Kobbie Mainoo is attracting interest from Leeds Unitedplaceholder image
Kobbie Mainoo is attracting interest from Leeds United | Manchester United via Getty Imag
Kobbie Mainoo faces an uncertain future at Manchester United as talks of a late summer sale continue to intensify
Newly-promoted Premier League side Leeds United have emerged as one of the front-runners to sign Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo, according to reports. ManchesterWorld understand that Mainoo is open to leaving Old Trafford in the final few days of the summer transfer window after falling down the pecking order under manager Ruben Amorim.
The 10-time England international, aged 20, has largely been limited to a substitute position since he returned from injury last December and is yet to show that he’s capable of fitting into Amorim’s current tactical setup despite being a standout performer in the starting XI under predecessor Erik ten Hag during large chunks of the 2023/24 campaign.
It’s believed that Mainoo has alerted his representatives that he may need to leave Carrington to play more regularly in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, and it’s even speculated that a permanent transfer could be on the cards.
Is Kobbie Mainoo likely to leave Man Utd?
ManchesterWorld revealed earlier today that Kobbie Mainoo is not being forced out of the club by Ruben Amorim but states that a potential sale for a figure of around £45m could be attractive at this time as it could help facilitate a whole host of new arrivals in the starting line-up. As an academy graduate, any fee received for Mainoo would be classified as pure profit, though there might not be many teams that could actually tempt them into a full transfer this late into the transfer window.
In the past Chelsea had been mooted as potential suitors but it now appears that Leeds United have emerged as the latest contender to try and get a deal done before the end of the window, with Tottenham also expressing interest.
At this stage both Tottenham and Chelsea are already thought to be pursuing RB Leipzig wonderkid Xavi Simons while it’s also believed that the Blues will move for a central defender after Levi Colwill’s recent ACL injury. Tottenham are already stacked with central midfield options including Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall, Yves Bissouma, Archie Gray and summer signing Joao Palhinha. Meanwhile, Chelsea have Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Enzo Fernandez and Dario Essugo.
Leeds have signed Sean Longstaff from Newcastle United this summer as well as Anton Stach from Hoffeneheim, but they're still likely to be in the market for further reinforcements as they look to consolidate themselves as a top-flight club. Caught Offside claim any deal involving the West Yorkshire club is likely to be a loan move for Mainoo as opposed to a permanent deal.
What’s gone wrong for Kobbie Mainoo at Man Utd?
Kobbie Mainoo won universal praise from pundits around the world during the 2023/24 season when he emerged as a first team regular in Erik ten Hag’s side while gatecrashing the England squad for Euro 2024 just months after making his first team debut.
Mainoo scored in the FA Cup final win over Manchester City and soon emerged as a regular for the Three Lions in the latter stages of Euro 2024 as they finished runners-up behind eventual winners Spain. However, Mainoo’s contract situation has been an issue which has lingered in the background for a number of months. The 20-year-old is currently contracted until 2027 and is yet to agree a new deal with the Old Trafford club.
“I know his agent, and he’s not asking for too much money in comparison to what the players are earning at Man United,” said Dean Saunders on talkSPORT. “But it’s a dilemma for the football club, what do you do with Mainoo? How much money do you pay him?
“Because he’s actually not done much in the game but gets in the England squad and now he’s in Man United’s team and there’s players earning three times more than him, four times more than him. So to protect their asset, how much money have you got to give him to get him to sign a new contract? Or, if he’s not going to sign it, they’re going to have to sell him, otherwise he walks out on a free.”
Mainoo was rated highly under Erik ten Hag but has struggled to produce anywhere near the same level of performance under Ruben Amorim, with the Portuguese coach often leaving the 20-year-old on the bench.
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