Rio Ferdinand tells Mainoo what he must do to be better than Foden and Saka

Kobbie Mainoo has been the talk of this Manchester United team, since breaking into the team.

Despite being 18, Mainoo has been hailed for playing with maturity far beyond his age.

The teenager has been backed to have a great career, and United legend Rio Ferdinand has sent a piece of advice to the academy product.

Ferdinand believes Mainoo can be as great as youngsters like Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden who have been at the top of their for long, despite still being young players.

For Ferdinand, Mainoo just has to be consistent, and he’d be a great player.

“Just be consistent. If you’re just consistent at the level he’s at the moment, that is a very good level right now,” Ferdinand told FIVE on what Mainoo must do now.

“What you normally get with young players is they come in and they start flying then all of a sudden people get to know them and what else have you got to your game that is another surprise element? In your first season, you’re a surprise package.

“That’s why Saka, you’ve got to love him. That’s why Foden. These guys ain’t just flash in the pan that come in and have a good moment.

“These guys are showing it consistently, this is our level and we’re going like that [up].

“Kobbie Mainoo has to look at those types of guys and go, I don’t want to be one that just comes in. When I get worked out what else have I got to bring?

“That’s why you keep working on the training pitch, that’s why you keep watching other players and think, what has he got in his game that I can bring into mine that weren’t there 18 months ago or six months ago.”