Chelsea have emerged as the front-runners to sign Kobbie Mainoo if he decides to leave Manchester United.
The 19-year-old midfielder, an academy product, made a significant impact during the 2023/24 season.
He scored in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool in April and netted the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City in May.
However, this season has been less stellar for Mainoo due to an ankle injury suffered during pre-season in July, which sidelined him until late October. ..Continue Reading
Despite his injury woes, Mainoo showed signs of improvement in United’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
He and teammate Manuel Ugarte delivered strong performances against a Liverpool midfield consisting of Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, and Alexis Mac Allister.
According to Chris Wheeler of the Mail, Chelsea are currently leading the race to sign Mainoo. The report indicates that there is a “stalemate” in negotiations over a new deal with Manchester United.
Mainoo is reportedly concerned about the direction of the club, which is currently 13th in the league. Earning £20,000 per week, Mainoo believes he could secure better terms elsewhere.
David Ornstein of The Athletic has also discussed the possibility of the young England international leaving his boyhood club.
“If a departure is going to happen [for Rashford], a sale in particular, maybe it’s more likely in the summer, but it would represent pure profit, something we hear about so much, because he was an academy graduate,” Ornstein explained when speaking on NBC on Sunday.
“In the same way that Kobbie Mainoo might be, he’s out of contract in 2027 – no news on a new deal.
“Alejandro Garnacho too, I don’t think anybody in that bracket is off the table. Who is, is somebody like Leny Yoro, like Amad Diallo – I think they are untouchable.”
Understandably, many Manchester United supporters would be disappointed to see such a talented young player depart. However, selling him would be seen as ‘pure profit’ from a PSR perspective, given that Mainoo is a product of the academy.
Reports suggest that United are dealing with stringent financial constraints in the January transfer window.
According to Samuel Luckhurst of the MEN, the club needs to “sell to buy”. This situation mirrors their previous dealings with Chelsea last summer when Jadon Sancho moved to the Blues on a season-long loan.
