Kobbie Mainoo has reportedly already picked a favourite destination if he were to request to leave Manchester United on loan this summer.
Kobbie Mainoo has not had an easy time at Manchester United ever since Rúben Amorim took charge at the club in November 2024.
The English midfielder has played 33 times under the Portuguese head coach, but many of these have just been from the bench. Last season, a plethora of injuries left the 20-year-old out of the squad during key moments of the campaign, but many hoped a full pre-season would provide a change for the player.
However, so far this campaign, Mainoo has started just one fixture for United and come off the bench on four occasions, remaining an unused substitute in the other two.
In the final week of the window, Mainoo submitted two formal requests to leave United on loan for the 2025/26 campaign, as he was concerned about his game time under Amorim; however, these requests were quickly rejected by the club.
Amid Amorim’s continual refusal to start the talented Academy graduate in any of the club’s Premier League fixtures so far, Mainoo is understandably worried that this will affect his chances of playing in the 2026 World Cup with England next summer.
Mainoo already has an ideal destination in mind
When Mainoo requested to leave United, the breaking news piqued the interest of many top clubs around Europe, who all know just how talented the midfielder is.
While a few clubs, such as Chelsea and Newcastle, have shown interest in the past, it was Serie A side Napoli who were the keenest to strike a deal for Mainoo amid negotiations with United that saw Rasmus Højlund sign for the Italian team.
According to MailSport, in the summer, Napoli was also his favoured destination due to his former teammates, Højlund and Scott McTominay, as well as ex-Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne, already having settled in Naples.
Furthermore, it’s stated that if Amorim is to remain at United until January and Napoli already picked as his favoured destination, Mainoo may look to request leave again until the end of the season, with Napoli likely to remain his first-choice destination.
Mainoo could become Amorim’s Hail Mary
With just two wins, one draw, and four losses in his opening seven fixtures this season, including a horrid loss on penalties to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup second round, Amorim is on thin ice at Old Trafford.
When speaking about Mainoo, the head coach has insisted that he believes a lot in Mainoo and his talent, but has hinted that he feels the midfielder would only be able to flourish in a United side that controlled more possession.
However, with players such as Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro currently ahead of the 20-year-old, Amorim will find it hard to create the environment he feels best suits Mainoo, as the South American duo are much more prone to losing possession than their teammate.
If Amorim wants his side to become more ball-dominant and have better control of games, he must let go of his apprehension about playing Mainoo alongside Bruno Fernandes. If he doesn’t, and the results continue to pour in as they do, he may find himself out of a job.
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