England star Kobbie Mainoo has been linked with a move away from Manchester United since the summer transfer window, and he could leave Old Trafford on loan come January, with one eye on the World Cup
Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Kobbie Mainoo’s potential Manchester United exit pathway has emerged as the January transfer window moves closer.
Mainoo was heavily linked with a move away from United during the summer transfer window, but the midfielder ended up remaining at Old Trafford despite the speculation and his desire for consistent game time.
The midfielder enjoyed his breakthrough campaign under former manager Erik ten Hag but has struggled for regular minutes under Ruben Amorim’s leadership.
Mainoo has made eight appearances for United so far this season, but is yet to start a single game in the Premier League. The 20-year-old’s only start came in the defeat to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup back in September.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Mainoo’s future, suggesting that a move away in January may be on the cards. On the Here We Go podcast, Romano has claimed that Mainoo is open to leaving United on a loan deal in January that would run until the end of the season.
Relegation-threatened West Ham are mentioned as having an interest in Mainoo, with suggestions that Nuno Espirito Santo’s Hammers can guarantee the midfielder a regular spot in their starting line-up. Napoli have also been listed as a potential destination for Mainoo.
Kobbie Mainoo has struggled for minutes this season under Ruben Amorim(Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)
Amorim recently spoke about Mainoo’s lack of minutes for United this season, explaining what he wishes had happened for the Reds this term to allow the midfielder to get more game time.
“I see Kobbie Mainoo training today, and he deserves to play,” Amorim told beIN Sports. “But then I have to take one guy [out] that is playing really well.
“We should have played yesterday in the Carabao Cup, because I need to see Kobbie Mainoo playing, I need to see Josh [Zirkzee]. All these guys deserve to play, but in the end, with one game [a week], you need to make choices.
“So you have both sides, but we are taking advantage of the good side of not playing in the middle of the week.”
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. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.