There have been relatively few bright spots in Manchester United’s season thus far; the team is now eight points outside of the top four.

One of the main causes of the squad’s inconsistent performance on the field is Erik ten Hag’s need to rotate his players in practically every game.

Kobbie Mainoo, however, is a continual breath of fresh air and is unquestionably the best thing to come out of the 2023–24 season thus far.

Manchester United’s mainoo, Liverpool Varane
Despite just being eighteen, he has started the last twelve Red Devils games, solidifying his status as a player Sir Jim Ratcliffe will want to centre his midfield around.

In light of this, let’s examine a different youthful midfield prospect who has the potential to succeed in the first team and succeed Mainoo, serving as Casemiro’s successor.

Casemiro’s current 2023–2024 season

Opinions on Casemiro’s performances this season have been divided; some United supporters attribute the team’s current form surge to the Brazilian’s comeback, while others are unwilling to look past his obvious flaws.

This season, the 32-year-old has started all 13 of his Premier League games despite missing 17 due to an injury.

Manchester United Premier League casemiro
Casemiro was dribbled past four times against Wolverhampton Wanderers, three times against West Ham United, and five times against Aston Villa. Since his comeback, the former Real Madrid star’s lack of quickness and ability to cover ground has been evident.

The distance between the defence and the midfield is far too great, even though Casemiro isn’t the only factor contributing to it. As a result, Ten Hag’s team has allowed an incredible 100 shots in the last five games.

As the number 18’s play deteriorates, reports suggest that United may try to sign him in the summer, with Saudi Arabia being a possible destination. This may be an opportunity for a talented midfielder to succeed Casemiro.

Manchester United’s next big star

Before this weekend, not many United supporters would have been familiar with the name Toby Collyer, but in the near future, they will undoubtedly grow accustomed to it.

The 20-year-old made his debut on United’s bench on Saturday against Fulham, having made an impression at the academy after joining from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022.

With the England youth setup, the highly regarded defensive midfielder assumes the captaincy role. Collyer was highly praised by Mark Beard, the former Seagulls youth coach, who described him as a “top-class” player and said:

It’s a pleasure to mentor him. You don’t even realise he’s there because he is so low maintenance. He continues with his work. He consistently produced at least 8/10 displays. He broke things up and had the best running stats, covering 13 km in a game. He goes about his work with such humility.

Collyer would be a great successor to Casemiro, as seen by his performance in the EFL Trophy match against Salford City earlier this season, which validates Beard’s remarks.

vs Salford City, Collyer

Statistics

Collyer

Minutes

68

Accuracy pass

91%

Lost of possession

Six

Pass keys

1.

Duels prevailed.

10

Attacks

7.

Statistics sourced from Sofascore

As you can see, the 65th player is excellent at recovering the ball and, like Casemiro, he enjoys getting rough in the game; so far this season, the Brazilian has averaged 3.3 tackles per game.

The England prospect, in contrast to the seasoned midfielder, is incredibly composed when handling the ball, making precise passes and decisions every time. His great pass accuracy and the fact that he has only misplaced the ball six times serve as evidence for this.

All things considered, it won’t be long before Ten Hag gives Collyer a chance in the starting lineup, but the upcoming preseason may bring his big break. Blessed with an abundance of young talent, United may look to the developing teenager following Mainoo’s rise to prominence.