Kobbie Mainoo wanted to leave Man Utd on loan in the summer window and his situation has not improved.
Steven is a senior writer and covers Manchester United for the Manchester Evening News. You can follow Steven on Twitter at @StevenRailston.
Casemiro, Mainoo and Fernandes after winning against Sunderland.
Kobbie Mainoo could get to Halloween without making a Premier League start this season.
Mainoo will be spooked by his current situation. The youngster has knuckled down in an attempt to win back his starting role, but Ruben Amorim continues to overlook him on matchdays.
There has been widespread chatter about Mainoo’s predicament. The midfielder scored the matchwinner in the 2024 FA Cup final and started in the Euro 2024 final for England. But just 15 months later, he cannot get a start in the Premier League, so it’s not a surprise that fans are talking about the situation.
Mainoo is doing all he can to change Amorim’s mind, training with a private coach during the international breaks and even changing his private chef at home in an attempt to improve.
He deserves to be commended for reacting positively to the challenge that he is facing, although it will become increasingly difficult to stay motivated if his situation does not change.
Will Mainoo’s situation alter? It looks unlikely. He was an unused substitute for the opening two games of the season and has been limited to a further five substitute appearances since.
Amorim has said Mainoo is competing with Bruno Fernandes for the deeper midfield role – but Fernandes is regarded as undroppable and has kept his place despite underperforming.
There is still more water to go under the bridge before the January transfer window. Yet there is still a chance that Mainoo could force his way into the team and Amorim is praised for coaxing another level from him, however, the evidence from the first few months of the campaign suggest that it is unlikely.
Instead, the indicators suggest Mainoo will ask to leave on loan for a second time when the winter window opens. Whether such a request would be accepted is another matter.
Mainoo is under contract and was told to fight for his place by his manager when he enquired about leaving on loan in the summer, and United may give him a similar answer in January.
The 20-year-old is desperate to play ahead of the World Cup – Mainoo is determined to make the England squad – but United will put the club first and argue he is needed in the dressing room.
Amorim’s midfield options are light and Mainoo will be needed if injuries occur, but there will naturally be frustration from the player’s perspective, especially in a World Cup campaign.
Fans will likely be sympathetic toward Mainoo, who is one of the biggest academy success stories of the last decade, and some believe he has been unfairly treated by Amorim so far this term.
Amorim had a chance to start Mainoo against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium but preferred Manuel Ugarte, which was true to form after comments about Mainoo competing with Fernandes.
United’s head coach does not consider Mainoo as a foil to Fernandes, although that partnership hasn’t been given a fair crack of the whip and appeals on paper in fixtures that United want to control.
Amorim is as stubborn as old boots though and probably won’t change his opinion on his midfield, which suggests Mainoo will revisit his situation in January with the hope of leaving for regular minutes.
It will reflect badly on Amorim if he cannot make it work. There is something wrong with a manager’s system if it cannot accommodate one of the finest young talents in Europe.
Ten Hag described Mainoo as the “perfect midfielder”. Gareth Southgate said England “haven’t really had a player like him until now”. United academy coaches were huge advocates of Mainoo’s talent.
Amorim is the first manager in Mainoo’s career to question him, which is bound to be frustrating, but all he can do is continue to work hard and focus on his training at Carrington.
It’s fascinating because everyone knows what Mainoo can do, perhaps except Amorim.