In 2024, Kobbie Mainoo has had a quick rise for both Manchester United and his country, but there are still a few teenagers who are worth more than the Englishman.
Kobbie Mainoo’s play for Manchester United has been a bright spot in a tough season for the club. The teenage star’s reputation is growing every week, but he may still have a ways to go to catch the world’s best young players.
United manager Erik ten Hag was glad to see the youngster play again after being hurt in October, and as the season has gone on, he has given him more responsibility with the first team. In January, Mainoo scored his first goal as a professional in a win over Newport County in the FA Cup. He then scored two amazing goals in the Premier League against Wolves and Liverpool.
But he was only 18 years old when he made his senior England debut against Brazil on March 23. Three days later, he started his first international game against Belgium. Because he did well under Gareth Southgate, he has a chance of making England’s team for the European Championships in Germany next month.
It’s clear how much Mainoo is worth to United, but he’s not worth as much on the market as some other young stars. Mirror Football looks more closely at 10 teens who are worth more than the Premier League star.
Endrick
In March at Wembley, Endrick, a forward for Palmeiras, beat Mainoo in a fight of the teenagers. When this was written, the forward was worth £47.1m on Transfermarkt. He scored the game-winning goal against England.
Even though he was only 17, he scored 10 goals in Brazil’s Serie A last season, after getting his first goals in the league the year before. When he turns 18, he will join Real Madrid and be a big hit.
Evans Ferguson
Last season, Ferguson quickly made a mark for Brighton under Roberto De Zerbi. The Irishman scored his first goal in the Premier League against Arsenal in December 2022, just two months after turning 18. He scored a total of 10 goals that season, across all categories.
Things have moved more slowly this season. Three of his six goals came in an early season hat-trick against Newcastle. He’s still worth £51.3m, though, and a long contract deal has helped keep some of the Premier League’s biggest teams from interested in him.
Alejandro Garnacho
Garnacho, who plays for Manchester United with Mainoo, is a little further along in his growth. Perhaps this is why his £34.2m worth is higher than his colleague’s £30m worth.
Garnacho’s first game for United was under Ralf Rangnick, but things have gotten better under Erik ten Hag, and he has also been recognised by Argentina as a senior player. This season, he’s scored nine goals. Of those, seven have come in the Premier League, putting him tied for the most goals scored by a club member in that tournament.
Gavi
At a huge £77m, Barcelona star Gavi is the most valuable youngster on Transfermarkt. It makes sense to put him at the top, since he had already played 100 games for Spain and Barcelona before he turned 19.
The player played in his 100th club game earlier this season. He did this after helping Barcelona win La Liga while Gavi was in charge. Sadly, though, he will not be able to play in Euro 2024 because he hurt his ACL while playing for his country.
Rico Lewis
With a value of £32.5 million, Manchester City kid Lewis is just above Mainoo on the list. The flexible youth got into Pep Guardiola’s team last season and is still in the manager’s plans for this season.
The 19-year-old can play either at fullback or in the middle of the field. He scored his first Premier League goals this season in both of City’s home and away games against Crystal Palace. He also played his first game for England as a senior player in November, when they played North Macedonia in a Euros qualifier. He played the whole game.
João Neves
Neves, a good player for Benfica, is the latest Portuguese playmaker to get interest from the Premier League. It’s possible that United would want to sign the 19-year-old even more quickly if Mainoo hadn’t improved.
Neves, who is worth £38.5 million, has played in all of Benfica’s Primeira Liga games this season. The Portuguese team said they had not had any talks with United or any other club. However, bids could still come in during the summer.
Mathys Tel
Another player who has been mentioned with a move to Old Trafford is French forward Tel. United allegedly made “contact” with Bayern Munich about the £34.2 million player in February, but he is still with Bayern for now.
Tel joined Bayern for £25 million in the summer of 2022, but he has been in and out of the team. So far this season, the 19-year-old has helped set up 12 goals, or one every 81 minutes. However, he was not on the pitch for the first game of the Champions League quarterfinal against Arsenal.
Yamal Lamine
Yamal, a Spanish player, is the latest Barcelona star to be quickly promoted to the first team. The 16-year-old, who is worth £64.2 million, is the youngest player on this list, but Catalunya fans will think he deserves to be there.
Yamal made his La Liga debut last season when he was only 15 years old. He has been a big part of Xavi’s plans this season and has played in all but one of Barcelona’s league and Champions League games. The winger scored his first goal for Spain against Georgia in September, and he scored his second goal for his country during the November break.
Yoro Lenny
Besides United, a lot of other teams are also interested in Lille back Yoro. Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain are all interested in the centre back, as well as other teams in the Premier League.
The £34.2 million 18-year-old has been almost always on the pitch for Lille in Ligue 1 this season, where they have one of the best defence records in the league. But since his deal ends in 2025, Les Dogues are getting ready for summer bids.
Zaire-Emery
Zaire-Emery, a playmaker worth £51.3 million, has been a big part of Paris Saint-Germain’s move to sign young French players. The 18-year-old made a big splash last season, playing more than 30 times for the team under Christophe Galtier’s management. He has been even more important under Luis Enrique.
Zaire-Emery scored a goal and set up two others in the group stage of the Champions League, helping PSG avoid the “death group.” His play for his club has also earned him praise on a global level. The young player scored on his first game for France against Gibraltar in November, and he also played for an hour against Germany in March.
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