Paul Scholes has admitted that he noticed that one Manchester United star “looked fitter” after reporting for pre-season under manager Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim finally held his first pre-season as Manchester United manager this summer after a disastrous 2024-25 league campaign for the Premier League club.
Both first-team players and United youth academy products reported to the Carrington training complex in July after the end of the post-season tour in May.
The Red Devils kicked off their pre-season campaign in Europe and United faced Leeds United in their opening friendly match last month, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
Following United’s uneventful encounter with Leeds United, the Red Devils travelled to the States and took part in the Premier League Summer Series competition.
Amorim and his men won the friendly competition after picking up two victories and a draw, with United’s 2-2 result against Everton in the States being their last outing.
What Paul Scholes said about Man Utd midfielder Kobbie Mainoo speaks volumes about Ruben Amorim’s pre-season campaign
Kobbie Mainoo’s 2024-25 season with Manchester United was curtailed by injuries and his influence waned compared with his breakout season at the Red Devils.
Despite his underwhelming campaign with United, the Stockport-born talent has remained a key player for Ruben Amorim after Erik ten Hag’s sacking in 2024.
Kobbie Mainoo has been part of United’s pre-season tour and the 20-year-old England midfielder has been able to pick up important minutes this summer.
However, a key detail that even United fans have spotted about Mainoo is how different he looked, with the player looking better with his fitness and his physique.
Paul Scholes admitted that the Three Lions midfielder “looked fitter” in his books, but he also felt that Amorim’s “rule” also applied to all other players for pre-season.
“I thought he looked fitter,” he said on The Overlap.
“And to be fair […], they all looked a little bit fitter. I think it was like a rule that they had to come back in a certain condition by the looks of all of them.”
Paul Scholes asks big questions about Kobbie Mainoo’s role under Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim
Mainoo is expected to play in the midfield pivot of Amorim’s tactical system at United, despite question marks around his ability in the set-up for next season.
Scholes previously suggested that the England midfielder should be played as one of the two No 10s for Amorim and is still “confused” about Mainoo’s role going forward.
“I think that’s his [Mainoo] demeanour and that’s the way he is,” he continued.
“He just looks like that, doesn’t he? I think he… we spoke last year what they are probably lacking in the midfield area is that controlling midfield player and I thought that was gonna be him.
“It seems like a little bit confused now. Can he be that midfielder who plays in a two, but he’ll obviously need a lot of legs around him? Or is he one of the 10s? I’m just confused [about him].”
United’s final match of the pre-season campaign this summer will be played on Saturday, with the Red Devils hosting Serie A outfit Fiorentina at Old Trafford.
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