TIME TO STEP UP! Ince issues challenge to Mainoo after Man Utd splashed £155m on three midfielders this summer

Inflation is inflation, the game has moved on, and football’s finances have changed beyond belief, but Paul Ince still chuckles at the transfer fees commanded by midfield players in today’s game. Not necessarily attacking midfield players, midfield players with an eye for goal and the killer pass.

Some of the fees are for holding midfield players, combative sorts, disruptors. A hundred million for Sandro Tonali, a lot more for Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez going twice for nine-figure sums.

“What would Roy Keane be worth?” laughs Ince. It is the type of question asked throughout the football ages and the truth is that the likes of Keane and, indeed, Ince were highly-prized in their day.

But it is also true that elite central midfield operators have never been as highly valued as they are now. That is why, for example, £70million has been invested in Carlos Baleba, even though Manchester United fans are unlikely to see him in action until October, after the international break.

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United also paid £50m for Andrey Santos and £35m for Youri Tielemans this summer. But Ince believes United already have a marquee central midfielder on the books, albeit one who needs to be more assertive and take more risks. As far as Ince is concerned, there is a lot more to come from Kobbie Mainoo, who received rave reviews for his performance in last Sunday’s 5-2 win over Ipswich Town.

Ince explains: “With the greatest respect to Ipswich, if they are going to come to United and play open football, I could still do a job against them. It goes without saying that Kobbie has to do that week in, week out.

"And I want to see someone who takes control of the game. I don’t want to see someone who just gets the ball and passes it square. Or moves it on to Bruno Fernandes. I want to see someone who drives forward, who plays one-twos.

"How many shots does he have in game? When I played I used to make sure I had at least three or four shots in a game. And, essentially, he is playing exactly the same role as I did.

“There is more to his game than just passing it and letting the likes of Bruno and [Matheus] Cunha do their stuff. He can add a lot more to come. He can get more shots off.

“He can drive with the ball. He’s got good feet, he’s got lovely feet. All the attributes he has got, he needs to start showing them more.

“You’ve got be believe in how good you can be and not play the safety first football. Potentially, he is a very, very good player.”

And that is why Ince is slightly dubious when assessing United’s transfer business this summer, saying: “I don’t understand why United would buy Santos for £50m and Baleba for £70m when they already have Mainoo.

“I felt there might be other areas where the money could have been spent. Perhaps in the full-back area or a striker to help them push for the top two or three.”

In effect, though, United have recruited a striker, with the return of Marcus Rashford to the fold. His start against Ipswich was his first for the club in over 600 days.

“A couple of years ago, I thought that Marcus needed a move away,” says Ince, who spent six seasons at Old Trafford. “I thought he needed a new challenge, looked a bit stale. He looked rejuvenated at Barcelona and looked back to somewhere close to his best form but then they signed Anthony Gordon.

“He needs to play regularly now. I honestly think he is United’s best option on the left. It will be fascinating to see how he does now he is back.”