In the late autumn of 2025, United legend Paul Scholes went out and recommended a Manchester United player to sign for rivals Chelsea. Absolutely unbelievable for someone who is Man Utd, but Scholes was so at the way the club and Ruben Amorim treated Kobbie Mainoo, that Chelsea was a better option. Amorim is history, with Michael Carrick in the director’s chair at Old Trafford, Mainoo can continue to make history. It is reported that United management is very happy with Carrick’s impact.
The hyperactive transfer journalist Romano gives a situation analysis: “When we talk about Man Utd, I want to mention how happy everyone at Man Utd is with Kobbie Mainoo,” the journal site begins on its own youtube channel.
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“It’s about Michael Carrick; it’s about the club. In less than a year, basically eight nine months, everything changed around Kobbie Mainoo. Remember, in the January window, before Ruben Amorim was sacked by Man United, Kobbie Mainoo was almost, almost on loan to Napoli.The deal was very concrete, was very advanced.”
“Then the change of Utd manager, Michael Carrick arrives, and Mainoo immediately becomes a crucial part of the project. Now with Utd, they are delighted with Kobbie Mainoo,” Romano concludes.
Mainoos impressed against Ipswich and Everton before putting in another outstanding performance in United’s 4-0 win over Sabah in the Champions League. The Guardian highlighted how Mainoo has gone from being an outsider to a central figure under Carrick, where his passing, composure and defensive work have helped shape United’s new midfield identity.
The talent was always obvious. What Mainoo needed was a manager who was willing to trust his strengths rather than looking at him as a tactical problem. Carrick has done just that.
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Mainoo now receives the ball deeper, controls the tempo, and plays with much more freedom and confidence. The competition from United’s new midfielders hasn’t pushed him aside; instead, it seems to have raised his level. That’s important because United could have easily lost a homegrown midfielder with tremendous long-term value. From almost leaving for Napoli to becoming one of Carrick’s most reliable players, Mainoo’s story shows how quickly a footballer’s situation can change under the right manager.
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Paul Scholes can calm down, Manchester United are not going to waste the extreme resource Kobbie Mainoo.
