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Kobbie Mainoo transfer latest: ‘Rapid development’ as Man Utd make ‘big-name’ plan
Robin Bairner
- 3 Jan 2026 09:00 CST
- 4 min read
News
Kobbie Mainoo future at Manchester United continues to be far from certain, with the England star’s place at the club muddied by uncertainty over Ruben Amorim’s future as well as developments at Napoli.
Mainoo, 20, has been frustrated by his lack of opportunities at Old Trafford this season. He has yet to start a Premier League match for Man Utd and has been used comparatively sparingly off the bench.
Despite this, Amorim has been insistent that the Stockport-born star will not be allowed to leave unless a player arrives at the club.
Current ETV
Kobbie Mainoo
M, DM (C)
Man Utd
Kobbie Mainoo
M, DM (C)
Man Utd
ETV Range
€54.8M - €67M
Based on what the manager said on Friday, it looks like that won’t happen.
Ahead of the Premier League clash with Leeds, Amorim said: “The transfer window is not going to change.
“We have no conversations at this moment to have any change in the squad. There's a process, there's an idea that is going to continue.
“We are near the places of the Champions League, but we are also near like eight teams behind us. So let's focus on the next game, just that. Our focus is to win the next game.”
None of this is particularly promising for Mainoo as he hopes to force his way into the England setup for the World Cup.
Napoli ready to accelerate on Mainoo?
One of the major clubs that Mainoo has been linked with has been Napoli.
The Serie A side remain interested in Mainoo, but a deal will only be possible if they find a way to offload Noa Lang, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
There has been a “rapid development” in this case, according to Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, who indicates that official talks have started with Lang’s agent.
In turn, this could accelerate Napoli’s push to sign Mainoo.
Besiktas make ambitious loan bid
But there has been a fresh development in the chase for the out-of-favour Man Utd star.
Besiktas have made an offer to the Red Devils that, if accepted, could see Mainoo move to the Super Lig club, Sabah Spor reports. The catch is that it’s an 18-month loan deal.
With Amorim the major roadblock to the Englishman getting game time at Old Trafford and seemingly under increasing pressure from the board and therefore likely to depart sometime before the start of next season, it would be surprising if he were to commit to leaving for such a long period.
Has a door opened for a Mainoo replacement?
Man Utd may not be looking at any short-term fixes to replace Mainoo, such as Ruben Neves, but according to the iPaper, they are biding their time to make a bid summer splash.
It reports: “Long-term targets have been identified, with the club ready to move for a big-name midfielder in the summer. That much is certain.”
With United having half-heartedly followed up their interest in Brighton’s Carlos Baleba this month, it would appear that he remains a major target, with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson other names in the mix.
All this adds to the sense that Mainoo remains stuck where he is until the summer at least.
