A Manchester United star who Ruben Amorim called “top” is now close to sealing a January exit, with talks advancing.
Amorim looking to reshuffle squad in January
After a shaky start to the campaign, Amorim has managed to buy himself some more time courtesy of a recent uptick in results, with Man United winning four out of their last six matches in the Premier League.
The United boss has settled on Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes as his preferred options in the middle of the park, and the midfield duo certainly played their part in the recent 2-1 victory against Liverpool at Anfield.
Casemiro made three tackles to keep the Reds at bay, the joint-second highest number of any player, while Fernandes was a constant threat, hitting the woodwork and assisting Harry Maguire’s late winner.
However, there have been suggestions that Amorim is less convinced by his back-up options in midfield, with Teddy Sheringham claiming the 40-year-old isn’t a fan of Kobbie Mainoo: “He has a certain style that Amorim obviously doesn’t appreciate.
“He obviously wants more from Mainoo; it’s up to him to try and change his game a little bit to fit in with what Amorim wants.”
According to a report from Spain, Mainoo is now very close to sealing a January exit from Old Trafford, with talks over a move to Napoli recently advancing, amid very limited game time so far this season.
The 20-year-old is determined to make it to the 2026 World Cup, which means he needs to be receiving regular minutes, and Napoli are now in the strongest position to get a deal done, with the youngster potentially in line to follow Scott McTominay to Italy.
The report doesn’t make it clear what sort of fee the Red Devils could receive for their academy graduate, but a £70m asking price has been touted in the past.
Mainoo needs regular first-team football
It would be completely understandable if the youngster were to push for a move this January, given that he is at serious risk of not going to the World Cup, having not played for England since a 2-0 victory over Ireland over one year ago.
Amorim has previously made it clear he is a fan of the central midfielder, describing him as a “top player”, but the United boss clearly isn’t totally convinced, with the 10-time England international still yet to make a Premier League start this season.
Given that Amorim has staved off the pressure with two wins on the bounce, Mainoo may not be reintroduced into the starting XI anytime soon, but it would be a real shame to see the 2024 FA Cup final star leave, with the display against Manchester City proving he has the talent to succeed at Old Trafford.
