Manchester United are on the verge of agreeing a new deal with Kobbie Mainoo to keep him tied to the club until 2031.
As things stand, the youngster would be out of contract next June, and the prospect of losing such a coveted talent for nothing will be unthinkable for United and the Old Trafford faithful.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY
Kobbie Mainoo’s contract: The state of play
They needn’t worry, though, as Fabrizio Romano has assured in an early update this morning that talks are ‘advancing’ between all parties, with ‘negotiations at the final stages’.
United are ‘very optimistic’ they will get an agreement over the line with their academy graduate, which is pretty remarkable, given that Mainoo was considering leaving his boyhood club throughout the majority of the campaign.
🚨 Kobbie Mainoo and Man Utd, set to continue together with new deal close to being sealed. 🔜⭐️ pic.twitter.com/h4d9wpd7mH
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 25, 2026
The 20-year-old’s heavily reduced role under Ruben Amorim prompted him to start considering a future away from M16, with Napoli deemed the most suitable and attractive option to reignite his stagnant career.
| Appearances | Unused substitute | Minutes played |
| 11 | 4 | 212 |
(Mainoo’s record under Amorim in the league before his dismissal)
Mainoo enjoying a key starting role in second half of 2025/2026
However, Michael Carrick swiftly put things right when he was appointed interim manager in January, as Mainoo has since started every single fixture after not starting even once under Amorim in the Premier League for the first 20 matches.
Michael Carrick rejuvenating Kobbie Mainoo 👏❤️:
🗣️ "I've known Kobbie a long time. I started working with him when I think he was 13 or 14, when I was starting to do my coaching badges
What Kobbie's done at such a young age is quite incredible, really.
We forget how young… pic.twitter.com/B5DF3pIvjc
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) February 25, 2026
His return to the fold also saw him almost instantaneously recalled to the England setup for the March internationals, marking the first time that he has made the squad under Thomas Tuchel.
It goes without saying that Mainoo will now be crossing his fingers that he can do enough from now until the end of the season to earn a spot in Tuchel’s World Cup selection in the summer. From United fans’ perspective, the German would be silly not to utilise him.
Kobi Is A Talented Player He Can Do More Than Much