Manchester United have been handed a significant lift ahead of their Premier League showdown with Everton on Monday night.
According to reliable insider Sully Talkz, Kobbie Mainoo has returned to group training today and is in contention to be included in the squad against the Toffees.
Mainoo suffered a knock in training and missed the encounter with Tottenham Hotspur before the November international break.
United head coach Ruben Amorim confirmed on Friday that Mainoo had skipped training, though he stopped short of ruling the youngster out of Monday’s encounter.
The 20-year-old is expected to be named on the bench and will be desperate to earn valuable minutes.
Mainoo has yet to start a Premier League game this season, a surprising reality given the promise he showed last year.
Amorim sees him as a number eight, a role currently occupied by club captain Bruno Fernandes.
The academy graduate initially broke into the team under Erik ten Hag as a defensive midfielder, displaying remarkable composure for his age.
However, Amorim believes Mainoo lacks the defensive and positional awareness to be a fully effective number six.
His limited minutes have already cost him a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, with Elliot Anderson overtaking him in the pecking order.
With the 2026 World Cup approaching, the path back into the national team looks difficult unless Mainoo starts playing regularly.
If Amorim continues to overlook him, the highly rated youngster may be forced to consider a loan move in January to protect his development.
Several European clubs would likely circle around for his signature, even for a short-term loan.
Stats from Fotmob.com