Ruben Amorim has changed his mind on the ‘perfect position’ for one Manchester United star after making a bold statement this week.
Manchester United are aiming to recover from a disappointing season and have already begun their pre-season preparations.
Ruben Amorim has added three new faces to his squad in Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon, and Bryan Mbeumo, but further reinforcements are still required.
In addition to new signings, several underperforming players from last season must step up and deliver significantly improved performances.
Amorim’s squad includes plenty of talent capable of challenging at the top end of the Premier League, and those individuals must now put last season’s struggles behind them.
One player particularly eager to bounce back is Kobbie Mainoo, who endured a tough second year as a professional following on from an incredible breakthrough season.
Amorim changes his mind on Mainoo’s best position
Last term, it seemed like Amorim made the decision to move Mainoo into the no.10 positions as he felt it was his best role in the system. He regularly said that he was at his best closer to the goal.
But the latest comments from the head coach in pre-season suggests that he has changed in his mind on Mainoo’s best position and has hinted that the 20-year-old will be played in the midfield pivot again.
Amorim believes that Mainoo is at his best when he is ‘more near the ball’ and also made the bold statement to say that he has ‘big plans’ for the midfielder.
“I think he can play in both positions in the midfield,” the United boss told journalists this week when asked about his plans for Mainoo.
“Last year, he played more in front. I think his perfect position is more near the ball, always with the ball. I think he’s a big talent and you guys know that better than me, that he is a big talent.
“I think he needs to increase the rhythm, the pace. I’m always on top of that with Kobbie because he’s so good sometimes, but he can be better.
“So I have big plans but, like I said, it’s one game per week and the competition is going to be huge. Everybody has to be prepared to play one game or play all the games. That is the key point in our season.”
Mainoo’s role next season will be interesting
There are certain players in the team who simply need more touches on the ball. Mainoo is one them, undoubtedly. He can make things tick for the team but cannot become isolated in games.
Considering Amorim’s comments, it would not be a huge surprise to see the Academy graduate played in the deepest midfield role and be allowed to lead the central build-up for the Reds.
Like Amorim mentioned, Mainoo still needs to increase his pace, also out of possession, but he is the best option for that position when United are on the ball.
It will be interesting to see how the Portuguese coach plans to use Mainoo next term but it is clear that he rates the youngster highly and wants him to reach his full potential.
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