Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has dropped his clear-cut verdict on the situation surrounding Manchester United and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo at Old Trafford.
Kobbie Mainoo has seen his future at the Premier League club plunged into doubt after tumbling down the midfield pecking order under manager Ruben Amorim.
The 20-year-old Stockport-born midfielder was left on the bench for Manchester United’s opening two Premier League matches against Arsenal and Fulham.
However, Ruben Amorim did start Mainoo for United in Wednesday’s shocking penalty shootout defeat in the Carabao Cup to Grimsby Town at Blundell Park.
Mainoo became a key player in the United first team under Erik ten Hag after the midfield talent emerged from the Premier League club’s youth academy.
However, the England international’s 2024-25 season was hit with injuries and Mainoo has now been left fighting for a place in the starting XI under Amorim.
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Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville presents to the camera ahead of the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford in 2025 in Manchester, England.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
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Gary Neville makes his feelings clear on where Man Utd will stand on Kobbie Mainoo amid the transfer rumblings
According to BBC Sport, Kobbie Mainoo has now asked Manchester United about the need to leave Old Trafford on loan before the transfer window shuts in September.
However, it has been made clear from United’s standpoint that the Red Devils have no intention of allowing the Three Lions international to make his exit from the club.
United want Mainoo to fight for his place under United manager Amorim and the midfielder is concerned by his lack of playing time at the Premier League club.
Speaking on The Overlap, Gary Neville insisted that Mainoo will have to remain at the Premier League club due to the limited midfield options at United now.
“Kobbie Mainoo can’t leave,” he said.
“They haven’t got any midfielders! They can’t let him go.
“If they’re letting him go, they have to bring someone in. They can’t let him go! They’ve got Casemiro, [Manuel] Ugarte and [Bruno] Fernandes.
“I don’t think the manager is half-having him, I don’t think he’s having him.”
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Gary Neville’s warning to Man Utd over Kobbie Mainoo after Sky Sports pundit singles out two players
United legend Neville has hinted that Mainoo could even be influenced by other Red Devils teammates over his desire to leave Old Trafford this summer.
The 50-year-old former United captain singled out on-loan Barcelona player Marcus Rashford and Chelsea-linked Alejandro Garnacho amid his discussion on Mainoo.
Neville added: “He’ll be friends with Garnacho, I suspect, and he’ll be friends with Marcus and I suspect he’s looking at the WhatsApp with those two and he’s thinking, ‘I’m being left out here,’ and he might be looking at it and going, ‘I’m going to get out!’
“There would be a lot of takers for him.”
Mainoo is under contract with United until 2027 and the England international has made 73 appearances for the Red Devils’ first-team squad and netted seven times.