Napoli go all-in on Man Utd midfielder Kobbie Mainoo

Tom Weber

• 7 Nov 2025 12:01 CST
• 3 min read

News

Napoli and Manchester United held fresh talks over a January loan for Kobbie Mainoo this week, according to Italian media.

The 20-year-old is unhappy at Old Trafford due to his lack of playing time and feels that he must leave the club to have a chance of returning to the England setup ahead of the World Cup.

Mainoo has to date played just 138 minutes of Premier League football this season after having a summer exit blocked by the club. Coach Ruben Amorim wants the youngster to compete with captain Bruno Fernandes for a midfield spot, essentially forcing him to fight a losing battle.

The academy graduate's stance on a transfer has not changed. He remains keen to leave Man Utd on loan, but he does not want to depart his boyhood club permanently.

This is a major problem, however. Man Utd don't want to loan him out and would only entertain a big-money sale. Indeed, Gazzetta dello Sport confirms that the Red Devils have a 'low propensity for loan transfers.'

Napoli go all-in on Mainoo

The Italian outlet reports that fresh talks between Man Utd and Mainoo's main suitors, Napoli, took place this week. The reigning Serie A champions are desperate to sign the 20-year-old.

Kevin de Bruyne is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a freak hamstring injury, while Frank Anguissa will be at the Africa Cup of Nations, from December potentially until mid-January, making the signing of a new midfielder a priority for the Naples outfit.

The report states that Napoli are essentially going all-in on Mainoo. He is their top target and the only midfielder they are currently actively in talks over signing.

They have other options on their shortlist, such as out-of-favour Roma man Lorenzo Pellegrini, but work on these alternatives will only start once it is clear that there is no chance of signing Mainoo.

Man Utd remain reluctant to sanction a loan exit, but Napoli are open to exploring different formulas that include a permanent element. Ideally, they would like to do a loan with an option to purchase Mainoo.

Whether the player would agree to such a deal is a different question, of course, given his desire to only leave Man Utd temporarily. With the window still almost two months away, Napoli will continue to push for Man Utd to soften their stance.

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