Surprise club enter race to sign Mainoo, contact made over audacious deal – report

One Manchester United player everyone was bound to watch closely this winter is Kobbie Mainoo. Mainoo has struggled to truly establish himself under United head coach Ruben Amorim, leaving his situation increasingly tricky. Despite his obvious talent, Amorim is believed to harbour concerns over the 20‑year‑old’s defensive discipline, while also questioning whether the midfielder is quick enough to meet the demands of his system. As a result, the United academy graduate has spent more time warming the bench than commanding the pitch. The struggle for game time has left Mainoo increasingly frustrated, all the more so as the FIFA World Cup draws ever closer. He now worries that his limited minutes could jeopardise his chances of breaking into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the summer 2026 showpiece. There have been suggestions, much like last summer, that the Mancunian could push for a loan move this winter. Yet conflicting reports insist he is weighing up the option of staying put and continuing the fight for his place. Even so, speculation over a departure has refused to fade. Napoli were said to be keen, Everton have also been linked, and the list of suitors only seems to grow. Turkish giants table audacious proposal According to Sabah, relayed via Sport Witness, Besiktas have now approached the Red Devils with an audacious proposal for Mainoo. Sport Witness summarised the claims from Turkey: “Beşiktaş are making contact to take the Manchester United youngster on loan. “The Turkish club want Mainoo on an 18‑month loan deal and have contacted the Premier League club. “Should they get an opening from the Red Devils, then they’ll push forward and presumably try to convince the player.” It is undoubtedly a bold move by Besiktas, though United’s response feels obvious. An 18‑month loan is a frankly ridiculous proposal; one that, if INEOS were to accept, would leave many stunned. With Mainoo yet to sign a new deal and his contract running until the summer of 2027 (albeit with United holding the option to extend by a year), sanctioning such a lengthy loan spell would hardly sit well at Old Trafford. Trigger for other suitors While Besiktas are eager to exploit Mainoo’s restlessness, INEOS may well have more reasonable offers to weigh up. In truth, the Turkish side’s audacious proposal may have achieved little more than sparking other suitors into action, potentially accelerating the race for United’s in‑demand midfielder. Featured image Jan Kruger via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Daniel Onguko Dan is a writer with The Peoples Person, an avid Manchester United fan whose passion for the Red Devils evolved into writing about them. He was introduced to United back in 2008, and his love for the club has continued to grow ever since. Like every other United fan, he believes the club will soon return to its rightful place and strives to reflect that belief in his writing. While he has also written about other Premier League sides, including Arsenal for Just Arsenal and The Arsenal Analysis Blogspot, Dan lives and breathes Manchester United.