Manchester United midfielder Casemiro will leave Old Trafford at the end of the season and the club are now ready to open talks over a new deal for Kobbie Mainoo.
Casemiro in action for Man Utd.
Casemiro will leave Man Utd when his contract expires this summer. (Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
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Manchester United are reportedly preparing to open talks over a new contract for midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. The Red Devils have already confirmed that Casemiro will depart Old Trafford when his deal runs out at the end of the campaign.
The Brazilian's departure will free up more than £15million within the club's wage bill. It seems some of those freed-up funds could now be directed towards securing Mainoo's future, with the youngster having worked his way back into contention after being side-lined by Ruben Amorim - before the Portuguese's sacking.
The development comes just days after his impressive performance during the 2-0 triumph over Manchester City. According to Sky Sports, the club are poised to offer Mainoo what has been termed a 'vastly improved' deal, while his wages could be lifted closer to those earned by the club's top earners.
Such a scenario would have seemed unlikely at the tail end of 2025, when Mainoo hadn't featured in a single Premier League starting XI under Amorim. Both Napoli and Chelsea were reportedly interested in the England international, who was instrumental in the Three Lions' journey to the Euro 2024 final.
The 19-year-old has 18 months left on his existing United deal, with an additional 12-month option available. While there remains some breathing room, Mainoo's contract situation wasn't considered as urgent when he was finding minutes hard to come by under Amorim.
When Mainoo lined up alongside Casemiro against Pep Guardiola's team, it marked his first start for the Reds this campaign. He went on to complete the entire match and deliver an outstanding individual display.
Securing his long-term commitment to Old Trafford now appears to be a top priority, particularly with Casemiro's now-confirmed departure from the club. Manuel Ugarte has, also, been widely linked with an exit from United this month.
Kobbie Mainoo looking for the ball.
Kobbie Mainoo could sign a new deal at Man Utd.(Image: Neal Simpson/Getty Images)
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Should Ugarte also depart, Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes would be their only natural, senior central midfielders remaining at the club, with concerns that even the latter could leave. United have been associated with various midfield targets throughout the Premier League.
Brighton and Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba was pursued during the final days of the transfer window, while Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Nottingham Forest player Elliot Anderson have also been mentioned. All three players would require a substantial fee.
Nevertheless, considering Michael Carrick's earlier remarks about Mainoo, the interim United head coach will be keen for the midfielder to become the cornerstone of a completely revamped Reds squad. In a conversation with 'Rio Meets' in July, when questioned whether United should construct their team around Mainoo, Carrick said: "I think for a club to have a player that's come through the academy and knows the club and feels it, I think you have to.
"United's got to have an element of that. Always has done, always should, always have. To have a talent like that he's shown already, you've got to have players like that.
"You can say they get it, they know it, let's help them, let's build them and stick with them and I think that there's definitely a place for him there, for sure."
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