Michael Carrick could hand Kobbie Mainoo a pivotal role in his Manchester United team having identified him as the player the club must ‘build a team around’.

Following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal last week, Carrick is set to be handed the reins at Old Trafford as interim head coach until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Mainoo is among the players hoping a change in the dugout will transform his fortunes having failed to start a single Premier League match under Amorim.  

The 20-year-old broke into the first-team under Erik ten Hag, playing a key role in United’s 2024 FA Cup triumph before going onto start for England in the European Championship final against Spain later that summer.

But his exile has left his hopes of making the Three Lions squad heading to North America for the World Cup this summer hanging by a thread.

Carrick’s arrival could change that. Mainoo was still two years off his senior debut during Carrick’s brief stint as interim boss in late 2021 but the five-time Premier League winner holds the academy graduate in a very high regard.

Carrick sat down with his former United teammate Rio Ferdinand in September, insisting it is...