Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Kobbie Mainoo will open an all-important new chapter in his Manchester United career for the 2026-27 Premier League season under Michael Carrick at Old Trafford.
The 21-year-old Stockport-born midfielder has not returned to the Premier League club this summer because of his extended break post-World Cup last month.
Kobbie Mainoo hit his stride in the second half of the 2025-26 Premier League campaign after Michael Carrick was appointed interim boss back in January.
The England international started 16 of 17 Premier League matches under United manager Carrick and saw a significant turn in his spell post-Ruben Amorim.
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Kobbie Mainoo of England looks on ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final match between Norway and England at Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States, on July 11, 2026.
Photo by Jose Hernandez/Anadolu via Getty Images
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Kobbie Mainoo’s experience under Ruben Amorim at Man Utd and England at the World Cup will be ‘wiped clean’
Despite his resurgence in form last season, Kobbie Mainoo could not escape the focus that was placed on his first half of the campaign under Ruben Amorim.
Just as things were picking up for Mainoo, the Manchester United midfielder’s run with England under Thomas Tuchel cast more ‘drama’ around his 2025-26 season.
Mainoo went to the World Cup on the back of his return to the England national team in March, but he did not pick up a single minute at the tournament.
Both the chapter under Amorim at Man Utd and the run for England under Thomas Tuchel can now be ‘boxed off’ and a ‘clean slate’ is now there for Mainoo to embrace.
The United youth academy product returned to Old Trafford with an injury setback from the World Cup after he missed the third-place play-off match against France.
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Even Ben Foster highlighted the importance of both United fans and Mainoo needing to “move on” from what happened at the World Cup and during Amorim’s reign.
“Yeah, and I think deservedly so [that Amorim was blamed] as well,” he said on his Fozcast podcast.
“But Amorim wanted to play a different style that probably wouldn’t have suited Kobbie Mainoo anyway.
“But Kobbie Mainoo came in for the last, what, 15 or so games of the season with Michael Carrick and was phenomenal. I mean, he’s a hell of a player.
“He just shows what he can do. Exactly that, he shows what he can do. So, hopefully, you see more of the same of it next season at Manchester United and we all can just move on from this.”
It felt like Mainoo could do no wrong during his breakout season under Erik ten Hag and his impressive exploits under Sir Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024 for England.
The 2026-27 campaign could now act like a ‘soft reboot’ for Mainoo’s career and the haunting memories of Amorim and Tuchel can truly be left behind.