A pundit claims the prospect of Kobbie Mainoo leaving Manchester United for Chelsea is a “surprise at both ends” as he “wouldn’t get into the team”.
Mainoo enjoyed a remarkable breakout season for boyhood club Man Utd in 2024/25 and also shone for England at last year’s European Championships as he emerged as one of the best young players in the Premier League.
Despite this, it’s emerged that the Red Devils are open to letting Mainoo leave this year as they look to raise funds for a major rebuild.
The centre-midfielder is one of United’s most valuable assets and he would be a pure profit sale. Several clubs would presumably love to have him but it’s been reported that Chelsea are ‘leading’ the race to sign him.
While it’s been noted that United would sell Mainoo if a suitable offer arrives, they are also engaged in contract talks with the midfielder and it remains to be seen if he’ll leave or not.
Chelsea’s interest in Mainoo has “surprised” former England international Paul Robinson, who does not think the Man Utd star would start ahead of Romeo Lavia.
“Surprise with Chelsea, absolutely,” Robinson told Football Insider.
READ: Man Utd keep or sell: Amorim rebuild begins with 11 sales including Rashford and Garnacho
“But then you look at [Moises] Caicedo, [Enzo] Fernandez in their centre midfield. They’ve got injuries in that area now, like I say, but when everybody’s fit with Kobbie Mainoo in there, would he get in the team? No, he wouldn’t.
“[Romeo] Lavia’s been one of the best players in the Premier League for me this year, he’s a top, top player.”
“When they’ve got Lavia, Caicedo, and Fernandez fit, Mainoo doesn’t get in.
“Everyone at Manchester United will be for sale the way things are at the moment. Marcus Rashford looks like he’s going to be the first one out the door, doesn’t he?
“So, to get those wages off the books and that space in the squad gives the manager a better option than letting somebody like Kobbie Mainoo go.
“It’s a surprise deal at both ends for me.”
MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Man Utd star sues former club over ‘unlawful’ unpaid wages with ‘money from salary withheld’
👉 Man Utd transfer: ‘Extraordinary’ teen striker named as shock target with PL rivals ‘interested’
👉 Man Utd to ‘accept £35m’ amid ‘Marcus Rashford update’ as Barcelona ‘make contact’; one ‘hurdle’
Ex-United defender Paul Parker has explained why he cannot see Mainoo leaving his boyhood club.
“I’d look and say with Kobbie Mainoo, where he’s from and everything he is about, does he want to leave Manchester United? I would say no,” Parker said.
“I would look at the way he is as a person, is he going to be greedy in what he wants? I would say no.
“So I can’t see them doing that because Manchester United has been built off players who have come through like him. If they were to do that, it would just cause too many issues.
“INEOS and the new kids on the block are already just hanging in there, so to do that would be a big statement to make.”
