“He’s so relaxed, the game’s so easy to him. It’s almost like poetry in motion.” Those words capture the early promise that accompanied Kobbie Mainoo as he forced his way into Manchester United’s first team during 2023–24. His breakout campaign ended with a defining moment: the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Mainoo’s rise was rapid. After three appearances in 2022–23 he made 32 in 2023–24, logging 2,389 minutes and contributing to six goal involvements. His performances earned him a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad and a start in the final against Spain. Expectations were high, but the following season did not follow the same script.

In 2024–25 Mainoo featured 36 times, starting 23 matches and totalling 2,031 minutes with three goal contributions. The arrival of Ruben Amorim and his preferred 3-4-2-1 shaped squad selection. Amorim’s two-man midfield has reduced opportunities for a natural free-roaming No.8. Casemiro has provided the defensive backbone, while a more creative role looks set to be occupied by Bruno Fernandes, limiting Mainoo’s pathway into the team.

Injuries have also interrupted continuity. Mainoo missed the start of 2023–24 with an ankle problem and suffered two further setbacks last term, missing 17 matches in total and three months across two spells. Those absences made it difficult to build momentum and allowed others to move ahead in the pecking order. He was given just four starts between April and the season end and was used only in stoppage time during the Europa League final as United chased an equaliser, with Amorim turning to Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho ahead of him.

“He’s the nearest thing I’ve seen to [Zinedine] Zidane in taking a ball, receiving the ball, cruising past people,” enthused Scholes in the aforementioned interview. “The sky’s the limit for this lad if he keeps his head down. And he looks like the type who will stay on an even keel.”

Mainoo sought a loan move to secure regular minutes but the transfer was blocked. With the 2025–26 season under way he has made two appearances so far, and consistent starts and fitness will be decisive if his development is to resume.

Napoli could revive their loan interest in Kobbie Mainoo in the January window, a report has suggested. The Serie A club were one of several sides linked with a move for the Manchester United midfielder in the final hours of the transfer window.

ESPN say the England international’s temporary stay in Naples was “mapped out” but United rejected the offer. That account adds that Napoli might “resurrect” their interest in January provided Manchester United can identify a suitable replacement.

Amorim publicly rebuffed that approach, insisting that he valued the midfielder. Despite that reassurance, Mainoo has not made a single Premier League start this season, a situation that has reportedly left the 20-year-old keen to push for a move in the summer.

The Red Devils are already expected to look for a new midfielder in 2026. Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba is presented in reports as an ideal candidate, although United are said to be prepared to sign a more affordable short-term option in January if the Seagulls resist losing their player mid-season.

Mainoo’s dissatisfaction at Old Trafford is said to stem not only from limited game time but also from his contract situation. The academy graduate signed a deal in January 2023 that runs until 2027, with a club option for a further year. “At that point, Mainoo was just 17 and had not yet made a single senior appearance.”

For Manchester United, any January movement would depend on recruitment options and the willingness to sanction a temporary exit for a young midfielder who has attracted interest since the close of the last window.

Manchester United moved swiftly this summer to remove players deemed disruptive to the manager’s plans, a process that has placed André Onana on the verge of a loan to Türkiye. Sources inside the club say Ruben Amorim was reportedly “dissatisfied” with multiple aspects of Onana’s approach during pre-season, a verdict that contributed to the decision to pursue a new goalkeeper.

The club’s clearout also included Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Jadon Sancho in what has been described as a deliberate effort to rid Amorim’s squad of any undesirable figures, even if it does result in significant financial losses. Former United defender Rio Ferdinand voiced approval of that approach.

Onana’s troubles at Old Trafford have not been limited to errors on the pitch. The former Inter goalkeeper suffered a hamstring injury on the first day of pre-season, which reportedly added to Amorim’s concerns. The 29-year-old’s “expectation” that he would be United’s starting goalkeeper for the new campaign also left his boss “dissatisfied.”

A report in The Athletic suggests off-field conduct was a factor as well. It states Onana “ruffled feathers” among some figures at the club with his “big personality.” Whether Amorim was among that group is unclear, but the combination of interruptions in pre-season and perceived attitudes appears to have shifted the club’s view.

United were not initially in the market for a new shot-stopper, but co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to have supported the decision to sign a goalkeeper after the first Premier League game of the season against Arsenal. Onana had been dropped for that fixture in favour of Altay Bayındır, whose handling of Declan Rice’s corner led to the match’s only goal.

Intriguingly, Onana was originally told to refrain from securing a new club before that stance shifted following the Deadline Day arrival of Senne Lammens. The chain of events has now left Onana poised to join Trabzonspor on loan as Manchester United reshapes the squad around Amorim’s demands.