Moments after receiving his first medal as Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag made a beeline for a teenager who had not even been in his victorious Wembley squad.

Ten Hag’s players were celebrating their Carabao Cup triumph over Newcastle United in February of last year but their boss wanted a word with a certain 17-year-old who had watched from the stands. “I remember what I said,” smiled Ten Hag at United’s training headquarters on Friday. “I said … your day will come.

“We are going to win trophies together and your day is coming when you will be part of it on the pitch. We are going there together and with this club. We are here to win titles. Take this moment, this experience and now you know what you are fighting for.”

That certain 17-year-old was Kobbie Mainoo – and Ten Hag knew back then that he was a player destined for big things. And even though the midfielder does not turn 19 until next month, Ten Hag is happy to acknowledge Mainoo’s importance to United.

“He can be the player who can make us play the way we want to play,” declared Ten Hag. “ We know what he is capable of, he can very quickly adapt to high levels, it looks very natural.”

The clamour is now for Mainoo to not only go to the Euros but to start for England and the adoration is something the youngster will have to deal with. “So far, he handles it very well and if he crosses the line, I as a manager, we as coaches, will interfere,” said Ten Hag. “So far, it is not necessary because he wants to play football, he wants to win, improve, have fun on the pitch, dictate the game and win the game.”

Interestingly, Ten Hag clearly believes Mainoo can be instrumental in lessening United’s reliance on the counter-attack as the Dutchman looks to produce a more dominant style of play. Ten Hag explained: “We can play very good on transition but we also have to recognise when to keep the ball.

“We have to keep the ball longer, otherwise we are coming into a tennis match. When we want to watch a tennis match, we go to Wimbledon. We have to read the game and control some moments of the game by keeping the ball.”

Ten Hag believes that aspect of United’s game will improve if the injury issues that have blighted this season do not return. And in the meantime, he reckons one of United’s main counter-attacking weapons, Marcus Rashford, will be firing on all cylinders in the season’s run-in, having seen his place in the England squad questioned after Southgate only gave him one substitute cameo over the two-game international break.

Ten Hag said: “He (Rashford) is improving during the season. The last three games he scored three goals. The final decision is up to the manager of England … but, of course, he wants to be there. But he also wants to win with us, he wants to win trophies and he is in a position to win a trophy. He wants to be in the Champions League, he wants to contribute and he wants to perform.”