The latest teams to enter the race to sign Kobbie Mainoo have been revealed with growing belief that Manchester United may be ready to change their stance on the 20-year-old midfielder’s exit in the winter window.
Interest from Italy
A report in Italian media (as relayed by Sports Witness) reveals AS Roma and Juventus are “on the sidelines” for Mainoo as the Serie A giants plot a raid in January.
The report contends that both clubs are keen to offer the Carrington graduate the “regular game time” he is craving this season.
Mainoo has one eye firmly on the World Cup next year in the United States – and it was this driving factor which led the youngster to push to leave Old Trafford at the end of the summer window.
Ruben Amorim has yet to find a natural home for Mainoo in his 3-4-2-1 system.
The Portuguese coach trialled him as a number eight, number ten and even as a false nine last season, to varying degrees of success.
But Amorim appears intent on utilising Mainoo in central midfield this campaign. But this puts the England international in direct competition with club captain Bruno Fernandes – a fight with only one winner.
The absence of European football at Old Trafford, as well as the humiliating early exit from the Carabao Cup at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town, has drastically reduced the number of games for the Red Devils this season.
This, in turn, will limit the opportunities for Mainoo to play for his club – and, crucially, stake his claim for his country.
Juventus and Roma are acutely aware of this conundrum and seeking to exploit it by offering Mainoo more first-team minutes in Italy.
United’s Stance on Mainoo
United rejected Mainoo’s request to leave the club on loan at the end of the summer, stressing he remains an important part of Amorim’s squad.
However, the report reveals United “would be open to letting the midfielder depart on a loan deal,” but does not offer any further clarification on why this stance may have changed.
It is believed INEOS would have entertained offers for Mainoo earlier in the window, providing a suitable replacement could have been sourced. But outside of an unsuccessful approach for Brighton starlet Carlos Baleba, United did not come close to signing a new midfielder.
There are plans to reinforce the engine room in January with links to Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher continuing to crop up.
If United were to bring in a player like Gallagher, whose physicality and mobility suits Amorim’s system more, this may explain a softening on their stance on Mainoo.
Roma and Juventus will certainly be banking on this change, though they are likely to be joined by clubs such as Real Madrid, Newcastle United, and even Manchester City, if recent reports are to be believed.
Featured image Shaun Botterill via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
