United star’s January transfer hopes crushed to dust after what unfolded in the 2-1 loss to Villa – report

Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has suffered a significant setback in his bid to leave the club in January after Bruno Fernandes’ injury, a new report has revealed. Fernandes injured United lost 2-1 to Aston Villa on Sunday but beyond the defeat, the club was further rocked by Fernandes sustaining an injury. Since he joined United from Sporting CP in January 2020, Fernandes has enjoyed a near-perfect injury record, having missed only three league games through injury or illness. He has averaged 53 games a season in that period. PlayerMinutes Played James Tarkowski18,900 Bruno Fernandes18,353 Declan Rice18,081 Ezri Konsa17,462 Mohamed Salah17,317 Jarrod Bowen17,247 Ollie Watkins16,525 John McGinn16,468 Tomás Soucek16,356 Lewis Dunk16,346 (Source: The Times) He pulled up with an injury during the final minutes of the meeting with Villa. Fernandes attempted to continue playing but it soon became clear he could not carry on. He was taken off at the interval and replaced by Lisandro Martinez, who saw out the rest of the game in the middle of the park alongside Manuel Ugarte. Ruben Amorim confirmed that he expects the skipper to be sidelined for a while with a soft tissue injury. Mainoo missed the Villa game with a calf injury he picked up in training. The England international is not expected to be back before Friday’s home clash with Newcastle. Amidst his struggle for minutes under Amorim, Mainoo is believed to be keen on a loan exit in January. There is no shortage of suitors vying to snap up the England international. He has been linked to the likes of Napoli, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Everton, just to name a few. However, according to The Times, Fernandes’ injury may have fully dashed Mainoo’s hopes of leaving in search of regular playing time elsewhere. Mainoo blow The Times report, “Bruno Fernandes’s injury has all but killed off Kobbie Mainoo’s hopes of leaving Manchester United on loan and rebuilding his stagnating career next month.” “Mainoo had been keen to explore the option of moving to a new club after apparently failing to win over the United head coach, Ruben Amorim, and prove he is worthy of a starting role in the team.” The Times note that Mainoo’s woes are compounded by the lack of options available to Amorim, with Amad, Bryan Mbeumo and Noussair Mazraoui all currently away with their respective countries for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament. 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 Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!