Kobbie Mainoo looks increasingly likely to leave Manchester United this summer, and this potential move could become a huge issue for Ruben Amorim.
Mainoo is a local boy, with the 20 year old coming from Stockport. He’s regarded as a very exciting prospect for the Red Devils, having made his senior debut in 2023 at the age of 17.
The midfielder has been at United since the age of nine and has now made over 50 appearances for the club. He also already has 10 senior appearances for England.
Why Mainoo is considering a premature United exit
But, despite the exciting start to his career, Mainoo now looks to be in a tough situation as he is yet to feature in the Premier League this season.
Amorim currently seems to prefer other players in both central midfield and as the number 10. Mason Mount, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are all ahead of Mainoo in the pecking order.
With a World Cup this summer, Mainoo needs minutes, and with him not favoured by Amorim, the hot prospect will be wanting to play consistently.
He has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford this summer, with reports suggesting that he could leave on loan before the summer transfer window closes.
Letting Mainoo go could be a huge risk for Amorim, especially if United do not have a good season.
United fans unwilling to see their homegrown talent sold
Man United’s fans love to see academy talents break into the first team. Players like Mainoo, who support the club before they have even played for them, are passionate and immediately build a great connection with the fan base.
Mainoo has produced some top moments, like his goal in the 2024 FA Cup final against Man City, which emphasises that he can be a good option for the club. He has also excelled in the Premier League in the past, but he doesn’t seem to fit the formation and tactics that Amorim is using.
It would be fine to not play him or to loan him if the tactics that the manager was picking were proving to be a consistent success, but sadly for the club they aren’t.
Since the Portuguese manager took over, Man United have played 29 Premier League matches, winning just seven, drawing seven and losing 15. This is a record that simply isn’t good enough for a club of Man United’s stature.
They have played two Premier League games this season and looked slightly better, but ultimately came away with just a single point, losing to Arsenal and drawing with Fulham.
No one associated with the club will want another season of finishing in the bottom half with no trophies, so the pressure is on the manager to turn things around.
With no Europe this campaign, the club can fully focus on the domestic competitions and this should help them perform better consistently in the Premier League.
They should be aiming to finish in the top six this season at a minimum, especially with the money they have spent, but some will set their expectations even higher, targeting a return to the Champions League. Indeed, a look at the latest odds gives Amorim’s men a 20% chance of breaking back into the top four – odds which are holding up despite the failure to get points on the board early on.
If the club have a poor season and do not meet the expectations set by fans, the pressure would only crank up on Amorim, leaving lingering doubts around his long-term future.
This pressure would surely increase should Mainoo be loaned out and have a good season elsewhere, which is something that he is definitely capable of doing.
It feels like it is a big season as the players and manager are fighting for their futures, whilst the club needs to be battling near the top again sooner rather than later, so an interesting few days lie ahead, in anticipation of the summer transfer window ending.
