1 month ago
22
Kobbie Mainoo's strange circumstance at Manchester United is one of the club's most infuriating current problems.
Once described as the "perfect midfielder" by Erik ten Hag, Mainoo's rise has stagnated at United, and the argument of who is to blame for that is still up for debate. But Ruben Amorim's consistent snub of the England midfielder isn't helping.
The Reds have won one of their first four games in the Premier League this season, and Sunday's Manchester derby loss to City has put Amorim under intense spotlight.
His system, demeanour on the touchline, passionate rants with the media, and specific player selection have all come under scrutiny in the aftermath of the defeat to Pep Guardiola's side. It's his treatment of Mainoo that has left many confused.
Forcing him to watch most games from the bench is Bruno Fernandes and Amorim's persistence in starting his captain in a deeper role than where he's best. For many, the easy solution to turn to in the future is pushing Fernandes further forward and letting Mainoo free in the pivot.
Mainoo requested to leave United on loan in the final week of the summer transfer window, but the club denied a move. Amorim has since challenged the 20-year-old to fight for his place despite him competing with the player who hasn't been substituted off once so far this season.
Should Mainoo continue to be left in the dark, United faces a similar situation to that they found themselves in with Alejandro Garnacho. Despite coming out of the club's academy with excitement over his head, the forward was allowed to leave in the summer after not fitting into Amorim's system.
The same could well happen with Mainoo and there are clubs creeping. Tottenham and Newcastle are two teams that have shown recent interest and reports 10 months ago suggested Chelsea were keen if he was to become available.
Selling him to a Premier League rival, just like they did with Garnacho, could come back to haunt them. However, there have been recent links to Manchester City, and that would be a natural disaster.
On Wednesday, United announced the results of their fourth quarter trading period for the year ended June 30, 2025. Reported revenues of £164million have been released, which contributes to record revenues for 2025 of £666.5m.
In the release of the financial results, the club added that it 'remains committed to, and in compliance with, both the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules and UEFA's Financial Fair Play Regulations', meaning the need to sell academy players to comply with PSR isn't a priority.
Mainoo, born in Greater Manchester, has been at United since the age of seven and is one of the most exciting academy products. Selling him to City would not only strengthen their arch rivals, but it would also top any decision made by Ineos as the worst one yet.
TEAMtalk has claimed that Guardiola views Mainoo as one of England's brightest prospects, and interest from City could be a situation to monitor closely. City's recent business in the transfer market has focused on investing in potential, with Rayan Cherki, James Trafford, Sverre Nypan, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Juma Bah all brought in over the past year.
The arrival of Tijjani Reijnders has strengthened City's midfield, but question marks over Nico Gonzalez and Matheus Nunes, who has been used at right-back, mean they are likely to look at more midfielders in the future.
But United can't let Mainoo leave for City. Of course, any deal between the two sides is improbable. A glance through the history books shows there hasn't been a senior player transfer from one side of the city to the other since Owen Hargreaves in 2011.
There's also the possible threat now that, should Amorim be dismissed, the next manager will use Mainoo in midfield. If Amorim doesn't trust the 20-year-old, his stubbornness may cost him.
---
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.
English (US) ·