Manchester United have been told a unique solution to Kobbie Mainoo’s problems at the club under Ruben Amorim currently.
Kobbie Mainoo has been left on the bench in both of Manchester United’s opening Premier League fixtures this season.
At Craven Cottage, just after the travelling fans called for their side to “attack, attack, attack,” Ruben Amorim instead turned to two central defenders, leaving the Academy graduate unused once again.
The move has fuelled growing uncertainty around Mainoo’s place in Amorim’s plans, with reports suggesting a potential departure before the transfer window closes has not been ruled out.
According to Amorim, Mainoo is vying for the same role as Bruno Fernandes – a difficult battle given the captain’s consistent inclusion in the starting lineup.
United told unique solution to Mainoo’s problems
It hasn’t just been supporters who have been disappointed by Mainoo’s lack of opportunity in those opening games, with ex-defender Danny Simpson sharing similar thoughts.
“Obviously since his breakthrough with United and England, everyone was literally buzzing in the town of Manchester,” the Premier League winner said on the Beyond The Back Four podcast.
“I didn’t feel like he got enough of a break. Maybe that summer and then last season obviously struggled with injuries and so on and so forth. But I really thought, you know, with a rest and pre-season this year that we’d see more of him and we haven’t seen him at all.”
But Simpson has also suggested a possible solution for Mainoo’s problems. He thinks that the club should offer the 20-year-old on loan to Brighton as part of a swap deal for Carlos Baleba.
“I think for me, because obviously he’s a local lad, I’d like to see him go on loan and go and play a full season in the Premier League and then come back to Man United,” he continued.
“What I’d like to see is sign Baleba and then let them have Kobbie Mainoo in a loan deal and something like that so we can get some experience. I think that would suit everyone.
“And I think United do need a player like Baleba. So I think for me that would be my ideal situation. But it’s football and it doesn’t work like that.”
Brighton wouldn’t be open to such a deal
As Simpson mentions, football doesn’t always work like that and unfortunately it isn’t a deal that Brighton would allow in their current structure.
The Seagulls would likely see little benefit in helping develop a United player when they can simply find one of their other wonder-kids to try and improve before selling them for £100 million in two years.
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Ironically, Baleba and Mainoo would suit each other really well in midfield together and in an ideal world, they could both be playing together at Old Trafford.
United will be hoping that they can convince Brighton to agree to a deal next year, but there are some doubts about whether Mainoo will be there to partner him at that time.
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