Manchester United face the prospect of renewed scrutiny over Kobbie Mainoo’s future should he not feature heavily against Sunderland this weekend, TEAMtalk understands.
The midfielder was persuaded to remain at Old Trafford in the summer after requesting a loan move, but frustration is mounting as he continues to be overlooked.
United’s form has been poor yet opportunities for a starting role remain scarce, with Mainoo yet to start a Premier League fixture this season.
Manager Ruben Amorim was clear earlier in the season that Mainoo is in direct competition with Bruno Fernandes, but there has been no sign of Fernandes being left out of the side.
That situation has left insiders fearing the mood around Mainoo could turn more toxic if he is not trusted to play a significant part at Old Trafford on Saturday. Especially if United do not record a much needed win.
Amorim is under growing pressure to save his job and, while United chiefs want Mainoo to stay and succeed, they are caught in a dilemma.
The manager’s determination to lean on other figures is stalling Mainoo’s path and raising questions about whether he will ever truly get his fresh chance, while there is also some uncertainty behind the scenes over what the future holds for Fernandes…
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Mainoo’s future in the balance; Fernandes ‘regret’ revealed
If Mainoo is not granted a decent run out against Sunderland, TEAMtalk sources suggest it could be a moment when Mainoo will begin to more seriously consider the next step of his career.
Some figures close to the situation believe his prospects at United are now so limited that his best hope of survival at the club would come if Amorim departs.
Meanwhile, we understand that some at Old Trafford regret not cashing in on captain Fernandes over the summer, when he was linked with a £100m move to Saudi Arabia.
The 31-year-old has performances have largely been below par this season and his influence on games is just not as significant from his deeper role.
Sources believe there would be a different decision made on selling him if a big offer was to be on the table again in January – but that ship may have sailed now.
United are going to be aggressive in their search for new midfielders in 2026, and part of that is looking for successors for Bruno Fernandes, and whether Mainoo can prove that he is the man to do that under Amorim remains to be seen.
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Meanwhile, reports suggest that Bournemouth are working hard to tie manager Andoni Iraola down to a new contract amid interest from United.
He has been identified as the top choice to replace Amorim, should he be sacked, and the Cherries are ‘vulnerable’ to losing him due to his contract expiring at the end of this season.
United will therefore have to move quickly if they want to lure the talented Spanish coach to Old Trafford.
In other news, TEAMtalk understands that United areunlikely to go down the interim appointment route should they sack Amorim.
Michael Carrick has been linked with joining his former club on a short-term deal but we understand that INEOS are unlikely to sanction that.
Instead, United will look to bring in a long-term boss who they believe can help turn them into title contenders by 2028, which is the aim they’ve set out.
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