Dietmar Hamann may have made his name at Liverpool, but the former midfielder has tipped young Manchester United talent Kobbie Mainoo for greatness.
Hamann was renowned for his calmness under pressure and tactical intelligence. His legendary status at Liverpool was cemented in the 2005 Champions League final, where he came on as a second-half substitute and played through the pain of a broken toe to help overturn a three-goal deficit against AC Milan.
Speaking to Genting Casino, Hamann has heaped praise on 19-year-old Mainoo, who has impressed for both England and United in recent months. Despite his own allegiances, Hamann believes the midfielder could become one of the league’s best.
“I think Kobbie Mainoo is a very interesting player,” Hamann said, adding: "The way he played for England in the summer was impressive. For a young boy to come in like that and score important goals last season shows the kind of talent he has." Mainoo, who has drawn comparisons to some of the Premier League's most versatile midfielders, offers a skill set that Hamann believes could make him a complete player.
He continued: "He can defend and attack, which is a good thing. In midfield, you need players with different qualities that complement each other. Mainoo has discipline, and if he wants it, he could be one of the best holding players. But then again, he’s got a trick in his locker and knows how to score goals. If he develops as a number eight, he’ll need to be hitting six, seven, or eight goals from open play a season. He’s capable of doing that if he puts his mind to it."
Much like the players he admires today, Hamann brought balance to the teams he played for. His ability to complement more attacking-minded teammates made him indispensable - a trait he now sees in Mainoo's potential to partner with Declan Rice. He added: "If you play him next to a Declan Rice, as he does for England, he can play higher up. Over the next few years, Mainoo will be the one I’m most interested in watching."
No doubt new England gaffer Thomas Tuchel will look to deploy that partnership as he experiments with his best starting XI for the Three Lions. While Hamann is optimistic about Mainoo’s future, he was less complimentary of the Manchester United hierarchy. The appointment of Ruben Amorim as the club’s new manager in November has brought renewed hope at Old Trafford.
But Hamann questioned why United delayed replacing Erik ten Hag. “It would have been easier and cheaper to go for Amorim in the summer, but they stuck with Ten Hag. That raises serious questions about the judgment of United’s leadership team,” he said.
“There have been decisions made at Manchester United that I really didn’t understand. They need a strong manager and strong leadership upstairs. The way they handled the summer showed that leadership is clearly lacking.”
Hamann called out the inconsistency across the pitch, with doubts over every part of the team except for the young prospects like Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho. He continued: "United’s team is a mess. You’ve got Garnacho and Mainoo, who are exciting, but there are doubts about every other player – whether it’s the goalkeeper, defence, midfield, or attack. Even [Rasmus] Hojlund needs to prove himself quickly, but at United, you don’t get much time.”
The latest chapter of Manchester United’s journey under new minority shareholder Jim Ratcliffe saw sporting director Dan Ashworth relieved of his duties after just five months in the position - a move that vindicates Hamann’s verdict and raises further questions about the club’s leadership.
Reports of internal conflict over who should take over after Ten Hag paint a chaotic picture, especially given the summer transfer window, where United spent almost £90 million. One notable signing was former Ajax captain Matthijs De Ligt, whom Ten Hag hoped would form a long-term partnership with Lisandro Martinez to replace the departing Raphael Varane.
Yet caught up amid one of United's worst starts to a Premier League Campaign, De Ligt has struggled to replicate the form he showed with his former employers. Hamann said: "If De Ligt joined Liverpool or City in recent years, I don’t think there’d be any doubts about him.
"He’s a very good player, but when you go to a club in turmoil, like Manchester United, it’s never easy. You come into a non-functioning team. If he’d gone to Liverpool, where everything is functioning perfectly, he’d just fit in." Reflecting on the 2019 Ajax side that lit up the Champions League, Hamann pointed out that few of its stars have fulfilled their potential.
“[Donnie] Van de Beek has disappeared, [Hakim] Ziyech never made it, and even [Frenkie] De Jong has struggled in Barcelona. De Ligt is the best of the bunch, but the jury is still out on whether he can be a leader for a big club like United.” Despite his harsh words, Hamann hopes Amorim can restore Manchester United to its former glory, arguing that a strong United is good for the Premier League as a whole.
“They’ve got a manager who offers optimism for the first time in a long time,” he said. “Hopefully, Amorim is the leader they need because, when Manchester United are strong, it makes the league better.” For Hamann, the focus remains on players like Mainoo – a shining light in a team searching for direction. If the young midfielder lives up to his potential, he could be the one to lead United back to the top.