Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo looked to have a promising future at Old Trafford, however this seems to have changed of late.
The England international rose to fame under Erik ten Hag in a breakthrough season alongside Alejandro Garnacho which saw the pair of United academy graduates find their spot in the starting line-ups.
The 2023/24 season saw the pair score against Manchester City in the FA Cup final, securing Europa League football with a 2-1 win, as well as earning themselves a nomination for the coveted Golden Boy award.
However, when Erik ten Hag was sacked, making way for Ruben Amorim, the Portuguese manager’s change of system and style saw both players fall down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
Whilst Alejandro Garnacho has now found a spot in the “bomb squad” as a priority offload this summer, hell-bent on a move to Chelsea, Mainoo’s future is more up in the air.
The 20-year-old is still a member of Amorim’s squad, however, his contract talks have entered a stalemate, with the midfielder being an unused substitute in the first two games of the 2025/26 Premier League season.
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Explaining why Ruben Amorim has not been selecting Kobbie Mainoo, journalist for the Independent, Miguel Delaney has commented on his Inside Football newsletter that the player’s speed is a major factor to him sitting on the bench.
Delaney explained: “Speed has also been an issue with the reluctance to use Kobbie Mainoo, alongside concerns about how he doesn’t involve himself enough in games.”
He added: “Or, as one source put it, “five minutes of brilliance and 15 minutes of nothing”.”
These comments are in-line with previous demands of Ruben Amorim being made of the players, with it understood that the Portuguese manager is continuously looking for intensity on the pitch.
As such, with his future uncertain, as many as ten currently unknown top clubs are monitoring the situation with Mainoo, potentially waiting for the right moment to swoop in.
