When Kobbie Mainoo burst onto the scene at Manchester United, many believed he would be the future of the club. One of the most exciting talents to come out of their academy in recent years, he added dynamism and raw ability to the Red Devils’ midfield.
However, 11 games into the 2025/26 Premier League season, Mainoo is starting to look like a peripheral figure within the United squad. He has played in seven Premier League games this season, failing to score a goal or notch up an assist.
So what is going wrong for Mainoo this season? We’ll take a look at whether it is a personal or a systemic issue – additionally, we’ll also touch upon what the future holds for the United academy star.
Does Kobbie Mainoo fit into Ruben Amorim’s system?
Ruben Amorim’s system is infamously rigid. He will not change his style to benefit any one player – and this won’t work in Kobbie Mainoo’s favour.
The two central midfield slots are currently occupied by Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, both of whom have settled in nicely to their respective roles after some teething troubles. Mainoo, on the other hand, is a player who only really functions properly in a midfield three.
He likes to play with freedom, making runs forward and collecting the ball in dangerous areas. He is not afforded the opportunity to do this in Amorim’s system, as his marauding drives leave them exposed defensively. Amorim’s system relies on uniformity within the team – anyone disrupting this threatens to unravel the gameplan.
The Portuguese recently spoke on how Mainoo ‘deserves to play’ in the United first team, but he would have to remove someone ‘that is playing really well’ from the starting XI in order to accomodate him.
If he wants a regular spot in Amorim’s team, he may need to re-invent himself – currently, Mainoo is something of a square peg in a round hole at Old Trafford. His talents, as extensive as they may be, are not particularly useful to what Amorim aims to achieve.
Could Mainoo leave Manchester United?
As things stand, Mainoo is under contract at United until the summer of 2027, although the club has the option to extend his deal by an extra year. There is no news of a new deal as of yet, but this isn’t too surprising given the amount of time left before his existing contract expires.
It is unlikely that the Red Devils will let him go on a permanent basis any time soon, but he could leave the club on a loan deal. Recently, he has been in contact with Napoli regarding a possible temporary jump to Serie A.
Should he make the jump to Napoli, Mainoo would join up with former United midfielder Scott McTominay, who has been enjoying plenty of success in Italy.
According to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport, Mainoo is Napoli’s ‘top target’. Their pursuit has intensified, following an injury sustained by Kevin De Bruyne, though Mainoo has been in their sights since the summer.