasn't proven fruitful in Manchester, but the Atalanta star looks like a different kettle of fish, someone with the Uruguayan's off-the-ball work ethic yet with the composure in possession to match.

He may not be this summer's marquee midfield signing, but Ederson could be the type of player to get the best out of Mainoo alongside him.