"He is a very positive surprise" - Juan Mata praises breakout Manchester United star's performances for the club this season

Former Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has lauded Englishman Kobbie Mainoo following his performance for the Red Devils in the ongoing season.

During a recent interview with AS, Mata talked about his former club Manchester United where he spent eight years from 2014 to 2022. During his time at Old Trafford, the Spanish midfielder made 285 appearances and bagged 51 goals and 47 assists.

During the interview, Mata was asked about Manchester United's young trio of Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund, and Kobbie Mainoo. The Spaniard lauded Garnacho for his mentality and maturity, while he dubbed Hojlund a strong forward with good confidence.

Talking about Mainoo, he stated that the Englishman seems like a good player. Mata said:

"I didn't know (Kobbie) Mainoo when he was in the youth team, but he is a very positive surprise. He seems like a very good player."

This season, Mainoo has made 17 appearances for the senior team of Manchester United, scoring one goal and providing one assist. The Red Devils are currently in the sixth position in the Premier League table with 44 points from 26 matches. Next up, Erik ten Hag's men will visit the Etihad outfit to face Manchester City on March 3.

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Manchester United are keen to sign 22-year-old Spanish defender: Reports

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United are reportedly keen to sign Girona left-back Miguel Gutierrez in the upcoming summer transfer, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The Red Devils were linked with the Spaniard in last year's summer transfer window too, however, they ended up signing Tottenham Hotspur's Sergio Reguilon on a loan deal. Reguilon later joined Brentford on a loan deal in January, earlier this year.

Gutierrez joined Girona from Real Madrid in August 2022, as per the aforementioned report, Los Blancos can also trigger the buy-back clause for the Spanish defender. However, Carlo Ancelotti's side has also been linked with Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies, which could be a good news for United.

This season, Gutierrez has made 30 appearances for Girona, bagging a goal and six assists. Due to the recurring injuries of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, the Red Devils are eager to sign a reliable performer in the summer with the hopes of making a strong squad for the next season.