Manchester United remain adamant that Kobbie Mainoo won't be leaving the club in the summer transfer window, The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell has confirmed.
Mainoo's future has been up in the air since the 2025/2026 season got underway, with the England international struggling for minutes under Ruben Amorim. The young midfielder wasn't given a single minute in United's opening two games of the campaign, before being brought on against Burnley at the weekend in the second half.
Coming through the academy, Mainoo burst onto the scene, making his Premier League debut against Everton. Since then, he's been in and out of the side, but it's clear that Amorim doesn't fancy him as a guaranteed starter. Mainoo was given a start earlier in the week, but that was against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup, a game where United were knocked out by the League Two outfit.
Laurie Whitwell: Update on Mainoo's Future at Man Utd
mainoo manchester united
Speaking on the Talk of the Devils podcast, Whitwell has confirmed that United remain adamant that Mainoo won't be departing in the summer transfer window.
"I'm not being certain about anything around United for a while now, because the way the club is, the changes that have happened, the performances that fluctuate. I'm not betting any money on absolutely certain outcomes until I'm totally confident in them. But the club are adamant that he's not going anywhere. That's their position, right. So I do think that the strength of that gives me a feeling that he is going to be at Manchester United beyond the transfer window."
There's very little time remaining in the summer transfer window, so it's no surprise that United are hoping to keep Mainoo at Old Trafford beyond the deadline. Had the Red Devils brought in a midfielder earlier in the window, then it would be interesting to see if United's stance would have changed, but they are yet to strengthen in this position in the summer.
If United do opt to make a late move for another player in the middle of the park, then a Mainoo departure certainly can't be ruled out. He's clearly not a player in the immediate plans of Amorim in terms of being a guaranteed starter, so a loan move might be beneficial for all parties if another midfielder is brought to the club.
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