Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo needs to agitate for a late departure from Old Trafford if he wants to reignite his career and stand a chance of being heavily involved in the 2026 World Cup after he was an unused substitute during the Premier League stalemate with Fulham on Sunday.
Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim has not been afraid to offload members of the squad who have failed to win him over, leading to Marcus Rashford being allowed to join Barcelona on an initial loan deal which includes a £26million option for the La Liga heavyweights to make his switch permanent.
Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho are among the other big-names to have been put on the market by Manchester United, although the latter rejected the opportunity to join Roma earlier this week, and it has become clear that Mainoo is not at the forefront of plans for this season.
Mainoo Not Persuaded to Pen a New Contract
Kobbie Mainoo in action for Manchester United
Amorim has indicated that Manchester United have made no progress in attempts to convince Mainoo to pen an extended contract, according to the Manchester Evening News, and his lack of game time in the early stages of the campaign has highlighted that he must quit his boyhood club ahead of the transfer window slamming shut.
The central midfielder has entered the final two years of a contract which allows him to pocket £25,000-per-week, which is the key reason why the Red Devils are eager to persuade him to sign on the dotted line, but he should prioritise embarking on a fresh challenge before September 1 as he has fallen down the pecking order.
Mainoo saw Manuel Ugarte come off the bench in the second half of the 1-1 draw with Fulham on Sunday and, having made 37 appearances in all competitions last term, has also been forced to contend with Bruno Fernandes taking up a deeper role after his decision to snub summer interest from Saudi Pro League big-spenders Al-Hilal.
Kobbie Mainoo's statistics for Manchester United this season
The captain's positional change has negatively impacted the England international, who has been described as 'special' by Red Devils icon Paul Scholes, and he is in serious danger of missing out on competing at the World Cup if he is not given regular opportunities in the coming months.
GMS sources recently revealed that Manchester United have not been looking to sell Mainoo, while he had been looking to use pre-season to prove his worth to Amorim, but he needs to take his career into his own hands and assess his options following internal talks with influential figures over fresh terms.
Mainoo Price Tag Could be a Stumbling Block
Kobbie Mainoo during a Manchester United training session
Manchester United were only prepared to sanction Mainoo's departure if a bid in the region of £70million was submitted during the winter transfer window, when there were originally doubts over his long-term future, and that could prove to be a stumbling block if he chooses to push for a last-minute switch.
The 20-year-old is at risk of being the next Amorim victim after the Portuguese tactician has ruthlessly cut other big-names from his squad - Alejandro Garnacho was told he should pray that he could find a new club in the closing stages of last season - and he may be better off testing himself in another environment.
Mainoo should not be in a position where he is snubbed in favour of Ugarte, despite the latter costing £50.5million when he arrived from Paris Saint-Germain 12 months ago, and failing to get any minutes on the pitch against Fulham should be the final straw as he aims to get his career back on track.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 24/08/2025
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