Is this the next Kobbie Mainoo? Man United boss Erik ten Hag spotted deep in conversation with another young midfielder after FA Cup final win… after his pep talk last year helped propel 19-year-old to stardom

Manchester United fans are expecting another academy star to break into the first-team next season after spotting Erik ten Hag deep in conversation with one player after Saturday's FA Cup triumph.

Footage shows Ten Hag - who is yet to be told whether he will be sacked by the club or allowed to continue - with his arm around 20-year-old Toby Collyer.

United fans were quick to draw comparisons between Ten Hag speaking to Collyer and a previous interaction that saw him pull Kobbie Mainoo to one side after winning the Carabao Cup last season.

Rewind to February last year and Ten Hag was seen locked in conversation with a then 17-year-old Mainoo who was yet to make his first-team debut, but regarded as a star for the future.

Mainoo has since gone on to become one of United's players of the season, scoring the winning goal in Saturday's FA Cup final and being selected for Gareth Southgate's European Championship squad.

While Mainoo soaked in post-match celebrations alongside Alejandro Garnacho and his team-mates, Collyer found himself in a one-on-one discussion with Ten Hag.

Ten Hag could be seen with his arm wrapped around the defensive midfielder while pointing out various things on the pitch and ending the exchange by grabbing the youngster on the head and clapping hands together.

Collyer is still very much at the beginning of his career at the English giants after previously joining as the only signing of Ralf Rangnick's short interim reign.

The academy star joined from Brighton in March 2022 and has ambitions to follow in Mainoo's footsteps and break into the senior team.

He has mainly played for the club's Under-21 team since penning a three-year deal at Old Trafford, but has been a regular figure in training sessions led by Ten Hag throughout the season.

Collyer came close to making his first-team debut when he was named on the bench for a Premier League encounter against Crystal Palace and again on the final day of the season at Brighton, but failed to get on the pitch.

The Worthing-born player is yet to settle on a permanent future position but is widely-regarded as a midfielder boasting brilliant criticism and covers an average of 13 km per game. 

Speaking about Collyer in February, Ten Hag said: "He showed some good stuff and he showed some potential."