The Premier League is back, and Manchester United got their campaign underway with a hard-fought win over Fulham, who caused them some real trouble last season.
Erik ten Hag's side may have only won the game 1-0, but they looked pretty good throughout the 90 minutes and gave the fans a reason to be hopeful ahead of a long ten months that'll hopefully end in Champions League qualification.
One of the best players in the first half was Casemiro, who showed why he could still be helpful for the team. Likewise, while he could be sold in the coming weeks, Scott McTominay came on for a late cameo and looked okay.
However, while they both looked perfectly fine in their time on the pitch, another starter has seen his valuation skyrocket past theirs'.
Casemiro and McTominay's valuation in 2024
So, based on recent reports, it does look as if McTominay's time at Old Trafford could be coming to an end, with Fulham particularly keen on bringing him to Craven Cottage this summer.
The West Londoners had a second offer rejected for the Scottish international earlier this month worth around £20m, but now it looks like they could come in with a third, improved offer.
However, Marco Silva's side are unwilling to match United's £30m valuation of the player, instead looking to seal the deal at around £25m, although whether the Red Devils are willing to accept that remains to be seen.
Some out there may question such a valuation on the 27-year-old's head, but given that he scored ten goals and provided three assists from 43 appearances last season, it seems more than fair.
Now, while the Lancaster-born ace has seen his stock rise slightly over the last year, his midfield partner, Casemiro, has seen his value plummet.
For example, he joined the three-time European champions for a whopping £70m in the summer of 2022, and while he enjoyed a stellar first season at the club, he struggled last year and, as a result, his valuation from Transfermarkt has plunged to just €20m, which converts to just £17m.
That might seem egregious for such a decorated player, but his fall from grace in the back half of last year was dramatic, with Jamie Carragher claiming that his "legs have gone", which was reportedly also the opinion of the club's coaching staff earlier this summer.
However, with all of that said, while Casemiro's value has plunged and McTominay's has risen, neither player is worth anywhere near as much as one of their young teammates.
Kobbie Mainoo's valuation in 2024
Of course, who else was it going to be? The young midfielder who has seen his valuation explode in the last year or so is 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo.
According to Transfermarkt, the Stockport-born gem is now worth €55m, which converts to around £47m, meaning he is currently worth at least £17m more than McTominay and a massive £30m more than Casemiro.
There may be some people out there who believe this valuation is just too much for a player his age, but based on his performances over the last year or so and his importance to United and England, it's entirely justified.
For example, despite being so young, he made 32 first-team appearances for the Red Devils last season, in which he scored five goals and provided one assist, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 5.33 despite playing all of his games in central and defensive midfield.
Moreover, following his impressive showing at the Euros this summer, the "absolute baller", as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, already has nine senior England caps to his name, which is a glowing endorsement of his immense talent and sky-high potential.
Appearances
37
9
Goals
5
0
Assists
1
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.16
0.00
Ultimately, while some may be surprised to see that Mainoo is already worth substantially more than some of his more senior teammates, they shouldn't be, especially as his valuation will keep soaring if he keeps performing at this level.
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