Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has been told that one first-team star at Old Trafford has all of the talent that a “top club would want” from a player.
That is according to Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who believes that it would be a “step too far” for Manchester United to sell one superb player at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim has the opportunity to make sweeping changes to his current United first-team squad in the summer transfer window and ahead of the new season.
The 40-year-old United manager faced a difficult start to life in England after he saw out a turbulent 2024-25 season at Old Trafford after his arrival at the club in 2024.
Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag after the former Ajax boss was sacked and the Red Devils were led to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League table last season.
United also fell short to Tottenham in the 2025 Europa League final in Bilbao and missed out on securing a route back to the Champions League for next season.
Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
Photo by Michael Regan – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
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Gary Neville makes his clear-cut stance on Kobbie Mainoo’s future at Man Utd under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford
Kobbie Mainoo has been a key Manchester United first-team player at the Premier League club after his emergence under former Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag.
The 20-year-old Stockport-born midfielder’s influence was limited in the 2024-25 campaign after injuries disrupted his momentum in the United first team.
Mainoo has attracted interest from Chelsea in recent months amid uncertainty around his future at United, with the Red Devils talent under contract until 2027.
Speaking on The Overlap US, Neville insisted that United would be making the wrong decision to try and cash in on the England international in the summer.
“Mainoo, no. That’s a step too far,” he said on the ‘It’s Called Soccer!’ show.
“If we can’t give Kobbie Mainoo a job in that two in midfield… I look at Mainoo and the way he plays football and I think a top club would want him.
“Why can’t we make him a top player? If he’s one of ours and he’s shown talent.”
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Gary Neville’s assessment of Kobbie Mainoo’s role in Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd tactical system at Old Trafford
Amorim rolled out his tactical system at United and the former Sporting CP boss has used Kobbie Mainoo in different roles for his formation for the Red Devils.
Mainoo has played as part of the two-man midfield and he has even been deployed as a false nine and in one of the two No 10s in Amorim’s system.
United legend Neville has claimed that Mainoo should be a linchpin midfield influence for Amorim and he needs the ‘right’ partner alongside him in the middle of the park.
“I don’t know what’s gone on there in the last few months,” he continued.
“He’s obviously had some injuries, which [have] caused him a problem, so he needs to stay fit, but I’d like to think he could be one of [those] two in midfield that Ruben Amorim plays.
“It’s probably not Casemiro as his partner and it’s probably not Ugarte as his partner; it’s probably someone else in there who is better than those two, if I’m being honest.
“But we should be building around Kobbie Mainoo in central midfield and not because he’s come through the ranks.”
Mainoo played in 37 matches in all competitions for United in the 2024-25 campaign and the Three Lions star netted twice and picked up one assist for the Red Devils.