Manchester City will compete with Chelsea and Newcastle United to sign 20-year-old Manchester United whizkid Kobbie Mainoo next year.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Kobbie Mainoo is the subject of interest of Manchester City. The Citizens are keen on reinforcing their midfield unit next year and have set their sights on the Manchester United whizkid. Meanwhile, the English international is also a target for Chelsea and Newcastle United, and his market value “is believed to be” around £70 million.
Kobbie Mainoo and his frustrations
Kobbie Mainoo has endured a frustrating time thus far in the early stages of the 2025/26 season after falling in the pecking order at Manchester United. While the Englishman was impressive during his time under Erik ten Hag’s tutelage, he has been in and out of the starting lineup since Ruben Amorim took over nearly 12 months ago.
The 20-year-old has managed only 163 minutes of game time in three outings thus far in the 2025/26 season, and Amorim has yet to hand him a start in the Premier League. However, Mainoo’s stock in the market is high, with Chelsea, Manchester United, and Newcastle United among the prospective suitors vying for his signature.
A man in demand
The English international has been on Chelsea’s radar for a long time. The continued interest is baffling, considering Enzo Maresca has a stacked midfield unit, with Andrey Santos adding to his options this season. Nevertheless, the Manchester United whizkid is a target for Chelsea, with Maresca keen on adding to his options in the middle of the park.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s interest in Kobbie Mainoo is understadable. The Citizens are scouring the market for a versatile midfielder, as Nicolas Gonzalez has been inconsistent since arriving from FC Porto earlier this year. Additionally, Bernardo Silva is on the wrong side of 30 and facing an uncertain future at the Etihad. So, Mainoo is a viable target for Manchester City.
As for Newcastle United, Eddie Howe has a stacked midfield unit, with the Tyneside outfit adding to his options by signing Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa in the summer transfer window. However, Joelinton’s long-term future is uncertain, and a player like Mainoo can be a top-notch addition to the Newcastle United midfield.
Meanwhile, the report has no mention of Manchester United’s asking price, although his market value “is believe to be” around £70 million. It will be interesting to see if Manchester City can turn Mainoo’s head and beat Chelsea and Newcastle United to the 20-year-old Englishman’s signature.