Man Utd drop Mainoo bomb: It’s thought a transfer might be best for everyone

Manchester United have been warned there is a very real chance they could see Kobbie Mainoo leave Old Trafford in the summer.

Mainoo was linked with a transfer to Chelsea during the January transfer window but he ultimately remained with the Red Devils.

Contract talks with the England midfielder, though, have not progressed well and now the Manchester Evening News reports there is a growing belief that selling the 19-year-old could be a move that suits everyone.

Mainoo exploded onto the scene under Erik ten Hag little over a year ago but his progress has since been held back by injury issues.

His Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has grown to €54.8 million, and with United set sell players in the summer to fund signings, the academy player could be a surprising sacrifice. Contract talks with the teenager began over a year ago, and with no agreement on the horizon, the Red Devils could cut their losses on a player only tied to them until 2027.

“There is a genuine chance that Mainoo could leave in the summer. There needs to be a compromise in contract negotiations for Mainoo to stay, which supporters are hoping for, but it’s thought a split might eventually be best for the player and club,” the Manchester Evening News reports.

There are no indications of clubs interested in Mainoo, but Chelsea are still in the market for a central midfielder and could potentially revisit a deal.

Where does Mainoo fit in under Amorim?

One of the reasons given for Mainoo potentially moving on is the uncertainty over where he might fit into the plans of Ruben Amorim.

He has played as a No.10 in Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation but there is a concern that his lack of mobility means that does not fit easily into the central midfield roles that he would naturally take up.

Amorim even used Mainoo as a centre-forward in an experiment against Crystal Palace in the Premier League, though this was never likely to be a long-term solution for him given that the Red Devils are in the market for a No.9 in the summer.

That centre-forward that Man Utd crave could well be funded by the sale of Mainoo the way things are headed at Old Trafford.