Kobbie Mainoo was not allowed to leave Manchester United in the summer transfer window despite a lack of playing time.
Kobbie Mainoo has copied Marcus Rashford on social media after he was denied a move away from Manchester United in the summer transfer window.
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After an incredible breakthrough at United and strong performances for England, Mainoo has struggled to get game time under Ruben Amorim – who admitted that he is competing with captain Bruno Fernandes for a place in his team.
Concerned about his lack of playing time before next year’s World Cup, it is understood that Mainoo expressed his desire for a loan in a meeting with club officials.
However, United refused to approve a loan transfer and despite reported interest from Napoli, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, he remained at his childhood club after the transfer window – with Amorim stating that Mainoo “has to fight for his place”.
After playing just 45 minutes in the Premier League this season in the 3-2 win over Burnley, Mainoo was not included in Thomas Tuchel’s last England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.
Tuchel named a 24-man squad for the matches, including Jordan Henderson and newcomer Elliott Anderson from Nottingham Forest as midfield options.
Adam Wharton was forced to retire due to injury, but Mainoo was overlooked as a replacement, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek from AC Milan was brought in.
Instead, Mainoo has participated in individual training sessions and shared videos of himself performing tricks with the ball on the pitch while trying to stay sharp.
United are back in action on September 14 when they face rivals Manchester City in a big derby match, with Mainoo desperate for his first Premier League start after coming on against Burnley.
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Following Mainoo’s meteoric rise, former Rangers and Sunderland striker Ally McCoist has been baffled by Mainoo’s situation at Old Trafford.
“It’s bizarre,” McCoist said on TNT Sports.
“I don’t understand what’s going on with Kobbie Mainoo because you’d think that with the way Manchester United are, he’d be good enough to get into that team.”
“The manager came out and effectively said that he is challenging Fernandes for that position, which I don’t think is a game he is going to win.”
“So if he’s not going to win that game, it doesn’t look like he’s going to play. It’s strange. Very, very strange.”
Mainoo is under contract until 2027, and reports claimed that he had a verbal agreement on new terms, although no official offer has been made.
