Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo won\u2019t be going to the World Cup with England if he stays stuck on the fringes under Ruben Amorim.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old hasn\u2019t started a single Premier League match this season and was an unused substitute in United\u2019s opening two fixtures. As far as his World Cup prospects go, it\u2019s not looking good.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s far from alone. A number of Premier League players are in the same position \u2014 too good to be warming the bench, or too talented to be stuck at struggling clubs \u2014 with West Ham\u2019s Lucas Paqueta among those who might need a change of scenery in January.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s our Premier League XI of World Cup hopefuls who could really use a move in the winter transfer window.<\/p>\n
Players who need to move in January to save World Cup place
\nGK: Altay Bayindir (Manchester United)<\/p>\n
The goalkeeping situation in the Turkish national team is uncertain, but one thing\u2019s for sure: the only way Bayindir plays for Manchester United<\/a> before January is if Senne Lammens gets injured or suspended.<\/p>\n His last Turkey appearance \u2014 that disastrous afternoon against Portugal at Euro 2024 \u2014 did him no favours, but Vincenzo Montella continues to call him up. It\u2019s now between Bayindir and Galatasaray\u2019s Ugurcan Cakir for the gloves next summer, with Mert Gunok surely out of the picture after being dropped by Besiktas boss Sergen Yalcin.<\/p>\n After a season spent rotting on the Old Trafford bench, there\u2019s little chance Bayindir gets called up, and no chance he starts for Turkey at the World Cup.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n RB: Malo Gusto (Chelsea)<\/p>\n Malo Gusto\u2019s chances of making Didier Deschamps\u2019 World Cup squad look slim, but a January move could change that.<\/p>\n Staying at Chelsea<\/a> might work out given Reece James\u2019 injury record, but Gusto has struggled when given minutes \u2014 poor against Nottingham Forest when pushed into midfield, before picking up a needless red card.<\/p>\n He was in the most recent France squad and while Jules Kounde is nailed on, the back-up role behind the Barcelona right-back is there for the taking.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n CB: Sebastiaan Bornauw (Leeds)<\/p>\n It\u2019s early days for Bornauw at Leeds, but zero Premier League minutes so far is hardly encouraging.<\/p>\n The four-cap Belgian international hasn\u2019t featured for his country in over a year, and there\u2019s little chance he returns to the fold while sitting on the bench at Elland Road.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n CB: Nathan Ake (Manchester City)<\/p>\n Nathan Ake has just one Premier League start this season amid fierce competition for places in Pep Guardiola\u2019s backline.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also fierce competition for spots in Ronald Koeman\u2019s Netherlands squad, with Virgil van Dijk<\/a>, Jurrien Timber, Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven and Stefan de Vrij all in the mix.<\/p>\n We\u2019re not sure where Ake could go, but one start from nine games isn\u2019t nearly enough for a player of his calibre.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n LB: Adam Aznou (Everton)<\/p>\n Morocco reached the semi-finals in 2022 and look ready to go deep again, having cruised through World Cup qualifying.<\/p>\n In a squad boasting Noussair Mazraoui, Youssef En-Nesyri and Brahim Diaz, Aznou has been absent since November 2024, and with zero appearances for Everton this season, a recall looks unlikely.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n CM: Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)<\/p>\n Napoli have been linked with Mainoo again<\/a>, and his minutes under Ruben Amorim aren\u2019t improving.<\/p>\n The 10-cap England international was a breakout star under Gareth Southgate during the run to the Euro 2024 final, but his form dipped badly in United\u2019s dire 2024\/25 campaign. Now, his World Cup place under Thomas Tuchel is in jeopardy.<\/p>\n If playing time doesn\u2019t improve, Mainoo has no chance of going to North America. A move to Napoli could reignite his career. Scott McTominay\u2019s success in Serie A should be all the proof he needs that Italy might just be the place to be.<\/p>\n