United agreed deal with “the next Zidane” but Amorim ruined the club’s plans – report

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo had to wait until Ruben Amorim was sacked before making his first Premier League start of the season. Michael Carrick started Mainoo against Manchester City last weekend, and the technically gifted midfielder certainly did not disappoint.  The 20-year-old was efficient with the ball at his feet and did the dirty work out of possession, tightly marking City’s main man in the middle of the park, Rodri. United’s dominant derby triumph could prove to be a turning point in what has been a troubled campaign for both the club and the player. Ruben Amorim blocked Kobbie Mainoo’s contract renewal Heading into the January transfer window, Kobbie Mainoo wanted to leave Manchester United on loan after having his minutes significantly reduced under Amorim. Napoli have been trying to lure Mainoo to Naples since last summer. According to the Daily Mail, plans to move to Italy on loan have been shelved following Amorim’s exit.  The England international, who started for the Three Lions in the Euros final in 2024, has been “brought back into the fold” by Carrick. The United interim manager played the youngster on the left of his midfield three against City, alongside Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes.  Amorim, meanwhile, pitted Mainoo against the ever-present Portuguese maestro. Furthermore, the former United head coach raised questions about the Englishman’s defensive work. The Daily Mail claim that “a new contract was agreed by Mainoo last year but Ruben Amorim did not sign it off.” Manchester United keen to extend Kobbie Mainoo’s contract Now that Amorim has gone, United are “prepared to return to contract talks” with Mainoo. Mainoo, who has 18 months remaining on his contract, plus the option of a further year, is one of the lowest-paid players at Old Trafford. He takes home £25,000 gross per week, excluding bonuses (via Capology). Kobbie Mainoo Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Premier League131––––318′ FA Cup11––1–62′ EFL Cup11–1––90′ Total153–11–470′ Recently, The Peoples Person relayed a report claiming United plan to “sit down and discuss the details of a new and improved contract – one which would see his wages brought more in line with his team-mates and his standing at the club.” Things are starting to fall into place for Mainoo. The onus is now on the midfielder, who is “the nearest thing” to Zidane as per Paul Scholes, to deliver consistently from now until the end of the season to not only prove Amorim wrong but also make it into Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad. Featured image Alex Livesey 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 Vishal Singh Vishal has worked in the football media industry for over six years, planning, writing, and editing content for several major outlets, including North Star Network. Vishal has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person, he covers Manchester United — a club he has been religiously following and supporting since 2012. Vishal also manages a leading MUFC fan page, The Red Devils, on Facebook with over a million likes. Big fan of ball-playing centre-backs and Harry Maguire’s knee-slide celebration!