Ince challenges Mainoo to prove his worth after Man Utd spend £155m on midfielders

Paul Ince has issued a direct challenge to Kobbie Mainoo, warning the Manchester United midfielder that a £155m summer investment in his position demands a step up in ambition and assertiveness.

Mainoo earned widespread praise for his performance in United’s 5-2 Premier League victory over Ipswich Town last Sunday, but Ince — who played the same central role at Old Trafford — believes the 19-year-old is still operating well within himself. United have spent £70m on Carlos Baleba, £50m on Andrey Santos, and £35m on Youri Tielemans this summer, making the competition for places in the engine room fierce.

“With the greatest respect to Ipswich, if they are going to come to United and play open football, I could still do a job against them,” Ince said. “It goes without saying that Kobbie has to do that week in, week out.”

Ince’s core criticism is that Mainoo too often takes the safe option — recycling possession to Bruno Fernandes or moving the ball square — rather than imposing himself on games. “I want to see someone who takes control of the game. I don’t want to see someone who just gets the ball and passes it square. I want to see someone who drives forward, who plays one-twos.”

The former England international pointed to his own playing habits as a benchmark. “When I played I used to make sure I had at least three or four shots in a game. And, essentially, he is playing exactly the same role as I did. There is more to his game than just passing it and letting the likes of Bruno and Cunha do their stuff.”

Ince was emphatic that the raw ability is there. “He’s got good feet, he’s got lovely feet. All the attributes he has got, he needs to start showing them more. You’ve got to believe in how good you can be and not play safety-first football. Potentially, he is a very, very good player.”

Yet Ince admitted he is not entirely convinced by United’s transfer strategy, questioning why the club committed such large fees to Baleba and Santos when Mainoo was already on the books. Baleba is not expected to feature until October following the international break, meaning United’s sizeable outlay in the middle of the park will take time to pay dividends.

For now, the onus falls on Mainoo to silence any doubts — not just from outside critics, but from the club’s own legend who sees a player capable of far more than he has yet shown.