Manchester United's young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is, for the first time, reportedly contemplating a permanent departure from the club he joined as a boy. The 20-year-old's frustration has grown due to a severe lack of first-team opportunities under manager Ruben Amorim this season.
Growing Frustration and a Crucial Injury
Kobbie Mainoo has not started a single Premier League match in the 2025/26 campaign. His only start came in the humiliating Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town back in August. This situation led the player to push for a loan move before the summer window closed, a request the club hierarchy ultimately denied.
The situation appeared to be on the cusp of change ahead of United's trip to Aston Villa on Sunday, 28 December. Amorim was set to hand Mainoo a rare start, but the opportunity was cruelly snatched away when the midfielder suffered a calf injury in training. This setback also ruled him out of the subsequent 1-0 victory over Newcastle United on Friday.
Permanent Exit Now on the Table
With the January transfer window opening imminently, speculation around Mainoo's future has intensified. According to a report from The i Paper, sources close to the ten-cap England international indicate he is now exploring the possibility of a permanent exit, rather than another temporary loan.
The report states that several clubs across Europe have registered their interest in the talented midfielder. One potential destination could be Napoli, where former United teammates Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund have successfully revived their careers. Mainoo is being tipped as a candidate to follow a similar path.
United's Stance and Midfield Conundrum
Despite the player's reported desires, Manchester United's position is clear: they would only consider a substantial offer for Mainoo. The club's stance is complicated by a lack of depth in the middle of the park. Key playmaker Bruno Fernandes is currently injured, and veteran Casemiro has managed just three full 90-minute performances at club level this season.
This leaves manager Amorim with limited options. Selling Mainoo without a replacement would leave him with only Mason Mount and Manuel Ugarte as backup. Ugarte has started the last two games, while Mount picked up an injury on Boxing Day. The club would likely need to secure one of their top midfield targets—such as Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, or Adam Wharton—before sanctioning any sale.
This creates a complex dilemma for the Red Devils, balancing the need to retain a promising academy graduate against the player's understandable ambition for regular football.
Amorim's public comments have seemingly contradicted the exit rumours. Before the Newcastle match, he labelled Mainoo as the club's 'future' and suggested an exit was unlikely. "That is my feeling," the United boss said. "He just needs to wait for his chance and everything can change in football in two days."
He further emphasised the squad's thin numbers, stating, "If we are not getting someone, it is hard to leave. Even with a full squad we are shorter... so it's going to be hard for someone to leave the club if we don't get a substitution."
The coming days will reveal whether Mainoo's patience will hold or if a seismic January transfer is on the cards for one of England's most promising young talents.
