Kobbie Mainoo looks to finally be taking on board the advice Raphaël Varane gave him after crunch talks about his Manchester United future with Rúben Amorim.
Many of Manchester United’s players last season had to spend time adapting to Rúben Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation.
After Erik ten Hag was sacked in late October, United appointed the Portuguese head coach as his replacement, with a drastic change in system rocking the boat at Old Trafford.
While those like Amad, Noussair Mazraoui, and Harry Maguire quickly excelled, others, such as Rasmus Højlund and Casemiro, had to take time to adapt.
However, with the club expected to play four Premier League sides across pre-season and Amorim having two months with his squad ahead of the start of the next campaign, it’s thought that United will become a much more formidable force.
Mainoo is finally taking on Varane’s advice
Another player who has so far failed to make a significant imprint on Amorim’s team is Kobbie Mainoo, who has suffered from multiple injuries and been unable to break into the starting XI.
The head coach has tended to prefer Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes as a midfield pairing so far, with Alejandro Garnacho and Amad preferred across the front line alongside Rasmus Højlund.
However, Mainoo has made a point of showing that he is working hard to get himself back to full fitness, to protect his body and ensure he does not repeat his injury-hit season.
Some of United’s best players in recent seasons, such as former centre-back Raphaël Varane, have been plagued by injury problems that have hindered their careers at Old Trafford.
“Raphaël told me one thing, which was great advice: the best investment you make is investing in your body,” Mainoo revealed when he was first coming through the ranks at United.
“Obviously, as a footballer, your body is your instrument; it’s what you use. So I took that on board.”
Mainoo has told Amorim where he wants to play next season
Mainoo’s current contract at United is set to expire in just over two years, leading to speculation about his future.
Rumours have suggested that, before committing his future to United, he wants clarification on where he will play next season. According to the latest reports, he has informed Amorim that he is motivated to break back into United’s starting XI next season.
It is detailed that Mainoo has explained that he wants to play as part of United’s midfield pairing as opposed to within the club’s front three, and has been working hard to increase his physicality, which is needed to play in a Premier League midfield.
Rumours linking Mainoo with an exit have died down in the last month, and Mainoo is now expected to sign a new five-year deal with United in the coming months.
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