Kobbie Mainoo could have left Man Utd on loan in January but talks over a new contract are set to begin.
Kobbie Mainoo
Manchester United are set to open talks with Kobbie Mainoo over a new contract
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Manchester United are set to open contract talks with Kobbie Mainoo and are hopeful of agreeing a deal with the academy graduate before the end of the season. Mainoo has returned to the team under Michael Carrick, starting all three games for the 44-year-old head coach after a spell in the wilderness under Ruben Amorim.
With the 20-year-old shining in the victories against Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham, United have made it clear they intend to resume talks over a new long-term contract with Mainoo, with the hope that an agreement can be reached relatively smoothly.
United had informed Mainoo that they had no plans to let him leave the club, despite the midfielder being out of the picture under Amorim. He didn't start any of the 20 Premier League fixtures under the Portuguese head coach this season, but has now played every minute since Carrick took over.
While United were willing to sanction a loan move in January if Mainoo felt he had to leave to aid his development, Old Trafford sources insist a permanent option was never on the table and they wouldn't have considered any loan that included an option to buy.
But the decision to sack Amorim has changed Mainoo's fortunes and he has quickly rediscovered his best form under Carrick, leading United to inform him and his camp of plans to commence contract talks.
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Mainoo is still on the contract he signed as a 17-year-old in February 2023 and he is one of the lowest-paid players in the first-team squad. That deal saw the Stockport-born youngster sign terms on a low base rate, as is normal for academy graduates, with significant bonuses for success.
While he was hitting plenty of them during his early time with the squad, he wasn't triggering them when he was benched by Amorim. His return to the team has again led to his salary rising due to the bonuses in his contract.
Mainoo still has a year left on that contract, as well as the option of another year in the club's favour, but United want to tie him down for longer and on terms that better reflect his status. That was difficult to do when he fell out of favour under Amorim, but he has again proved his worth over the last three weeks.