Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo has received his first call-up to the England squad from Gareth Southgate.
The midfielder was originally due to link up with the under-21’s during the international break, but has instead been promoted to the senior side.
England face Brazil this Saturday at Wembley before taking on Belgium at the same venue on 26 March in a pair of friendlies.
Mainoo made his debut last season, but truly broke into the Man United first team earlier this term amid an injury crisis at the club.
The 18-year-old has impressed since coming into the fold, starting 14 matches in the Premier League and was given the nod ahead of Christian Eriksen for the FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool on Sunday.
Man United defender Jonny Evans has been impressed by Mainoo from the moment he first saw him in training.
“With Kobbie, in my first training session back here, I came in and the first thing I said to the kit man was, ‘Who’s that young lad?’” he told TNT Sports.
“He’s a top player, and in the session we were playing, he was playing with his head up and as a defender, as soon as a midfielder gets his head up, you’re in trouble.
“So that was one of the first things that I noticed about him. The two of them (Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho) have really gone on to make a name for themselves this season, especially.”
Manager Erik ten Hag, meanwhile, says that Mainoo’s development this season has been “incredibly good”.
The call-up is an excellent opportunity for Mainoo to impress Southgate before the head coach names his England squad for Euro 2024.
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